How AA cover is structured
The AA sells cover in the familiar four tiers under its own names: Roadside (assistance away from home), Relay (national recovery), Home Start and Stay Mobile (onward travel with a hire car or accommodation). European cover is sold separately as single-trip or annual. Membership can be vehicle-based or personal, with joint and family personal options.
What stands out
- Own patrols. The AA attends the majority of call-outs with its own liveried vans and employed mechanics, supported by contractors at peak times. Roadside fix rates are high.
- Electric vehicles. Patrols are trained for EVs and a growing number carry mobile charging equipment.
- Extras. Key cover, tyre cover, misfuel cover, accident assistance and parts-and-garage cover can be bolted on, which makes it easy to overspend.
- The app. Reporting a breakdown and tracking the patrol through the app is well executed.
Where it falls down
Price, mainly at renewal. The AA is rarely the cheapest option for like-for-like cover, and renewal quotes frequently rise sharply year on year. Phoning to cancel usually produces a better offer; buying as a new customer produces a better one still. The number of add-ons also means careful reading to avoid paying for cover you have elsewhere.
Who it suits
Drivers who value a patrol over a contractor, EV owners, families wanting one comprehensive personal policy, and anyone who makes long journeys and wants the onward-travel benefits to be generous. Price-first buyers will usually do better with a contractor-network provider.
AA breakdown phone number
The AA's breakdown line is 0800 88 77 66, 24 hours a day. Since 2015 all 0800 numbers are free to call from UK mobiles as well as landlines, so there is no separate mobile number to remember. If you cannot speak, the AA accepts breakdown reports through its app, which also sends your exact location and lets you track the patrol. European assistance and general enquiries use different numbers printed on your membership card and in the app; check the AA website for the current list, as numbers change.
If you are not a member, the same number will sell you instant cover with an immediate call-out fee. On a motorway without a signal, use the emergency roadside phone, which connects to the National Highways control room.