The financial advice company Money Saving Expert has urged drivers to never automatically renew their breakdown cover policy, warning that it could cost them significantly more.
Much like the cost of road tax and car insurance, drivers are experiencing an increase in the price of breakdown cover, namely due to the rising value of spare parts and labour.
However, Gavin Shepherd, Money Analyst at Money Saving Expert, suggested that drivers are often able to save hundreds by haggling when it is time to renew.
He advised: “When it comes to haggling, don’t think you need to be in backstreet bazaars – haggling successes are high with breakdown cover.
“In our latest poll, conducted in December 2023, the RAC was rated the easiest to haggle with, with the AA a very close second.”
Money Saving Expert highlighted that, in a recent study, 141 motorists tried to haggle the RAC for a better price for their breakdown cover, with 85 percent succeeding.
The majority of AA members were also victorious, with 84 percent of the 309 drivers stating they managed to lower the price.
Demonstrating how much can be saved, the organisation noted that a number of drivers have been able to save more than £100 per year trying out this trick.
In addition, Gavin suggested that drivers reconsider the type of breakdown cover they need, stating it can all depend on the type of car they drive.
He explained: “If you’ve recently bought a modern, reliable car, you may already have breakdown cover as part of your package, as many manufacturers offer it for the first year. If that’s the case, there’s no point shelling out for a new policy, but do check if the policy is what you need.
“If your car’s older, or has a history of breakdowns, you should consider a full-service policy. There are three main UK cover types. If a policy just has the first, we classify it as ‘basic’. If it has all three, we call it a ‘full service’.”
The organisation recommended that owners of newer cars that are less likely to break down opt for a ‘basic’ policy, which will cover roadside breakdowns and can tow the vehicle to a nearby garage.
For older or less reliable vehicles, however, they suggested motorists pay a little more to get a policy featuring ‘home start’, meaning the car will be covered if it will not start at home.
Money Saving Expert also stated that ‘full service’ breakdown cover will also typically provide a hire car for up to three days or public transport costs if a driver’s vehicle is off the road for a number of days.
