Compare Roadside Assistance Breakdown Cover

What is roadside assistance?

Roadside assistance is the foundation of all breakdown policies. It offers basic assistance if you break down and means you won’t be left stranded if your vehicle stops working.

As the name indicates, roadside assistance offers help if your vehicle breaks down. Once you call your provider, they will send a mechanic to your vehicle who will try to sort out the problem and get you back on the road. If this isn’t possible, the policy will typically cover the cost of a tow to a nearby garage.

Providers will choose the garage and they will normally only tow you a certain distance, often around 10 miles or less.

This is the basic roadside assistance cover offered, but details can vary between providers. You can also upgrade your cover to make it more comprehensive and add optional cover to tailor your policy to your requirements.

What does a roadside assistance policy usually cover?

As a minimum, roadside assistance will usually cover the cost of a mechanic to come out to your broken-down vehicle. The mechanic will see if they can fix it by the roadside or, if it needs more repairs, they will tow you to a local garage within a certain radius of the scene.

If you would prefer to be taken to a destination of your choice, or be able to continue your journey, you are likely to need a more comprehensive breakdown policy. You can call for help for a variety of problems with your vehicle that stop you driving, including flat tyres, braking issues, or engine trouble.

Unless otherwise stated, if you break down at home, you won’t normally be covered. Many providers will only cover you if you break down a quarter of a mile or more from your home. Breakdowns closer to home will often need home start cover.

Roadside assistance policies from different providers may offer variations on this basic cover. For example, they might offer more options if your vehicle needs towing, or offer home start cover as standard so you can call for help if your vehicle won’t start on the driveway.

Many providers also offer optional add-ons, which can give you more protection, such as key cover, tyre replacement, or parts and labour cover.

There are several exclusions to roadside assistance cover. For example, you may not be covered if:

• You exceed the limit on the number of call-outs you can make.
• You repeatedly ask for assistance for a recurring issue.
• The problem with your vehicle isn’t serious and doesn’t prevent you from driving to a garage to get it fixed.
• You haven’t maintained your vehicle or you haven’t resolved a problem identified at a previous call-out.
• You call for help in the first 24 hours after taking out cover.
• Your vehicle needs parts and repairs at the garage. You will often need to cover the cost of these yourself, or take out extra cover.

» MORE: What cover is included in a breakdown policy?

Is roadside assistance breakdown cover worth it?

Only you know if roadside assistance is worth getting. Having this cover can give you peace of mind as you can call for help if your vehicle breaks down mid-journey, without needing to pay any expensive emergency call-out fees.

However, if you have a new vehicle that is less likely to break down, or you only travel short distances, you may think that having breakdown cover is an unnecessary expense. If you choose not to have cover, you will need to pay extra for assistance if you break down.

You may consider taking out roadside assistance if:

• You have an older vehicle that could be more susceptible to breakdowns.
• You drive long distances, sometimes in remote areas.

However, bear in mind that roadside assistance will only tow you to a nearby garage. So, if you regularly travel far from home, you may prefer a more comprehensive breakdown policy, which can help you to continue to your chosen destination.

» MORE: Is breakdown cover worth it?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of roadside assistance breakdown cover?

Roadside assistance has a number of advantages, including:

• You can call for help if your vehicle breaks down on the road.
• You won’t be charged expensive fees for the call-out.
• It’s typically the entry level and cheapest level of breakdown cover.

However, roadside assistance cover may not be for everybody. Some disadvantages to this kind of cover include:

• You won’t be covered if you break down at home, or close to home (unless specified in the policy).
• Your vehicle will only be towed to a local garage within a certain distance of the breakdown. You can’t choose where you are taken.
• You won’t be covered for alternative transport or overnight accommodation if the garage can’t repair your vehicle right away.

How do I get roadside assistance cover?

To take out a roadside assistance policy, you’ll need to give the provider your personal information, including your name, address, date of birth and contact details.

If you choose vehicle-based cover, the provider may also ask for your vehicle’s registration plate.

You will also need to choose your payment method. You may be able to pay for annual cover in one upfront payment, or split into monthly payments. Alternatively, you may be able to pay by monthly direct debit so you pay for cover on a flexible rolling basis, which you can cancel at any time.

How to choose the best roadside assistance cover for me?

When you’re looking for roadside assistance cover, there are a number of factors to consider such as:

• Whether you need personal-based cover or vehicle-based cover.
• Whether you want cover if you break down at home.
• If you want to upgrade your cover so you can continue your journey after breaking down.
• If you want to add any extra cover to your policy.
• How much you are willing to spend on cover.
• Whether you want to pay for annual cover or pay monthly.
• How many vehicles or how many drivers you want to cover.

Always check to see exactly what cover is included in a policy to make sure it has everything you want. You can compare roadside assistance policies using our comparison table above.

What are the alternatives to roadside assistance?

Roadside assistance is the most basic form of breakdown cover, so if you want more protection you may want to consider one of the other types of cover.

• Home start. This builds on roadside assistance as it covers you if your vehicle breaks down at your home or nearby.
• National recovery. Instead of being towed to a local garage, you can choose to be towed to a location of your choice in the UK.
• Onward travel. This is the most comprehensive level of breakdown cover. You can choose to be towed to a location of your choice and, if your vehicle needs to be kept in the garage for repairs, you are covered for alternative transport or overnight accommodation.

» COMPARE: Breakdown cover

Breakdown cover – Roadside Assistance FAQ