Should you buy breakdown cover with your car insurance?

Just a fraction of car insurance policies include breakdown cover, leaving drivers with a difficult decision to make.

On the surface, breakdown cover and car insurance can seem similar, in that they’re both designed to get you back on the road.

But while comprehensive car insurance should pay for repairs following an accident, it won’t help with or pay for repairs due to ‘wear and tear’.

Only 10 out of 76 car insurance policies we analysed this year offer breakdown cover as standard. 

Of those, only NFU Mutual and M&S’s Premier policy offer a complete comprehensive package, including cover if you drive into Europe.

Here we weigh up whether to buy breakdown cover with your car insurance, or if a third party could offer it for less.

Insurer or third party?

You can buy breakdown cover from your car insurance provider as an add-on, or as a standalone product from a third-party provider. 

Our latest survey found that 8% of drivers bought breakdown cover as an extra feature with their car insurance policy. 

Buying both products together can prevent you from paying twice for admin fees. 

But buying cover as an add-on doesn’t always mean you’re getting an equally comprehensive policy compared to one bought directly.

• Find our more: Best car insurance companies in the UK 2025 

Number of callouts

If you decide to go through your car insurer, check the number of callouts offered per policy year. 

Some providers, such as the AA, offer only one callout per policy term if you include breakdown cover as an add-on to your car insurance. If your car is relatively new and hasn’t given you any trouble, that may suit you. 

Otherwise, consider a standalone policy. All third-party providers we reviewed (except for Aviva) offer an unlimited number of callouts per year. 

• Find out more: Best car breakdown providers for 2025 

Where are you covered?

Time and time again, we find that the most common place drivers report their vehicle breaking down is at home. 

But the basic roadside assistance offered by some car insurance only covers breakdowns more than quarter of a mile away from your home.

If you want to be covered no matter where you break down in the country, ask your car insurer if it offers Nationwide Recovery and Home Assistance. One of our Which? Recommended Providers for breakdown cover offers nationwide and home recovery for less than £40. 

Or if you’re planning on driving in Europe, you’ll need yet another level of breakdown cover.

For more information on the different levels of cover, read our article on how to save on breakdown cover.

Personal or Vehicle Cover

Consider how many cars you own and the number of people who drive in your household. 

When adding breakdown cover as an extra feature, most car insurers only offer Vehicle cover, eg only the insured vehicle has breakdown cover.

This can work well if multiple people in your home drive the same car, and policies can cover up to five named drivers. 

If you own multiple cars and want to be sure you’re covered no matter which vehicle you break down in, you’re better off with a Personal cover policy. This covers you, rather than a specific vehicle.

• Find out more: Car insurance: add-ons, fees and charges 

Top-notch service

Not all car insurers run their own breakdown service. Aviva, for instance, is serviced by the RAC with its own bespoke policies. 

Breakdowns can be a nightmare, and you want to be confident when you need help that you’ll be met with great customer service. 

We’ve rated 15 third-party breakdown providers based on the real-life experiences of more than 9,000 people who’ve requested a callout in the past 12 months.

You can see who topped our tables and were named Which? Recommended Providers.

Have you already got breakdown cover?

Before you buy breakdown cover from your insurer, or a dedicated provider, check you don’t already have it.

Several packaged bank accounts include breakdown cover.

The annual cost of these accounts is likely to exceed the cost of breakdown cover, so it’s only worth getting one if you’ll use the other benefits on offer, such as travel insurance.

• Find out more: Best packaged bank accounts 2025