RAC vs Direct Line Insurance Breakdown Cover

We all know the importance of breakdown cover for motorists. If your vehicle breaks down while you’re out and about on the road, it can put you in a vulnerable position. If you have breakdown cover in place, help and support is just a phone call away. If you don’t, then you’ll have to figure out another way to get your vehicle up and running again. So, if you’re a driver, having breakdown cover can be invaluable.

For today’s motorist, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to choosing a breakdown cover provider. The RAC is the UK’s oldest breakdown cover provider, but how do we compare against breakdown cover from Direct Line?

Brand and Reliability

When you compare breakdown cover, the brand and reliability of your provider should also be taken into consideration. With the RAC, you know you’re in safe hands – we’re proud to be known as the oldest, and longest established breakdown cover provider in the UK.

We get to most breakdowns within 60 minutes¹
Our patrols fix 4/5 on the spot. With repairs done in just 30 minutes on average
126 years’ experience – we’ve been helping drivers for more than a century

Levels of breakdown cover

Not all breakdown cover providers offer the same type or level of cover, so it’s important not to miss the detail when running a comparison of services. Here’s a summary of the RAC’s and Direct Line’s car breakdown cover^*.

View how RAC breakdown cover compares against other provides, such as The AA, Green Flag and Start Rescue.

RAC

Basic	Extra	Complete
5 callouts a year^{^}	5 callouts a year^{^}	Unlimited Callouts
Roadside Assistance If you’re over a ¼ mile from home, we’ll fix you on the spot, or recover you to a local garage within 10 miles	Roadside Assistance If you’re over a ¼ mile from home, we’ll fix you on the spot and if we can't, we'll tow you anywhere in the UK	Roadside Assistance We’ll fix your vehicle at the roadside and if we can't, we'll tow you anywhere in the UK
20-mile taxi Following a breakdown, if you’re taken to a garage, we’ll reimburse you for a taxi home up to 20 miles	20-mile taxi Following a breakdown, if you’re taken to a garage, we’ll reimburse you for a taxi home up to 20 miles	20-mile taxi Following a breakdown, if you’re taken to a garage, we’ll reimburse you for a taxi home up to 20 miles
	National Recovery If we can’t fix you, we’ll tow you to any garage or destination in the UK	National Recovery If we can’t fix you, we’ll tow you to any garage or destination in the UK
		At Home We’ll rescue you if you break down at home
		FREE MOT At selected RAC garages. With family breakdown cover you’ll get 2 Free MOTs

^{^}1 additional callout added for every person or vehicle added

Direct Line

Cover level	Description
Roadside	Assistance if you breakdown ¼ mile from home address day or night
Recovery	Recovery to UK destination if your vehicle cannot be fixed locally the same day
At Home	You’ll get assistance if your vehicle breaks down at home or within ¼ mile
Onward Travel	Hire car or alternative transport if vehicle cannot be fixed at roadside

^*Comparison accurate as October 2019

RAC Source - Terms and Conditions
Direct Line/Green Flag Source — Terms and Conditions (https://www.greenflag.com/breakdown-cover/policy-documents)

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