Levels of service with breakdown cover can vary widely. There are two basic types of breakdown service: automatic service and pay and claim service. With automatic service, you call, and the service sends their patrols to sort out the situation. This is the type of service offered by AA and RAC.

A ‘pay and claim’ service is a type of budget breakdown cover that works like this: when you experience a problem, rather than send their own patrols out, the company uses a local recovery firm. You pay for the repairs, and send in receipts to make a claim to get your money back.

If you have a reliable car, and the discipline to send in receipts to make a claim, then a pay and claim service is a worth consideration. It tends to be cheaper, and call out time is comparable. These companies make money on betting that people won’t bother sending in their receipts for a claim.

If, on the other hand, your car is not reliable, then automatic service is probably best. Check your policy to determine if there is a limit on the number of roadside assistance calls you are allowed in a given time period. Keep in mind that many things are excluded from breakdown cover of either type: parts, excess labour costs, outsize claims, incorrectly-made claims, and transport of livestock, for example.

Know your car’s condition as well as your level of discipline for sending in claims before you compare breakdown cover so that you get the best deal and the best cover for your needs.