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RAC: Breakdown cover reviews

Name: Breakdown cover
Rating: 1.71 (182 reviews)

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1.45

Based on 182 reviews, last reviewed 19th Dec 2025

100% decrease in 5 star reviews

in the past 90 days

11% increase in 1 star reviews

in the past 90 days

13%

79%

Latest highest rating:

5

Reliable and cheaper I have not had to use RAC this year but I have in the past and they came in a reasonable time. They are cheaper than the AA . I onl... Read more Reviewed on: 12th September 2025

Latest lowest rating:

1

would never use again! would never use again!!! full service booked on my driveway, Technician spent most of the 1hr 15mins total time either on the phone or sat in his van... Read more Reviewed on: 19th December 2025

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About this product

RAC breakdown cover is available in three levels – Basic, Standard and Extra.

RAC claim to get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less and say that patrols fix 4/5 breakdowns on the spot. In the myRAC app you can get savings on fuel and tyres. Options are available for vehicle cover, personal cover and family cover.

RAC breakdown cover reviews help you find out what it’s really like to be a customer. If you’ve used RAC before, you can also leave a review and share your experience.

RAC Breakdown cover reviews (182)

Review of the RAC, Breakdown cover:

AVOID!!!

AVOID AVOID AVOID!!! This company is a joke! I have roadside recovery with Hastings Direct which unfortunately doesn't cover home start. When my car wouldn't go into gear I called my insurance and got put through to RAC and was told we can help with an additional fee of £161. I agreed to pay as this is my only car and I have my job and a toddler so I need my car. I made clear numerous times BEFORE PAYMENT that the garage I'm booked with closes at 6pm so I need it towed before then. Was told they have that information and assured me all would be taken care of. I paid the fee and waited...and waited...and waited. When it got to 4pm I called and asked for an update they informed me a tow truck was on its way to me but has now been sent to another job and they are trying to get another one to me. I wasn't happy but gave them more time. Come to 5pm I call again for an update to then be told the tow truck will now be with you at 12:30am! Unreasonable! I told them I was not happy about this, needed my car to be in the garage today as I had commitments the following day! They apologised and arranged for following morning first thing, between 8am and 12pm I said that's not first thing I need my car! They need to be here at 8am! Especially since you've let me down today! They told me to call if I had not heard anything by 9am. What a surprise I heard nothing. I call them again was told they can't give accurate time they will contact you before 12pm. Come 11am heard nothing so again I call to be told sorry we had to get another tow company and now they will be with you this afternoon! Beyond a joke! I said at that point I want to make an official complaint the lady said a Manager would call me within 30 to 45mins. 2 HOURS LATER I CALL AGAIN!!! This time to be put through to a man with an awful attitude telling me I have to email as the managers "don't do that" and began rushing me off the phone! Thankfully the tow truck did arrive and my car is finally in the garage and being resolved by Halfords. Appalling customer service, appalling communication with customers I feel like they now have my money and they're done! I will be emailing and making an official complaint and will be asking for my money back! EVEN IF I WAS STRANDED I WOULD NEVER USE YOUR COMPANY! UNRELIABLE AVOID AT ALL COSTS! Reviewed on: 7th December 2023

Not worth the money - don't recommend.

On the 21 January I put my car in to a garage. The problem had been faulty rear windscreen issue that as I pulled in to the garage shut down the car electrically. Short story it didn't start again and I had to get it to another garage for diagnostics. I arranged to take it to a garage around 3/4 mile away for further work. I then called the RAC for a tow. The reception for phones in the area was not good and the request was conducted by text. At first it was going to be around a 2 hour wait with updates for that timing. I waited in the garage with no real facilities for long waits i.e. a toilet. Getting near the 2 hour wait for breakdown recovery the wait time was then extended for up to a 3 hour wait. (5 hours altogether). I couldn't keep waiting that long, I had to get back home, and the moving goal post for RAC attendance was the last straw. I didn't have faith that they wouldn't move it again. I then made local arrangements for the car to be lifted and taken at a cash cost of £40 - it happened in 30 minutes. I then had to make arrangements for a taxi to take me the 10 or so miles or home. This was at a cost of around £25. My RAC membership would have covered all of that. The customer service said I only waited an hour before I cancelled not siting the fact that the time was extended from the 2hrs to 5 hrs. I asked for compensation for the poor service some months afterwards as I contacted RAC for a separate matter and was told I could complain over it. The woman in customer care said no to any recompense. I asked her to escalate and she came back as her own adjudicator and reevaluator and said no. She did not escalate. I was not at all happy with the service provided that day and simply could not wait up to 5 hours for this car's removal. Very disappointing considering that I have RAC cover for a situation like this and they were not readily available to the point where I had to make other personal arrangements. All of the above would have been covered in my policy including a lift back to my home. So in total I was £65 out of pocket. It was a very difficult event for me and the very reason you have breakdown cover. I will not renew my membership after this experience. I simply couldn't go through that again. Reviewed on: 27th April 2025

Broke car alarm provided diagnostics from garage pro...

Broke car alarm provided diagnostics from garage proving they damaged it now won’t pay The RAC changed my battery incorrectly which caused my alarm to sound continuously once locking . They informed me to get a diagnostics from the main dealership proving this was the cause of it. The garage confirmed that an incorrect battery fitting by the RAC caused the issue. Report sent costing £162. They have now decided that there is not enough evidence and refused to pay. This is despite a mechanic from the RAC coming out. Below is an email from them Alarm sounding. Tried various things to try and stop the fault. Only option is to get it into peugeot. It does not state that RAC caused the issue. Unless you can provide a garage report to confirm we caused the fault, RAC will not accept liability. Peugeot confirmed the above and now they will not pay (ref: UF148727034 Reviewed on: 25th April 2025

RAC con with £25 admin fees!

RAC con with £25 admin fees! I called 3 weeks ago to say i had sold my car and to ensure the policy would not auto renew. I also checked the day before expiry and it was set to renew (call handler obviously didnt change anything). So i made sure it was set to not auto renew the day before expiry. Today however, it has auto renewed and i have been requested to pay £25.00 admin fee to cancel the policy. I will not be paying this. RAC should be better than this! Be warned, ensure your auto renews are off!! Reviewed on: 21st April 2025

Just a joke of a company.

I was a member since 2019, never needed to use them till yesterday. Apart from automated phone functions, could not get hold of anyone - text link sent to my phone did not work. Son-in-law towed me home ! Now RAC want 56% increase for renewal (was £228.99 2024, £356.99 2025). Just a joke, now cancelled membership. Reviewed on: 15th April 2025

Autorenew

My membership auto renewed, jumping from £150 to £220. I only noticed when they took the money from my account which they took after the 14 day cooling down period and then wanted to charge a cancellation fee. Left my on hold repeatidly while i tried to cancel my memebership, presumably hoping id give up. Even then I had to repeatedly say that I wanted to cancel before they would consider it A bunch of crooks and not the respect institution of old Reviewed on: 28th March 2025

Atrocious service

Had a patrol attend to a puncture. I have tyre cover so he ordered a new tyre. Unfortunately he ordered the wrong one. Had to wait 8 hours for a patrol to come out the next day and order the correct one. Next day the rac sent me a bill for £260 for the tyre that should have been done foc. Have now had to buy my own tyre and start a claim through the County Court for the price of the tyre. Avoid this company like the plague. No customer service at all. Reviewed on: 26th March 2025

Wait over 9hours for a recovery to come out

Wait over 9hours for a recovery to come out Reviewed on: 5th March 2025

Inexistent service for comprehensive insurance paid...

Inexistent service for comprehensive insurance paid My car broke down last night at 8.30pm on M6 M482.2. I reported the issue and had police securing my car on the emergency line whilst waiting to get recovered. I had a call from one of the RAC mechanics telling me to drive slowly to the next service station even if my car wasn't drivable...I am on my own, a widow and my dogs trying to reach out home address. After we finally reached the services the mechanic said is a misfire but no problems with sparkplugs or coil pack. He left saying will send another team leaving me in the cold. The next team was booked 4.20 am ...had a recovery truck at 2.30 which takes me only couple miles down to Killington....practically I wasn't 150 miles away from home but still 110...is 5.44 , they promised me a taxi, accommodation over the night, recovery to be taken home...none of this happen. Instead they sent someone to take me only down to Preston...not at home as they should...I slept in the cold all this time with my dogs in my car without being able to turn on the engine as the car is broken down... Reviewed on: 3rd March 2025

not worth one star

Just got my renewal letter for van breakdown cover last year £224 this year £291 a rise of £67 that is a 30% increase for being a loyal customer when inflation is 3% .The RAC are offering this same cover as a special offer today for £133.33 to new customers! I have paid a lot of money to the RAC over the years and never had call them out .After a phone call they reduced it by a few pounds but not enough to make me renew .The RAC should look after loyal customers instead they use them as cash cows Reviewed on: 21st February 2025

RAC Membership Number 200110007211676Well, the lett..

RAC Membership Number 200110007211676 Well, the letter starts off NEXT YEARS Cover – SORTED Sorted for Who? The RAC not for the customer – after not calling them out once they put the price of your cover up from £140.40 to £203.99 an increase of £63.59 ( 31.1731% increase) who’s running this business the Labour party ? When I asked to cancel the policy, they said there is a cancellation fee LOL Then after much protesting stating – since Id been with them never once did, I ask for or need assistance they very kindly knocked off the cancelation fee – is that legal trying to charge this anyway? This is just another giant of a company that offers noting for loyalty no added bonus for not calling them out for a breakdown – nothing – but if I was a brand-new customer, I would get a discounted price – what’s the point of staying with them you might as well switch every year and get a cheaper quote The RAC you SUCK Reviewed on: 5th February 2025

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