FAMILY BREAKDOWN COVER

Breakdown cover
for the whole family

Cover up to 4 people on your family car breakdown cover policy.

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Rated Excellent by our members on Trustpilot

Icon of AA roadside patrol van

We fix 4 out of 5 vehicles at the roadside

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More dedicated mobile mechanics than any other UK breakdown service1

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Members rate us 4.5/5
Read our reviews

Why choose The AA for family breakdown cover?

At the AA, we understand that taking care of your nearest and dearest is the most important thing. Our family breakdown cover can help you do just that on the roads. As the UK's biggest and best* breakdown recovery provider, you can rest assured that we'll help you and yours out of a jam. With us, you can:

  • Get membership benefits and discounts for everyone included under your policy, allowing all of you to save more beyond just your cover. Note that some benefits are only available for the primary policyholder
  • Get covered as drivers or passengers in eligible vehicles, including cars, motorbikes and vans
  • Add multiple people to your policy, as long as they live in the same household as you
Three AA Patrols stood in front of a yellow AA van

What is family breakdown cover?

If you're confused by all the different types of breakdown cover, don't worry, we're here to help. Family breakdown cover simply means you and up to three other people you live with are all covered under 1 membership, in any vehicle as either drivers or passengers.

The people covered under your policy don't need to be relatives, they just need to live at the same address. Students who live away from home during term time can also be added to your family policy.

Anyone covered by your policy can get Roadside Assistance from an expert patrol if they're in a vehicle that breaks down.

People you add to your family breakdown cover can include your:

    • Partner
    • Family members
    • Housemates
    • Children – including students living elsewhere during term time
Family in car on road trip

How does family breakdown cover work?

Once you have cover with us, it's easy to get help for breakdowns. We're on call 24/7, so you'll have peace of mind that you can get help when you need it. Without breakdown cover, it can be costly to have your vehicle towed or repaired.

A family policy typically saves you money compared to buying individual policies.

Here's how family breakdown cover works:

  • Whether you're driving the kids to school or sharing a ride to work with a housemate, if anyone on your policy breaks down over 1/4 mile from home, a patrol will try to fix the vehicle on the spot. If they can't, you'll get breakdown recovery (a tow) to the nearest garage.
  • You can get help by contacting us via our app, online or by phone at 03330 046 046
  • If you report a breakdown via The AA app, we'll come straight to your phone or device's location, making recovery as hassle-free as possible
  • If someone on your policy is a passenger in a car that breaks down, they'll also be covered for recovery, even if they're in someone else's car and the owner of the car doesn't have breakdown cover
  • Our experienced patrols deal with many car breakdowns in the UK, including flat batteries and tyre punctures. They can also rescue you in dangerous situations, such as being broken down on the motorway
AA Patrol looking under hood of car

What's included in family breakdown cover? 

What’s included? Personal breakdown cover (includes family breakdown cover) Vehicle cover
Cover in any vehicle

Cover as a passenger in someone else’s car

Cover for your car if someone else is driving and you’re not a passenger  

Unlimited call-outs, as long as it’s not a recurring problem with your vehicle

24/7 Roadside Assistance if you’re more than 1/4 mile from home

Ability to add more people to your policy

 

What options can you add to family breakdown cover?

We have several options that you can add to your policy. You can select as many as you like, or none at all – these options can come in handy in certain scenarios (like family road trips) as they allow you to keep your holiday plans on track in the event of a breakdown.

At Home

This extends our Roadside Assistance coverage straight to your door. If your vehicle won't start or breaks down within 1/4 mile of your home, you'll get Family breakdown recovery (a tow) to a nearby garage.

National Recovery

We’ll take you, your vehicle and up to 7 passengers to any single UK location of your choice if we can’t fix your vehicle at the roadside.

Onward Travel

We’ll help arrange alternative travel if you break down. Alternatively, we can also arrange an overnight hotel stay.

Parts and Garage Cover

If you need new parts or work done at a garage after calling us out, we’ll cover the costs up to £535.

What other types of breakdown cover could suit a family?

If you don't need to cover 3 other people you live with but still need some form of personal breakdown cover, we have other options that might suit you better:

Joint breakdown cover 
 

Joint cover

Otherwise known as cover for two, this is a type of personal cover for you and one other person you live with. It means you and your policy partner are covered in any vehicle as both drivers and passengers.


Vehicle cover

Vehicle cover means the car is covered, rather than the person. If you have multiple people in your household, but you all share one car, then vehicle cover could be a good way to save money. This type of breakdown cover is an option if you own two cars and one of them already has breakdown cover through other means.

Vehicle breakdown cover 

Why choose family breakdown cover?

Here's why you should choose family breakdown cover:

  • If your family has 4 or fewer people all living at the same address, you can cover everyone under 1 policy
  • Everyone in your family who's covered will be able to get Roadside Assistance no matter which vehicle they're in, even if they're just a passenger in someone else's car
  • Everyone gets the same level of cover. So the fourth person added to your policy has the same level of breakdown cover that you do

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

How to get a quote for family breakdown cover

1

Select 'Get a quote'

We'll then ask for your home postcode and date of birth

2

Select your breakdown cover

Choose personal cover, followed by family breakdown 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 budget for the year

Other types of breakdown cover

Autumn driving

Vehicle breakdown cover

Cover for one vehicle, no matter who's behind the wheel.
cars parked along residential street

Multi-car breakdown cover

Cover for you in any vehicle
AA Patrol refuelling car

Personal breakdown cover

Get an overview of personal breakdown cover, including how it's different from vehicle cover and the additional benefits it grants you.
Good to know
1 More mobile mechanics

The AA uses a fleet of dedicated vehicles – which means we own and manage them, and they are driven by our own patrols. These include breakdown vans, recovery trucks and other specialist vehicles to support a wide range of breakdown situations our members find themselves in. Sometimes we may use garages to reduce wait times, but only when necessary. We’ll always let you know in advance.

We have more highly skilled mobile mechanics than anyone else. And they’re all absolutely lovely. The AA is the largest UK breakdown provider, with around 2,800 patrols compared to around 1,600 patrols for the second-largest provider in the UK.

Source: AA Annual Report & Accounts 2024 (c. 2,800 patrols) and RAC Annual Report & Financial Statements 2023 (1,600 patrols). Verify at theAA.com/Best 


2 Unlimited call-outs

Repeat call-outs for the same fault, within 28 days, will not be covered.


3 What vehicles do we cover?

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. The same maximum weight and width separately apply to any caravans and trailers you’re towing. Your vehicle must also be roadworthy, taxed and have an up-to-date MOT.


About the price

Prices shown include insurance premiums payable to the insurer(s) and a fee payable under a separate contract between you and Automobile Association Insurance Services Limited (AAIS) for arranging and administering your cover. Please see the terms and conditions for more information.


AA Breakdown Cover is arranged by Automobile Association Insurance Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). You can check their register online. Registered office: Fanum House, Basing View, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 4EA. Registered in England and Wales number 2414212.

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 Booklet – February 2024


AA Breakdown Repair Cover (Parts and Garage Cover)

AA Breakdown Repair Cover Terms and Conditions Booklet – November 2021


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.

How do I get family breakdown cover?

When you buy our cheap breakdown cover, you’ll be given the choice of which type of cover you’d like to get.

Simply choose ‘family cover’ and tell us the names of the people you’d like to add to your policy.

Are family cover and multi-car cover the same?

If you’d like to be covered in multiple vehicles, then one of our policies offering personal cover might suit you. We don't call it multi-car cover, but you'll be covered as a driver or passenger in any vehicle.

Our family cover applies to any vehicle you or your family travel in, whether as passengers or drivers. So if you want to cover more than 1 person in multiple vehicles, you can do that with family cover.

If you only want cover for yourself in multiple vehicles, then cover for you might suit you better.

Here are the different options if you want cover in more than 1 car:

  • Cover for you - Cover for you as a driver or passenger in any vehicle.
  • Cover for two - Joint cover for you and someone you live with, as drivers or passengers in any vehicle.
  • Family cover - Cover for you and up to 3 other people you live with, as drivers or passengers in any vehicle.

Compare breakdown cover to find out which cover might suit you.

Should I get vehicle cover or family cover?

If your household only has 1 car, then vehicle cover may suit you better than family cover.

Vehicle cover applies to 1 specific vehicle that you give us the details for. It’ll cover anyone who uses that vehicle as a driver or passenger.

That way, you can cover multiple people for the same car. But vehicle cover won’t help anybody as a driver or passenger in a different car.

Am I covered in Europe?
Our policies only cover you if you break down in the UK. If you'd like to be covered abroad, you'll need to get European breakdown cover.
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

Will personal breakdown cover include my family?
Personal breakdown cover will only include your family if you select the ‘family’ option. First, choose personal cover rather than vehicle cover, then choose the family add-on to cover up to 3 other people you live with.
Can you use another family member’s breakdown cover?
Yes, you can use another family member’s breakdown cover if they’ve added you to their family breakdown cover and you’re one of up to 3 other people that they live with (and have included on their policy). Alternatively, if your family member has vehicle cover and they’ve allowed you to drive the covered vehicle, you’ll also be able to get help with breakdowns.
Can I add my child to my AA membership?
Yes, you can add your child to your AA membership if they live at the same address as you – regardless of age, this will give them cover as a passenger. You can also add students who are temporarily living away from home.
Can I add someone to my breakdown cover?
Yes, you can add someone to your breakdown cover providing that they live at the same address as you. If you just want to add one other person, it may be more suitable to choose our joint cover option – which covers you and one other person in any vehicle.
Can I cover 2 cars for breakdowns?
Yes, with our personal breakdown cover you can be covered in multiple vehicles as either a driver or passenger. You can also get joint or family cover for multiple people across multiple vehicles.
Can I add my partner to my AA membership?
Yes, you can add a partner to your AA membership as either joint or family cover, providing that they live at the same address as you.