What insurers usually bundle
Insurer breakdown add-ons are delivered by an assistance partner and are typically tiered: a basic roadside product, a mid tier with recovery, and a full package. The basic tier is what most people tick. It often has a low call-out limit, excludes home start, and sometimes excludes the first 24 hours or the first mile from home.
Advantages of bundling
- One renewal, one payment, one policy document.
- The entry price is frequently lower than the same provider's standalone product.
- Claims after an accident can be smoother because the same company handles both.
Disadvantages
- The add-on renews with the insurance and is rarely compared on its own merits, so the price drifts upward.
- Cover is vehicle-based: it will not follow you into another car.
- If you switch insurer mid-year, the breakdown cover usually goes with it.
- Service levels are set by the partner, not the brand on the document, and are often the basic contractor tier.
How to decide
Write down the level the add-on gives you — roadside only, with or without home start, with or without recovery — and the call-out limit. Then price the same level standalone on the comparison table. If the add-on is cheaper for the same cover, take it. If it is only cheaper because it is a lesser product, you have your answer.
Our expert has also answered a reader's version of this question: should I take breakdown cover with my car insurer?