RAC Breakdown Cover
Keep moving with our 24/7 breakdown cover
We’ve partnered with breakdown experts at the RAC to help you get moving again if your vehicle breaks down. With RAC Breakdown Cover, 4 out of 5 vehicles are fixed at the roadside.
This optional cover is exclusive to John Lewis Money Car Insurance customers.
What is breakdown cover?
Breakdown cover is insurance that means you can get help if your vehicle breaks down. For example, if you get a flat tyre or your engine breaks down, you can call for roadside assistance.
When your mechanic arrives, they’ll try to fix your vehicle there and then (otherwise known as roadside assistance). If they can’t, they’ll tow you to a garage (also called ‘recovery’) for repairs, so you won’t be left stranded at the roadside.
What’s included with RAC Breakdown Cover?
There are four levels of optional breakdown cover for the car you insure with us:
Roadside
Roadside & Recovery
Roadside, Recovery, At Home & Onward Travel
Roadside, Recovery, At Home, Onward Travel & European
All of them include the following as standard, and an explanation of each level can be found below:
Unlimited call outs (UK only)
No call out charge (UK only)
Free labour at roadside (UK only)
Unlimited labour time at the roadside if the vehicle can be fixed and is safe to do so (UK only)
Roadside
Roadside assists you anywhere in the UK, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To use it you need to be at least a quarter of a mile from home when you break down.
If the vehicle can’t be repaired at the roadside, the vehicle and passengers will be taken to a destination of your choice up to a maximum of 10 miles from the breakdown.
Alternatively, if you’re determined to continue your journey, an RAC Mobile Mechanic can be dispatched to your location to repair your vehicle when the initial patrol sent to help you can’t. This will be at an additional cost.
Roadside & Recovery
Roadside & Recovery extends the cover of the Roadside policy to include transportation for you, your car and passengers to a single location of your choice anywhere in the UK.
Roadside & Recovery is only available for new John Lewis Money Car Insurance customers.
Roadside, Recovery, At Home & Onward Travel
At Home extends the cover of the Roadside & Recovery policy to include breakdowns at home or less than a quarter of a mile from your home.
Onward Travel means that if your vehicle can't be repaired on the day you break down, you’ll be given alternative transport (such as a taxi or train in standard class), OR one night’s accommodation including breakfast (if you’re 20 miles or more away from home) at a cost of up to £150 per person or £500 for the whole party, whichever is less.
Alternatively, you may be provided with up to two days’ car hire. This must be arranged within 24 hours of the breakdown and may require payment up front.
The RAC may also be able to provide a replacement driver if the insured driver is medically unfit to drive.
Roadside, Recovery, At Home, Onward Travel & European
European Assistance gives you all the cover of the other cover levels combined, and adds:
Breakdown cover in 50 countries in continental Europe
If your car can’t be repaired at the roadside you’ll be provided with transportation for you, your passengers and your car to a local garage to have an initial inspection to identify the fault
If your car can’t be repaired before you plan to return home, your vehicle will be recovered to a single UK destination (amount limited to the car's market value), OR you’ll receive £600 towards travel and accommodation to retrieve the repaired car in Europe; with a UK hire car for up to two days included while waiting.
Alternative transport if your car can’t be repaired during or up to 24 hours before your European trip
Please note that EU callouts are capped at five per year.
For full details of what’s included with our RAC Breakdown Cover, please see the policy document.
What isn’t covered?
These are a few things that aren’t covered by our RAC Breakdown Cover add-on. For the full list, please see the policy document. You can see the full list of items that aren’t covered in the policy document, but won’t be covered for:
The cost of any parts or specialist resource, including batteries and tyres
The cost of replacement keys
The cost of fuel
Breakdowns that happened before you purchased cover
Recovery and Onward Travel services, and/or European cover within 24 hours of the initial start date
What to do if you break down
If you break down, please call 0333 070 2702 and wait in a safe place near your car until the RAC can get to you. If you cannot find a safe place, call the police for assistance on 999.
For an easier way to report your breakdown, download the myRAC app on App Store or Google Play. It’s the fastest and easiest way to report a breakdown.
*Calls may be recorded/ monitored and that call charges apply.
Don’t have John Lewis Money Car Insurance?
Find out more about our Premier and Essentials comprehensive cover.
John Lewis Money Car Insurance is a trading name of John Lewis Finance Limited. Registered in England No. 15785347. Registered office: 1 Drummond Gate, Pimlico, London SW1V 2QQ. John Lewis Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority for insurance distribution and credit broking (Firm Reference Number: 1018169).
Car Breakdown cover is underwritten by RAC Motoring Services a company registered in England (company number: 01424399) (FCA number 310208) having its registered office at RAC House, Brockhurst Crescent, Walsall, WS5 4AW.
Motor Legal Protection and Guaranteed Replacement Vehicle cover is underwritten by ARAG Legal Expenses Insurance Company Limited a company registered in England and Wales (company number:103274) (FCA number: 202106) having its registered office at Unit 4a Greenway Court, Bedwas, Caerphilly, Wales, CF83 8DW.
Pay monthly option for your car insurance is under a contract with Premium Credit Limited (a company registered in England with company number 02015200 whose registered office is at Ermyn House, Ermyn Way, Leatherhead, KT22 8UX). John Lewis Finance Limited acts as a credit broker when introducing you to Premium Credit Limited, not a lender. Premium Credit Limited will pay John Lewis Finance Limited a commission if your credit application is successful. Click here for more information. Missed or late repayments may affect your credit rating and access to credit in the future.
John Lewis plc. is an appointed representative for John Lewis Finance Limited for insurance distribution and credit broking. registered with the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number: 416011). Registered in England No. 233462. Registered office: 1 Drummond Gate, Pimlico, London SW1V 2QQ.