Multi-car breakdown cover explained
Updated on Monday 7 June 2021
Having multi-car breakdown cover in place can help save you the headache of not only being stuck in a pickle if your car breaks down, but it also helps to streamline your policies and it means that you can get cover for numerous cars at a time.
Can you get multi-car breakdown cover?
Yes, you can.
Multi-car breakdown cover does exactly what it says in its name; it provides you with cover for two or more cars under one policy. So, if you’re a household with multiple cars and you all want to benefit from having breakdown cover, you can add all the vehicles to one policy in order to get breakdown cover for everyone.
How many cars can I have on my breakdown cover policy?
The number of cars that you can have on your multi-car breakdown policy depends on the provider.
For example, providers such as the RAC typically offer cover for up to three cars on one policy, but Green Flag often offers cover for up to four vehicles. Make sure to look around and compare quotes from different providers, especially if you’re looking to cover three or more cars on one policy.
How many times can I make a claim on my multi-car breakdown cover?
The number of callouts and claims that you’re able to make on your multi-car breakdown cover policy also depends on the provider that your policy is with and the level of cover that you opted for.
Some breakdown cover providers will let you have up to 5 callouts/claims a year, but companies such as the AA have a policy in place that allows you to call out as many times as you need, providing that there’s not a recurring issue with your vehicle.
What's the difference between multi-car and family breakdown cover?
The main difference between multi-car and family breakdown cover is that family breakdown cover is more about covering multiple people who share the same address, whereas multi-car cover is more about how many vehicles are at a given address.
Family breakdown cover can also be used to cover all members of a family in any vehicle that they’re travelling in, regardless of whether they’re a passenger or driver.
Types of multi-car breakdown cover
There are two main types of multi-car breakdown cover; traditional breakdown cover and insurance-style cover.
Traditional breakdown cover is when you pay for breakdown cover on an annual basis, and the cost of the call-out is usually covered by these payments, depending on the type of policy that you’ve taken out.
Insurance-style cover is when you pay for the services upfront and then claim the cost back at a later date from your provider.
What does multi-car breakdown cover insure you for?
What exactly you’ll be covered for in your multi-car breakdown policy depends on the type of policy you get and the level of cover that you want. When taking out a multi-car breakdown policy, you’ll get to choose what you want to be included in your policy from the following:
- Vehicle recovery or national cover - this allows you to choose any location across the country where you’d like your vehicle to be towed in the event that it cannot be fixed on the roadside.
- Roadside assistance or local cover - this level of cover means that a mechanic will be sent out to where you are on the roadside to try and fix your car if possible. If not, they will usually send it to a nearby garage for repairs.
- At home breakdown cover - if your car is still at home or within a short distance from your home, but you can’t get it started, a mechanic will be sent out to try and resolve the issue.
- Onwards travel cover - this level of cover offers you a courtesy car or public transport arrangements in the event that you’re no longer able to drive your car to your desired destination. Depending on your provider and the level of cover you have in place, they might also pay for overnight accommodation in the event that you have to wait for your car to be repaired.
Extra cover (add-ons)
Just like with almost any kind of insurance or policy, there are a few optional add-ons that you can choose to add to your multi-car breakdown policy, including:
- European breakdown cover - if you’ll be driving your car in Europe while on holiday, for example, you can get extra breakdown cover to cover you while you’re there.
- Wrong fuel - if you accidentally put the wrong type of fuel into your vehicle, this will cover you to get it fixed.
- Key replacement - you can get an extra add-on to replace your keys in the event that they become lost, stolen or damaged.
- Special vehicles - if you’re going to be towing a caravan or trailer on the back of your car, you can get additional cover for this.
What’s not included with multi-car breakdown cover?
While multi-car breakdown policies offer cover for many eventualities, there are also a few examples when your policy won’t cover you that you should be aware of.
- If you’re travelling with animals, especially in a large livestock trailer, you will likely need separate cover.
- If you break down on private land, your provider might refuse to tend to your vehicle.
- If the provider believes that your vehicle hasn’t been properly maintained.
How much is multi-car breakdown cover?
Multi-car breakdown cover is usually cheaper than having individual breakdown policies for each car.
While the exact cost of multi-car breakdown cover depends on factors such as how many cars you’re covering, you can usually expect the average cost to cover each car will work out to be cheaper, the more cars that are added to your policy, which is why multi-car breakdown cover usually works out cheaper.
Where to get the best deal
There are many providers of multi-car breakdown cover, check out some of the UK’s top providers below: