The offer ‘Rapid Breakdown Cover from £20’ is still running, however the ‘At least 30% online discount on UK levels of breakdown cover’ has now ended.

Please also note the latest cover starting prices:

> Rescue From £20
> Rescue Plus From £45
> Recovery From £40
> Recovery Plus From £60 Online offer
> Euro Plus from £116

More info on Green Flag Breakdown Cover

You have to make a decision what is best for your situation, baring in mind your type of vehicle and likelihood of it breaking down, the amount of driving you do, how far you travel from home and your own car knowledge and abilities.

In my instance, I drive an old but reliable Volvo which just keeps on going. Although I only drive locally in the week, I often drive to the coast of the hills which can be up to 6 hrs away. I also have basic car mechanics knowledge including what to check  in the engine if everything stops, how to change a tyre and a few other fundamental bits to ensure you know your car. That said, I still have full breakdown cover from the RAC which covers me with home start, roadside assistance and national breakdown recovery. This is because, I drive an older car which could pop at anytime and the cost of a tow truck from an independent company far out ways the cost of annual cover which gives me piece of mind.

So when I had this blow out on the M54 a couple of weeks ago it was time to put what I knew into action. Sounds more dramatic than it was, but losing a wheel at 70mph is not fun although the weight of the Volvo meant it didn’t suddenly swerve off the road but gave me enough time to swiftly steer onto the hard shoulder.

All it meant was that I had to change the tyre which is relatively easy and everyone should know how to do if they drive a car, but when you’re doing it next to cars travelling at 70 / 80 mph it’s a little more daunting. We got the job done and were on our way in 15mins.

If you’re happy changing a car tyre, just remember; 1. ensure you have all the tools in the car 2. Make sure the car is very sturdy on the jack before you remove the wheel and ideally place some blocks underneath the chassis incase the jack fails 3. tighten nuts up on the new wheel diagonally across the ensure its evenly tightened 4. if the wheel is roadside, be very safe and if you don’t feel sure about changing the tyre close to the road, don’t… ring the breakdown service.

So from my perspective, even if you have good car knowledge, I would still purchase cover, even if it’s the most basic of car breakdown cover, for around £30 you can have piece of mind that if your breakdown at night, can’t fix it yourself or just don’t want to get your hands dirty, someone will be on hand to give you assistance.

Compare breakdown cover packages

Lots of folk simply renew their annual breakdown cover every year with the same provider without realising that it might actually be cheaper to move to a new breakdown cover provider.

The difference in price can be quite substantial according to Times Money; sometimes policies for existing customers can be over half as much more than for new breakdown cover applicants.

It does, however, look like contacting your existing breakdown cover provider might see a reduction in your annual premium. Commenting on the Times article, personal finance website Moneyhighstreet said: “Customers should be more ready to contact their providers. As demonstrated by the Times, some customers who have called and challenged their providers over their renewal premiums have managed to get them reduced.”

An AA spokesperson explained the logic behind their own breakdown cover system for new and exisiting customers: “We do offer first-year introductory discounts to encourage people to join the AA, but new members do not have access to loyalty services such as two additional call-outs per year, free access to our legal helpline, free 24-hour European cover plus additional discounts on a range of products and services.”

Another way to save money can be to buy your breakdown cover online. Savings of over 40 per cent are often offered by providers like the AA and RAC as an incentive to sign up.

This really does highlight the fact that it is always worth shopping around for annual breakdown cover if you want to save yourself a few quid every year. And that’s why we provide breakdown cover comparison charts so that you can see which are the cheapest options at any particular time. Save yourself some money the next time you are due to renew by comparing prices on our Breakdown Cover page.

As of September, purchase protection cover and travel accident cover will no longer be a free benefit of holding the Ultimate Rewards current account. The discount card scheme and price promise will also be axed at the same time.

Not only are these rewards being removed, the fee for holding the account is being increased from the current £12.50 to £15 a month. That means that customers will be paying an extra £30 a year for fewer benefits.

Halifax says, however, that the products they are removing were not the most popular attractions of the account anyway.

A spokesperson for Halifax said: “We found that there was very low awareness about these other benefits and minimal claims were made. This is the first time we have raised the prices on this account for three years, and have taken the opportunity to simplify it so it reflects the benefits that people want and use.”

The AA breakdown cover will actually be supplemented to offer home start assistance in addition to the regular car rescue cover.

Other benefits of the Halifax Ultimate Rewards account include mobile phone cover, home emergency cover and worldwide family travel cover. A fee-free overdraft of £300 is also standard on the account.

In addition, if you pay £1,000 or more into the Ultimate Rewards each month then a £5 bonus is added to your account. The spokesperson for Halifax pointed out that this could make the net cost of holding the account just £10 a month.

Are you looking for cheap rescue cover or annual breakdown provision? If so then use our comparison tables to the latest and best deals. Head there with a simple click to our Breakdown Cover Comparison page.

With a complete range of roadside, recovery, home start and European packages,  they are well worth considering if you are looking to renew or take out a new car rescue policy.

Asda Breakdown Cover is provided by Britannia Rescue. As part of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies, they have almost 450 agents nationwide providing over 3,000 roadside technicians on call 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

Benefits Include:

- UK breakdown cover is only £7.50 per month or £70 a year. This could get you on the road again in most situations.

- From only £25 for roadside cover, Asda is cheaper than the AA and RAC* for the same level of cover. If you compare breakdown cover, you’ll see it’s a great deal.

- Britannia Rescue has a large national network of people to help when you break down. With an average response time of under 42 minutes^#, an agent will be there to give roadside assistance and get you on your way again quickly.

- Your child’s car seat will be used in the vehicle that takes you to the destination of your choice, should your car not be fixed at the roadside. You’re also treated as a priority if you break down on the motorway or are in a vulnerable situation on your own or with young children.

- If you don’t know where you are, we could find you using your mobile signal if you’d like us to. Obviously that’s dependant on the strength of your signal and network availability but it’s still good to know.

- Because it’s your car that’s covered, we still try to help when someone else is driving it. And if you’d like to extend car recovery to any vehicle you and your partner travel in, choose Personal Cover.

- If you have more than one car, you can add a second vehicle to your breakdown cover from £25.

Asda Breakdown Cover Packages

A recent survey of over 5,000 people by Footman James, a classic car and motorcycle insurance specialist, has revealed that just 1 in 14 classic car owners consider breakdown cover to be a top priority.

Compare that to almost one in three classic car drivers who said they wouldn’t go out in the motor without their mobile phone. At least some of the drivers canvassed took safety into mind though since 18 per cent of them said they would always pack a tool kit.

1 in 6 classic car owners admitted that they had no breakdown cover for their vehicle and 3 per cent couldn’t remember if they were covered or not.

Managing director of Footman James, Paul Matthews, said: “As many classic vehicles will have been in hibernation prior to the touring season, it becomes increasingly important that owners have the right levels of breakdown cover in place should the unthinkable happen. While it might be tempting for owners to fix minor problems themselves, breakdowns often require expert assistance to get the vehicle safely back on the road.”

“Every year between May and September, we see a high increase in calls from touring customers who find themselves relying on breakdown cover to get them back on track,” said Mr Matthews.

No matter which sort of car you own and drive, don’t take the risk of driving without suitable annual breakdown cover. It could be much cheaper than you think and will give you peace of mind. Shop around for the best deals on breakdown cover from a range of breakdown providers on our Breakdown Cover homepage.

The cover itself is provided by Mondial Assistance, one of the largest motoring assistance providers in the world.

“Fast on-site repairs, professional recovery services and seamless replacement car provision are designed to get you back on the road as quickly as possible. We know that no matter how big or small the mishap may be, no one ever wants to be stuck on the side of the road, stranded at home or anywhere else. Help is always on hand throughout the UK and Europe. Some of the benefits that are included are:

- 24/7 response across the UK, ROI and Europe.

- They will try to repair ANY fault at your home address or roadside.

- Nationwide recovery to a destination of your choice.

- Overnight Bed & Breakfast accommodation.

- If you run out of fuel or lock your keys in the car, they will help you on your way with no call out charge.”

Visit Quoteline Direct

One area that is always worth looking into is current account deals with UK banks. Sometimes the banks will offer you some sweeteners, such as free car breakdown cover, if you are willing to switch to their current account from a rival provider.

Once upon a time it was a real pain to try to switch your current account to a new bank. The original bank would often drag their feet on passing over information like direct debits and regular payments such as standing orders.

The paperwork and time lag involved often made it not worth the effort to switch to a new current account provider even if they offered you a real incentive such as free car rescue cover.

Thankfully, over the last three years or so since the European Banking Committee got tougher on the banks – and it can now be completely hassle-free to transfer your current account to a new bank.

That now means that deals with free annual breakdown cover are really attractive. Often, you will also get some other bonuses such as free travel insurance in addition to the breakdown cover.

One of these current account transfer deals that we’ve seen recently is the Halifax Reward Current Account. Switch to that account from another bank and pay in £1,000 a month or more and you’ll get car breakdown cover, travel insurance and mobile phone cover thrown in.

Do make sure that you read the small print details of the Halifax Reward Current Account before you commit to switching over though.

If you are happy with your existing bank but would still like great deals on annual breakdown cover then don’t despair – we can help you find the best breakdown offers around. Check out our selection of Annual Breakdown Cover deals now with our Breakdown Cover Finder.

GEM, voted the UK’s Number One for roadside assistance, is committed to helping drivers make their car journeys run as smoothly as possible and the first rule is….be prepared! David Williams from GEM Motoring Assist comments, “Last year, thousands of drivers were unprepared for the season’s first snowfall in December. With the threat happening so early, even more are likely to be caught out!”

“It is imperative that motorists are properly prepared for the weather at its coldest and most challenging. Poor weather, decreased visibility and bad road conditions during winter not only increase the risk of accidents but also contribute to a rise in breakdown situations, which in turn are more hazardous in dark and wintry conditions”.

David continues, “Always fully service your car before the winter draws in and don’t forget to keep your boot filled with emergency supplies. Essentials for winter journeys include warm clothing, a blanket, a small shovel, a torch, a triangle, a reflective or fluorescent jacket or tabard, a bottle of water and some cash. Remember to check the weather at your destination, give yourself plenty of time to get there, clear your car of all ice, snow and debris before setting off and don’t take the journey if it is not necessary and may be dangerous. And of course make sure you have your breakdown membership details handy in case of any trouble”.

GEM has developed a detailed Winter Driving leaflet that can be downloaded for free from the GEM website. Visit GEM at http://www.breakdown-cover-finder.co.uk/gem-breakdown-cover.html

A few top tips in case of a winter breakdown:

1. Consider you own safety first – if possible get your vehicle off the road and ensure all passengers are safe and be careful of ice

2. Do not stand between your vehicle and oncoming traffic and wear a fluorescent tabard or jacket as visibility may be reduced

3. If you are on a motorway, get out of the car and wait for help to arrive – this is why you will need your blankets and gloves. On smaller roads remain in the vehicle

4. Warn other road users – switch on your hazard warning lights if you are causing an obstruction and put a warning triangle behind you, but never use a triangle on a motorway

5. Call for help using your mobile phone and give clear details of your location, number of passengers and cause of breakdown