Compare Joint Breakdown Cover

What is joint breakdown cover?

Rather than buying two separate breakdown policies for yourself and another driver, you can take out a joint breakdown policy.

A joint breakdown policy can cover two people should either of them break down on the road. It is personal-based cover, which means the individuals themselves are covered, whatever car they are in.

Who might want to take out joint breakdown cover?

Any two people can take out joint breakdown cover, as long as they live at the same address. For example, a couple, two housemates, or a parent and adult child may want to consider joint breakdown cover if both individuals drive regularly.

However, if you both drive but you only use one vehicle between you, then vehicle breakdown cover may make more sense than a joint policy.

What alternatives are there to joint breakdown cover?

If you want cover for you and another driver, but you share a car, then you could get standard vehicle breakdown cover. A vehicle-based policy covers anyone driving the named vehicle, so you and the other driver would automatically be covered with this.

Vehicle breakdown cover could be cheaper than joint breakdown cover, but bear in mind that it wouldn’t cover you or the other driver in any other car.

Instead of joint cover, you may also want to consider a multi-car policy. For example, if you have two cars and want cover for you and your partner for both of them, a multi-car policy may be an option.

Some providers will also offer family policies which allow you to cover two or more people under one policy. This could be useful if, for example, you are a couple with at least one adult child that drives.

» COMPARE: Family and multi-car breakdown cover

What levels of joint breakdown cover can you get?

When looking at joint breakdown cover, you will find that different policies have different levels of cover. What’s included in each type of policy will vary between providers, but the main features are:

• Roadside assistance means you can call for emergency assistance when you break down mid-journey. Someone will come to your vehicle and try to fix it. If it needs further work, they will then tow it to a garage nearby.
• Home start covers you if you break down on your driveway or close to home. Unless specified, breakdowns at home aren’t usually included as standard under normal cover.
• National recovery is also known as vehicle recovery. This offers slightly more extensive cover than roadside assistance. If you need towing to a garage, you can choose to be taken to anywhere in the UK, not just the closest garage.
• Onward travel goes even further by covering the costs of a hire car, alternative transport, or overnight accommodation if your car needs to stay for a while at a garage for repairs.

Providers may also offer optional cover to add to your policy, such as misfuel cover, lost key cover, and parts and labour cover.

Joint Breakdown Cover FAQs