RAC Membership Information

RAC Breakdown Cover

Founded in 1987, The RAC is one of the longest-established breakdown services in the UK. Providing 5 different levels of breakdown cover to over 7 million members, RAC fixes 4 out of 5 vehicle breakdowns at the roadside with more patrols per member than any other UK breakdown service.

RAC breakdown cover allows you to take out a policy to cover just yourself, yourself and your partner, or your entire family. It is also possible to cover a specific vehicle instead of a driver, this means that anyone who drives the vehicle will be able to use RAC breakdown assistance.

Alongside their domestic breakdown services in the UK, RAC also offer European breakdown cover to help you if you breakdown while travelling. RAC have two levels of European cover, Basic European Cover, and Comprehensive European Cover.

Available in 47 European countries, RAC European cover will arrange for your car to be fixed either at the roadside or towed to the nearest garage. With English speaking Incident Managers available 24 hours a day, RAC will even arrange for you and up to 7 passengers (and your vehicle) repatriated to the UK.

RAC is committed to providing the very highest levels of service to its members and has been ranked first for customer service by J.D. Power and Associates' UK Roadside Assistance Study for the last four years and the top named service organisation in the July 2009 UK Customer Satisfaction Index from the Institute of Customer Service.

RAC Cover Levels & Service Types Available

Here's a rundown of the current services offered by the RAC and a brief explanation of the cover they provide.

Roadside Assistance

The basic level of cover from RAC provides roadside assistance anywhere in the UK 24 hours a day (providing that you are at least a quarter of a mile away from your home), access to RAC solicitors and personal injury claims experts, and a tow to the nearest RAC garage within 10 miles.

Roadside + Nationwide Recovery

Everything covered by the basic Roadside level of cover but with added Nationwide Recovery protection, enabling you and up to 7 others to get to your destination if effective repairs cannot be made at the roadside.

Roadside + At Home

Combines both the At Home and Roadside Assistance services, effectively providing cover for full roadside support all across the UK and at home.

Roadside + Nationwide Recovery + Onward Travel

Includes the basic Roadside level of cover plus Nationwide Recovery protection, and also the additional benefit of Onward Travel cover, allowing a repacement car, overnight accomodation or onward travel.

Roadside + At Home + Nationwide Recovery

Provides mechanical assistance on the road and at your driveway with Roadside Assistance and At Home, and the option of emergency transport should you need it with Nationwide Recovery. Get FREE Recovery with this option!*

Roadside + Nationwide Recovery + At Home + Onward Travel

Covering full breakdown and repair assistance whether you are on the road or at home as well as a range of replacement transport options including Nationwide Recovery transport, and three days use of a hired car, funding for alternative transport or overnight accommodation with the provided Onward Travel cover.

RAC Car Insurance Cover Guide

The RAC is without question one of the leading motoring organizations in the UK, and currently serves over 7 million members.

Providing services to both private and business motorists, the RAC serve a number of areas including roadside assistance, insurance, vehicle inspections and checks, legal services, and even up-to-the minute traffic and travel information.

Jul 23, 2010 | 1 comment RAC Breakdown Cover

The RAC Calls For A “Fundamental Shift” To Prevent Traffic Gridlock

RAC Road PricingThe RAC foundation has this week called on the UK government to make radical changes to the way in which motorists pay for road use across the UK.

The foundation is calling for a “pay as you go” system to be introduced for Britain’s roads, following the revelation that just one third of all revenue brought in by road tax and fuel duty is being put back into the UK’s road infrastructure.

Jul 13, 2010 | 0 comments RAC Breakdown Cover

History Of The RAC Breakdown Service

RAC History Guide

In 1897, Charles Harrington Moore and Richard Simms organized the Royal Automobile Club (RAC). At the time, the group was known as the Automobile Club of Great Britain, and its founders were guided by the constitution of the Automobile Club de France in establishing its regulations. Within four years, the RAC began employing the first uniformed patrolmen in the United Kingdom, and in 1907, they received royal approval, adopting its present name at that time.

Jun 26, 2010 | 0 comments RAC Breakdown Cover

RAC Device Could Prevent Diesel Misfuelling Breakdowns

A recent study by the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) found that there are as many as 150,000 misfuelling cases each year, where motorists are putting the wrong type of fuel into their vehicles.

According to BIBA, such as mistake happens every 3.5 minutes in the UK with a repair cost of anywhere from £300 to in excess of £5,000.

Jun 21, 2010 | 0 comments RAC Breakdown Cover

RAC Reveal The High Cost Of A Cold Winter

UK breakdown service, the RAC, have this week revealed that British motorists have run up a bill in excess of £1.9bn as a result of a particularly brutal Winter period.

A survey undertaken by the RAC found that 46% of drivers spend more money on their car maintenance during the Winters months than in 2008-2009.

The increased number of accidents, repairs, pothole damage, as well as more frequent trips to car washes and the need for greater quantities of de-icer all contributed to a more costly motoring Winter.

But despite the recent harsh conditions, the company found that just 5% of motorists plan to take their cars for an extra service this spring.

Mark Godfrey, head of RAC Insurance, advised: “Spring is not the time to shun essential car maintenance. Just as people are readying for a good spring clean of their homes, it’s time to check over the car too.”

RAC attends over 2.7m breakdowns each year and dealt with almost 80,000 call-outs in the eight days prior to Christmas.

Mar 25, 2010 | 0 comments RAC Breakdown Cover

RAC Voted Best UK Breakdown Service

Popular UK breakdown service RAC has been voted the best provider of breakdown cover in its field, according to a report from the UK Customer Service Index.

The recently published report reveals that overall the RAC achieved a higher score than any other breakdown service in its poll of some 26,000 UK adults.

Published by The Institute of Customer Service, the surveys are conducted every 6 months across a wide range of areas including service professionalism, quality, efficiency and timeliness.

RAC director of service delivery, Neil Thompson, was “delighted” with the results adding that, “With the recent freak weather conditions, we’ve been busier than ever and it’s great to know our customers see us as the best in the business”.

The RAC recently revealed that during the 8 day run-up to Christmas the breakdown service attended almost 80,000 breakdowns.

Feb 24, 2010 | 0 comments RAC Breakdown Cover

RAC Reveals Unusual Breakdown Call-Outs

Over the course of 2009, the RAC attended more than 2,700,000 breakdown call-outs across the UK.

According to the breakdown service no two call-outs are the same, and to highlight the point they’ve published a number of their more unusual incidents.

One such incident involved a Land Rover that had been stuck in a ditch, with a nearby farm tractor (who had attempted to help tow the car out) broken down alongside it. In this case the patrol team fixed both the tractor and attended to the bogged down Land Rover.

Another unusual call-out was to a driver who could not start his car, due to the fact that the vehicle’s engine had been removed without his knowledge.

The RAC also emphasised the importance of familiarising yourself with your car’s dashboard symbols and warning lights. In one incident an RAC patrol was called to visit a driver who had spotted a warning light described as “a man holding a snooker cue”. The dashboard symbol turned out to be his seatbelt warning light.

Feb 20, 2010 | 0 comments RAC Breakdown Cover

RAC Voted Best Customer Service In UK Poll

The RAC have recently been voted the top breakdown service in terms of customer service in a recent UK Consumer Index Poll.

The poll saw some 25,000 UK adults asked to compare breakdown cover from 156 providers, with the RAC coming out on top with a rating of 86 our of 100.

RAC director of rescue service delivery, Neil Thompson, said: “I am immensely proud of this achievement. It is fantastic news for [the] RAC as it clearly demonstrates our ability to deliver exceptional service to our members when they call us for help.”

The RAC boasts over 7 million members, and attend over 2.8 million breakdown calls each year.

Sep 01, 2009 | 0 comments RAC Breakdown Cover