RAC patrol jacking up a members vehicle

Breakdown Help

Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about breakdown cover.

Find answers to frequently asked questions about breakdown cover and European breakdown cover below. This includes commonly asked questions about your membership, payment details and what is included with our cover.

Can't find the answer to your question below? You can get in touch with a member of our team using the contact details at the bottom of this page.

Payment FAQs

We’re sorry, we can’t respond to renewal price queries via email as we need to ask a few questions to make sure you’re getting the right cover for you.

We’ll also need to speak to the lead member for Data Protection reasons.

Please call us on 0330 159 1111 so we can talk you through the options and get the best level of cover for you.

We review our prices every year to reflect the high level of service we pride ourselves in providing. Below is a non-exhaustive list of factors that can affect your price:

  • Payment plan
  • Cover basis
  • Level of usage
  • Inflation
  • Petrol price increases
  • Changing your level of cover during the year
  • End of introductory discounts

Our prices reflect the high level of service we pride ourselves on and include:

  1. We get to most breakdowns in 60 mins or less
  2. Our patrols fix 4 out 5 at the roadside
  3. Up to £150 of driving savings on servicing, tyres and more

Our prices go up as well as down. Make sure to have a look on the myRAC app to check out our latest exclusive member savings and discounts. Please do call our membership team on 0330 159 1111 if you’d like to discuss your cover level. Our friendly team will discuss your motoring needs and ensure the cost of cover is affordable. 

Like many other companies we often use introductory prices for new RAC members. These are typically valid for 12 months and are likely what you’ve seen on the website. You may have received one when you joined.

However we welcome the opportunity to review your membership so if you’d like to chat through the options please  call us on 0330 159 1111. Our friendly team will discuss your motoring needs and ensure the cost of cover is affordable.

Cashback websites operate a cashback scheme when purchasing RAC cover. All cashback is paid by them directly as we don’t actively get involved with these schemes.

You’ll need to contact them directly about your cashback query.

Please be aware, you won’t receive your cashback until the cooling off period with us has passed, to prevent customers receiving the cashback when no longer eligible.

Yes, you can split the cost of your annual policy by paying it monthly.

We’re sorry for any inconvenience but we no longer accept American Express.

We regularly review our prices, across all cover levels, based on market conditions and equivalent breakdown cover with our main competitors.

It can take 17 days to action a direct debit.

You can choose your preferred collection dates when you start your continuous monthly policy, and each time you renew. You can only amend this by calling us on 0330 159 1111.

Yes, on a single annual basis only.

Please call 0330 159 1111.

Yes, no problem, please call 0330 159 1111 and our member services team will be happy to help.

Existing membership help

The quickest and easiest way to report your break down is online or via the myRAC app.

If you'd prefer to talk to someone call us on 0333 2000 999.

Don’t have cover?
We’re here to help. Call us 24/7 on 0330 159 8743 or take a look at our broken down page for more information.

We’re sorry your documents haven’t arrived. If you’ve selected to receive them by post, they should be with you at least 3 weeks before your renewal date.

If you’ve chosen to receive them online, you can view them in your myRAC account.

If you still haven’t received them by then, please call us on 0330 159 1111.

Click on “Forgot your password?” on the log in page and enter the email address you used to register your account.

Follow the steps and a link will be sent to your email to reset your password.

Yes – keep all your documents together and avoid lots of paperwork!

Just log into myRAC or the myRAC app and head to account settings to change your document preferences.  

If you pay annually, the quickest and easiest way to renew your membership is via your myRAC account.

You can also set up automatic renewal in your account, so you don’t need to contact us every year to make sure you’re still covered.

You can stop automatic renewal at any time in your myRAC account. Or by giving us a call on 0330 159 1111.

You can find this in your:

Don’t worry if you forget it in a breakdown though. All we need is your name, address and a few other details.

Register for a myRAC account where you can: 

  • View your documents
  • See member benefits
  • Update your details
  • Set MOT reminders
  • Add or remove people from your policy

If you’ve selected to receive them by post, documents will take 7-10 working days to arrive. However, if you haven’t received them after 2 weeks, please give us a call on 0330 159 1111.

Yes. If you have Joint or Family Breakdown Cover you can cover up to 5 people living at the same address.

This includes students or members of the armed forces who temporarily live away from home.

It’s really important we have the right details to make sure you’re covered. You can easily update this in your myRAC account.

Absolutely, just visit Breakdown Cover with Tesco Clubcard | RAC for an easy step by step process of how to do this.

To upgrade and benefit from a higher level of cover just call our customer services team on 0330 159 1111 who'll be happy to help.

You can change the number of people on your breakdown cover policy through the myRAC app. Alternatively, you can call ours customer services team on 0330 159 1111 who’ll be happy to help.

Any person added to your cover must live at the same address. 

If you’re a member and have received temporary breakdown cover elsewhere you can ask for a ‘Membership Only’ option, for a small fee.

You’ll continue to receive great member benefits and days out discounts while keeping your years of loyalty to us.

RAC UK Breakdown Cover doesn’t include cover in Europe. But you can add European Rescue to your existing policy, or take out European breakdown cover policy for single trips.

Changes to my membership

The quickest and easiest way to update your personal details is through the myRAC app or your myRAC account.

Some changes can’t be made online. Please note only the lead member can make changes. Call us on 0330 159 1111 if:

  • You’d like to change the level of cover
  • You’ve changed your vehicle and you’re on any of the below memberships:
    • Vehicle-based
    • Personal-based with either Battery Rescue or Tyre Replacement

If any vehicles on the policy are used for business purposes please call 0330 159 1111.

If you’d like to upgrade your cover please call 0330 159 1111 and our team will be happy to help

No, only the lead member can make changes to the policy. The lead member is the main person named on the policy schedule.

Due to our Data Protection policy, only the lead member can renew or make changes to the breakdown cover over phone or online.

To view the RAC Data protection Policy click here.

If you’ve got personal breakdown cover you don’t need too. You’re covered in any eligible vehicle whether you’re the driver or passenger. 

If you’ve got vehicle breakdown cover you’ll need your new car details added to your policy. Please call 0330 159 1111 to change or add a vehicle. 

Other frequently asked questions

Yes, our friendly and experienced UK rescue teams are on hand 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

No, RAC Membership doesn’t cover windscreen damage.

We’ll try our best to unlock your car however, if we can’t, we’ll arrange for a locksmith to come. You’ll need to pay for these costs.

If a locksmith isn’t available, we’ll take your vehicle to a nearby garage, but you’ll have to pay for any work done.

If you’ve bought our Key Replace product you’ll be covered for up to £1,500 in costs for replacement keys and locks.

You must show ID when our patrol arrives, otherwise we may refuse to service your breakdown or you’ll be charged.

With Basic cover we’ll tow you up to 10 miles to a garage or a place you choose. If you need longer, you may have to pay a surcharge.

With Extra and Complete cover we’ll tow you to any garage or place you choose in the UK, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

This depends on the type of cover you have…

Personal-based breakdown cover
No restrictions on age. You’re covered on any eligible vehicle.

Vehicle-based breakdown cover
This covers the vehicle, so you have to have a licence to drive/ride.
Therefore, a rider must be at least 16 years old and a driver 17 years old.

If you have Personal Breakdown Cover and are travelling in the broken down vehicle as a passenger or driver you can call RAC and we’ll come and rescue you.

Yes, if you have National Recovery cover.

This covers you if you’re unwell before you finish your journey and no one else can drive the vehicle.

You’ll need to show some form of medical certificate and the service we provide is at our discretion.

We do charge for replacement parts, fuel or batteries but the cost of the roadside labour is included in your Breakdown Cover.

Our high quality parts come with 1 year guarantee and batteries with 3 years guarantee. We even recycle your old battery!

If you’ve bought Tyre Replace or Battery Replace products you may be covered for Tyre/Battery costs. 

We pride ourselves in our service and are sorry you aren’t happy with part of it. We want to hear where we’ve fallen short and how we can improve.

If you have a complaint, please email us through our contact form and we’ll get back to you. Alternatively, give us a call on 0330 159 1111.

If you’re thinking of leaving us, we’ll be sorry to see you go. But you can cancel your membership at any time. The easiest way to do it is to call the team on 0330 159 1111* as this will help us arrange any refund due sooner. Please note, cancelling a direct debit will not cancel your policy, you’ll need to call us.

If you’re unable to contact us by phone (for example, you’re hard of hearing) you can contact us here. Please note, it may take longer to issue any refunds.

*8am-7pm Monday to Friday and 9am-5pm weekends and bank holidays.

If you’re thinking of leaving us, we’ll be sorry to see you go. But you can cancel your membership at any time. The easiest way to do it is to call the team on 0330 159 1111* as this will help us arrange any refund due sooner. Please note, cancelling a direct debit will not cancel your policy, you’ll need to call us.

If you’re unable to contact us by phone (for example, you’re hard of hearing) you can contact us here. Please note, it may take longer to issue any refunds.

If you’re on an annual continuous policy and want to cancel your automatic renewal, you can do this in your myRAC account (in account settings). Doing this won’t end your cover straight away. You’ll still be covered – but only up to your policy’s expiry date.

*8am-7pm Monday to Friday and 9am-5pm weekends and bank holidays.

RAC contact options

To speak to us about your existing or a new membership, please call 0330 159 1111

Mon-Fri 8am to 7pm, Sat 9am to 5pm, bank holidays 9am to 5pm.

Email us your query by clicking here

RAC patrol collecting tools from back of van

Complete peace of mind for less

  • Roadside Assistance included with all cover levels
  • Our patrols fix 4/5 on the spot. With repairs done in just 30 minutes on average
  • We won't charge you a penny for roadside labour and fitting