Breakdown Cover

What is breakdown cover?

Breakdown cover is a type of insurance which provides help if your vehicle breaks down. It can help you get moving again for a number of vehicle problems like clutch issues, a flat battery or other engine problems. Plus if your vehicle can't be fixed at the roadside we will make sure you and your passengers get to your destination. We offer a range of breakdown cover options – from roadside repairs to home starts.

Being stranded by the side of a motorway or a country road is nobody’s idea of a good time. It’s reassuring to know that if something happens to your vehicle, you can have someone come to the rescue with just a phone call. We've teamed up with the RAC to provide breakdown cover.

Benefits of breakdown cover

Roadside assistance

We’ll do everything we can to repair your vehicle at the roadside. If not, we'll get you, your passengers and your vehicle to any one destination within 10 miles
Flexible cover

Buy breakdown cover separately or get it as an add-on to your car insurance
Keep your options open

Different levels of cover to suit your needs

How does our breakdown cover work?

Just like the exact configuration of the driver’s seat in your car, your cover should fit you perfectly. That’s why we offer four different options, ranging from cover that brings you roadside assistance and a tow to the nearest garage, to cover that organises a replacement car, or even into a taxi, train, or plane, if needs be. You can even get covered abroad. You choose how, when, and where you want us to have your back and we’ll do the rest.

Cover for you and your vehicle

You can choose between vehicle cover and personal cover and which is the best option depends entirely on you.

Vehicle cover

Means that we can help if that particular vehicle breaks down, no matter who’s driving – this suits people who only drive one vehicle or share the use of one vehicle with someone else. You can add this to your car insurance or buy on its own.

Personal cover

We can help you if you breakdown, regardless of what vehicle you’re in. We can help even if you’re just the passenger. Only available via our Standalone Breakdown policy

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What’s covered by our breakdown cover?

That depends on what kind of cover you choose. There are four levels to pick from:

	Rescue	Rescue & Recovery	Rescue, Recovery & At Home	Rescue, Recovery, At Home & Onward Travel
Roadside assistance
Tow to a nearby garage for you, your vehicle and your passengers
Recovery to any destination for you, your vehicle and your passengers
Assistance at or within a quarter mile of your home address
A replacement car – whilst yours is being repaired, or overnight accommodation or onwards travel by taxi, train or plane

What's not covered?

Unfortunately, we can’t cover everything. Make sure you’re comfortable with what’s not covered. For example:

We can’t cover:

The cost of replacement parts
You’ll have to pay for any replacement parts if they're needed
Running costs of a replacement vehicle
If you’re given a hire car, you’re not covered for the cost of fuel, oil, or updated insurance
Breakdowns or service within 24 hours of purchasing/upgrading cover
Your vehicle can't have broken down before you take out the cover
Breakdowns that the RAC have previously attended
You're not covered if RAC previously advised that a repair was temporary
Any costs that aren’t arranged by or through the RAC

Explore exactly what is and isn’t covered by reading our full policy wording.

Additional European breakdown cover

Driving in another country can be stressful at the best of times, for that bit of extra protection, you can add European cover (at an extra cost) to any of our four standalone breakdown cover options. Or add this cover to your car policy if you take out Foreign Use at the same time.

What's covered

Replacement parts dispatch
If your vehicle needs repairing abroad
Extra accommodation expenses
If you’re stranded after a breakdown
Replacement driver
If a doctor certifies that you're too ill to keep driving and there's not another driver in the vehicle who can take the wheel
Vehicle break-in
We’ll pay for emergency repairs after a break-in/attempted break-in abroad
Returning your car to the UK
If your car can’t be repaired, we’ll return it to the UK
Car hire costs up to £125 a day and up to £1,500 in total
If your vehicle can't be fixed immediately
Travel expenses
If you have to collect your car after leaving it abroad for repair

Extra terms and conditions apply for European breakdown cover. It is subject to an overall limit of £2,500 per call-out.

What to do if you break down

Can’t get the car started? Call us straightaway to get help from our experts.

Step 1 of 1

Let us know

If you need help quickly, give us a call ^{Footnote [1]}.

UK 0800 0155 755
Republic of Ireland 1800 535 005
France & Monaco 0800 290 112
Belarus or Russia 810 33 472 43 52 55
Another European country 00 33 472 43 52 55

Broken down on the motorway? Use the roadside emergency phone if you can (mandatory in France).

Step 2

What we'll ask

Once you're safely off the road, we'll need to know exactly where you are and the nature of the fault or breakdown.

You'll also need your policy number and the registration, make and model of your vehicle.

Step 3

We'll get to you quickly

Depending on your level of cover, we'll get out to help you as quickly as possible.

Remember, only accept assistance from the RAC patrol or contractor that's come out to you and let us know as soon as you can if you manage to get the vehicle running.

Breakdown cover FAQs

What is Rescue & Recovery breakdown cover?

Rescue cover means that if your vehicle breaks down more than a quarter of a mile from your home address we will send a patrol out to repair it at the roadside. If it cannot be repaired within a reasonable time, or the patrol service person feels the repair is unwise we will transport your vehicle to a destination of your choice within 10 miles or to a nearby garage.

Transport for you and your passengers to that chosen destination will also be provided.

Recovery is the same as Rescue but if your vehicle cannot be repaired we will transport your vehicle, you and your passengers to your home address or any single address in the UK.

How do I contact Aviva breakdown service?

If you need help at the roadside please Contact Us to request a call out.

Can I get instant cover with Aviva breakdown cover?

As long as you haven’t broken down already, your breakdown cover will start as soon as your payment has been accepted. You’ll be covered for ‘Rescue’ for help at the roadside and a 10-mile tow during the first 24 hours. After 24 hours, your full cover will start. If you upgrade cover, cover under the upgraded section will start after 24 hours.

Do you offer European breakdown cover?

You can add European breakdown cover to any of the standalone breakdown cover options. This cover includes:

Spare parts to be dispatched if they are required for repairs whilst your car's abroad
Extra accommodation expenses if you are stranded following a breakdown
Journey continuation or return home: the RAC will pay for car hire up to £125 per day up to a maximum of £1,500, if your car cannot be repaired immediately
The European cover provides for a replacement driver if the main driver is too unwell to continue driving (as certified by a doctor) and there is no other driver in the vehicle who could take over
Vehicle break in - the RAC will pay for repairs to make your car secure again following a break-in or an attempted break-in whilst abroad
Returning your car to the UK if it cannot be repaired

As part of European breakdown cover, the RAC also include a number of features which apply after you return home including:

Travel expenses to collect your vehicle that has been left abroad for repair
Replacement vehicle after your return: the RAC will pay for car hire up to £125 per day up to a maximum of £1,500, if your car cannot be repaired immediately.