CHEAP BREAKDOWN COVER

What is our cheapest breakdown cover?

See why we're the best value for money with breakdown cover from £5.99 a month – that’s what 10% of AA customers pay.*

Rated four and a half stars on Trustpilot

Rated Excellent by our members on Trustpilot

What's included in our cheapest breakdown cover package?

Unlike other providers, you get unlimited call-outs with our cheapest breakdown cover.

With us, you'll get access to services from our expert patrols, including:

  • Roadside Assistance as standard, no matter which type of breakdown cover you choose
  • Help if your car, van or motorbike breaks down over 1/4 mile from home
  • Help with flat batteries and tyre punctures
  • Help for breakdowns in dangerous situations, like on motorways
  • Access to help from 2,500 dedicated mobile mechanics. There's probably one not far away, right now
  • Patrols equipped with the latest technical diagnostic equipment to find the fault quickly

Rated Excellent on Trustpilot

Curious about what our members say? Read their genuine reviews of our breakdown cover service.

What is breakdown cover and why do you need it?

Whether you’re a new or experienced driver, breakdown cover can be a real benefit. Having it can be the difference between a ruined day and small inconvenience. But first, it helps to know exactly what you’re getting when you buy cheap breakdown cover.

Breakdown cover is a type of policy that means you can get help from a mechanic when your vehicle breaks down at the roadside. All of our breakdown cover policies come with Roadside Assistance, meaning you can get help from one of our expert patrols if you break down.

You may find cheaper quotes from other providers, but it’s worth paying attention to the small print. Look out for providers who limit the number of call-outs you can get, or who won’t cover vehicles if they’re above a certain age.

You can customise your cover with a range of options. This will increase the cost of your policy, but could save you money if you break down and need extra help.

Breaking down without any cover can be expensive. You may have to call out a local garage to come and pick up your car, and if you're far from home, you'll have to pay other costs like onward travel and arranging for the return of your vehicle.

Breakdown mirror day mobile 640x 600

Compare our vehicle breakdown cover packages

These breakdown cover packages all cover 1 vehicle, whoever's driving it. Compare what’s included in each package and choose the one that best suits your needs. 10% of AA customers paid these prices. Source: survey of new business sales from theAA.com, 1 April 2024 to 30 June 2024.

Monthly cover from

£12
Unlimited call-outs
Call us out as many times as you need to, as long as it's not a recurring problem with your vehicle.
Roadside Assistance
24/7 cover for breakdowns over 1/4 mile from home. If we can't complete repairs at the roadside we'll take you and your vehicle to a nearby garage.
At Home
Brings cover to your doorstep and within 1/4 mile from home.

Monthly cover from

£22.55
Unlimited call-outs
Call us out as many times as you need to, as long as it's not a recurring problem with your vehicle.
Roadside Assistance
24/7 cover for breakdowns over 1/4 mile from home. If we can't complete repairs at the roadside we'll take you and your vehicle to a nearby garage.
At Home
Brings cover to your doorstep and within 1/4 mile from home.
National Recovery
We'll take you, your vehicle and up to 7 passengers to any single UK destination if your vehicle can't be fixed.
Onward Travel
Car hire, overnight accommodation or costs towards public transport if we can't get your vehicle going again straight away.

Our types of breakdown cover and how they impact cost

When you pick your specific type of breakdown cover, you can choose between vehicle cover and personal cover. These are your options:
Vehicle cover
Vehicle cover is the cheapest level and covers one vehicle, no matter who's driving it.
Cover for you
Cover for you is personal cover for you as a driver or passenger in any vehicle (including cars, vans and bikes). It can help you save if you need cover in multiple vehicles, and often works out cheaper than buying separate vehicle cover policies.
Cover for two people
Cover for two people is personal breakdown cover for you and someone you live with, as drivers or passengers in any vehicle. This can help you save if you need cover for two people in multiple vehicles.
Family cover
Family cover is personal breakdown cover for you and up to three other people you live with, as drivers or passengers in any vehicle. Again, this may work out cheaper than buying multiple vehicle cover policies for four people.

How do options work and how can they save you money?

Breakdown cover options can give you more cover in more places and scenarios. They add to your cost when buying but can save you money in certain situations. For example:

  • At Home covers you if your vehicle won’t start or breaks down within ¼ mile of your home. Without it, you could end up stranded at home or having to pay for a tow to a local garage.
  • National Recovery means we’ll take you, your vehicle, and up to seven passengers to any single UK destination if we can’t fix your vehicle at the roadside. If you break down far from home without National Recovery, transporting your vehicle and passengers back home could get quite pricy.
  • Onward Travel means we’ll help with alternative transport or an overnight hotel stay if your vehicle breaks down and halts your journey. This saves your day from being majorly disrupted and can be ideal if you have a schedule that you can’t afford to delay.
  • Parts and Garage Cover means we’ll cover costs of up to £535 if you need repairs or work done at a garage after calling us out for a breakdown.

 

Should I buy the cheapest breakdown cover option?

It can be tempting to opt for the cheapest breakdown cover provider, but it’s worth looking into some of the finer details before you commit.

It's a good idea to research the following:

  • Does the provider place any restrictions on their breakdown cover, like call-out limits? If so, you may end up paying more than the displayed price
  • Review scores from reliable sources like Trustpilot – this can help you make a decision as you can see how other customers find the quality of the service you’re about to pay for
  • Quality of service – look at recognised breakdown cover accolades to see if your provider has been assessed
  • Do they offer extra breakdown cover options, like National Recovery? If not, it could cost you a significant amount of money if you break down far from home
  • Service approach – does the provider use its own network of patrol vehicles or does it use networks of local garages?

The benefits of membership

Our Smart Benefits help you save even more on top of our cheap breakdown price. From deals on dinners to days out, we give you perks just for being with us.

  • Up to 25% off selected pubs and restaurants
  • Discounts on days out
  • Savings on car care
  • Deals on travel and car hire

Find out more about our Smart Benefits to see how you could save.


Join millions of happy members

Over 14 million people in the UK and Ireland rely on us to get them moving again if they break down.

 

Low price, same high service

Looking for a cheap deal on breakdown cover? When you're comparing policies, other emergency breakdown providers might cut your benefits to keep the price down. But not us.

Our patrols have the latest technology and specialist equipment to get you back on the road. With more experts than anyone else, we’re the largest UK breakdown organisation.1

So, chances are, we won’t be far away if you’re stranded.

 

How much could you save?

Without breakdown cover you could be in for some nasty surprises. A breakdown on the motorway could cost over £150.2

It’s usually cheaper to buy a year's policy in advance than break down and have to call someone out.

 

How to get the cheapest breakdown cover quote

This is how you can the cheapest breakdown cover quote within the AA journey.

1

Get started

Hit "Get a quote"

2

Select your breakdown cover

Choose between personal and vehicle cover

3

Choose to pay monthly or annually

Our monthly payments are flexible and can help you manage your costs, while an annual payment can help you to figure out your savings.

What our members say

Reported breakdown on the app

Reported breakdown on the app, was given an estimate of 45 minutes but the guy turned up within 15 minutes, diagnosed the fault and followed me to the nearest repair location. Excellent service all round!

Terry Faulkner

Read reviews
New to the AA?

0330 053 1100

Buy breakdown cover online today, or give us a call.

We're open 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday; 9am to 5pm, Saturday.

Call now

Already with us?

0343 316 4444

Call us now to get a quote and update your policy.

We're open 8am to 7pm, Monday to Friday; 9am to 5pm, Saturday.

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Good to know

*10% of new AA customers paid £5.99 for monthly vehicle breakdown cover. Source: survey of new business sales from theAA.com, 1 November 2024 to 8 November 2024. The information on this page refers to the cheapest way for new customers to get breakdown cover with us online, excluding renewals for existing members or breakdown cover offered as part of another purchase (e.g. car insurance).

Repeat call-outs for the same fault within 28 days will not be covered. Your call-out levels may affect future premiums.

1 Sources: AA Annual Report & Accounts 2024 – c. 2,800 patrols. RAC Annual Report & Financial Statements 2023 – 1,600 patrols.

2 Based on the cost of a Highways England arranged tow off the motorway, September 2015.  

How do you use my data?

To find out how we use your data, please read our website privacy notice and our specific roadside product privacy notice.

For more information, there's also our cookie policy and website terms and conditions.

Policy documents

Our breakdown cover policy documents give you the terms and conditions of the contracts that make up AA Breakdown Membership and AA Breakdown Repair Cover (Parts and Garage Cover).

They are split into two parts:

  1. the policy
  2. the membership arrangement and administration contract

AA Breakdown Membership

AA Breakdown membership terms and conditions – September 2024


AA Breakdown Repair Cover (Parts and Garage Cover)

AA Breakdown Repair Cover Terms and Conditions Booklet – November 2021


AA Key Cover

AA Key Cover terms and conditions – September 2024


Member Extras

Member Extras Terms and Conditions Booklet – November 2021

Paying for your cover
How can I pay?

There are 3 ways to do this – annually by card or direct debit, or monthly by direct debit.

If you pay annually, you’ll pay up front for a fixed 12-month policy and the overall price for a year will be lower than 12 monthly payments. There’s no refund if you cancel after your 14-day cooling-off period though. You can choose how your policy renews when you set up your cover.

If you pay monthly, your account will be debited every month until your policy is cancelled. This gives you the convenience of paying per month, together with the flexibility of being able to cancel your cover at any time. After the 14-day cooling-off period, you'll just need to give us 30 days' notice.
 


Is my online payment secure?

Yes – we use the highest form of encryption available, to make sure your payment is safe.

Our secure-server software scrambles all the details you enter before they’re sent, so that only we can understand them.


Can I change my level of cover after I've bought it?

We'll write to you well in advance of your renewal, but if you'd like to talk to someone about renewing or changing your cover now, call us on 0343 316 4444.

Lines are open 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; 9am to 5pm, Saturday.


Can I buy breakdown cover for someone else?

If you want to arrange personal cover for someone else, call us on 0330 053 1100. However, if you want to cover a specific vehicle you can buy vehicle cover online.

Compare breakdown cover

Learn more about choosing the right cover for you in our guide on how to compare breakdown cover. Plus, find out what’s included in breakdown cover from the AA vs RAC.

You can also discover what's included in breakdown cover from Green Flag vs the AA

Is it better to buy breakdown cover separate from my car insurance?

While there are packages available that combine car insurance with breakdown cover, it’s sometimes cheaper to buy them separately. You can check this by researching different packages online.

 

If you own a new car, you may have breakdown cover included as part of the price (usually for the first year). So be sure to check this before you buy cover.

We offer combined car insurance with breakdown cover, which may work out cheaper for you (depending on your circumstances). If you do take out our combined car insurance and breakdown cover policy, you won’t have access to unlimited call-outs like you would if you bought a breakdown cover policy separately.

Learn more about AA car insurance with breakdown cover.

Do I have to pay an excess if I call you out?

There is no excess charge for calling us out. There is a cost for us to come to your home for a breakdown if you don't have the At Home option.

Can I add breakdown cover to my AA Car Insurance?

Yes, you can add breakdown cover to your AA Car Insurance when you get a quote. The breakdown cover service is limited to 1 call-out during the policy year, and further call-outs are available on a pay-for-use basis.

Can I get breakdown cover for older cars?

Yes, our breakdown cover includes most cars of any age (including classic cars), motorbikes, vans, motorhomes and minibuses. Your vehicle must be under 3.5 tonnes (3,500kg) and 8ft 3in (2.55m) wide, excluding mirrors.

Does breakdown cover include tyres?

Yes, our breakdown cover includes call-outs for flat tyres and other tyre issues. If you have a spare tyre, our patrol will install it for you. If not, the patrol will replace your flat tyre with a spare wheel from their van. They’ll then drive with you to a nearby garage so you can get a new tyre.

Is breakdown cover worth it?

To answer this question, you need to assess how often you use your vehicle throughout the year, the current condition of your car, and whether it would be too costly or too much of a disruption to your schedule if you suffer a breakdown at an unfortunate time.

What happens if my vehicle breaks down at the roadside?

If you have cover with us and your vehicle breaks down at the roadside, you can report a breakdown and one of our expert patrols will come to your location to help you. You can also report a breakdown via our app or over the phone.

If your vehicle breaks down at the roadside and you don’t have breakdown cover, you can get instant breakdown cover. To do this, you would have to call us on 03330 046 046 and tell us where you’ve broken downThere is an extra charge for instant breakdown cover on the same day, paying online for breakdown cover in advance is cheaper.