Compare Breakdown Cover: GEM Motoring Assist vs Other Providers
Comparing Breakdown Cover: What You Need to Know
When searching for the best breakdown cover, it's crucial to look beyond just the price. When you research breakdown cover price comparisons, it's a good idea to also research what each breakdown cover policy includes... and, especially with cheap breakdown cover, what it excludes.
Here's why comparing breakdown cover options is essential and what to consider:
Why Compare Breakdown Cover?
Policy inclusions vary - Different providers offer different levels of coverage. What's standard with one may be an add-on with another.
Price doesn't tell the whole story - The cheapest option isn't always the best value. Consider what's included in the policy.
Coverage limitations - Some providers have restrictions on callouts or charge extra for older vehicles.
Home start isn't always included - This valuable feature isn't standard with all providers. Check if it's included or an add-on.
Additional services - Consider extras like misfuelling cover, key replacement, or European coverage.
Key Factors to Compare
Types of assistance - Roadside, home start, national recovery, onward travel
Vehicle age limits - Some policies charge more for older vehicles - not at GEM!
Callout limits - How many times can you use the service per year?
Additional costs - Are there hidden fees or charges for specific services?
Coverage area - Do you need UK only cover, or need to include European travel?
Breakdown Cover - what you need to know
Some breakdown cover companies simply won’t come out if you run out of fuel, fill up with the wrong fuel, get a flat battery or lose your car keys (GEM Motoring Assist have limits for roadside assistance in these scenarios but, under our breakdown cover policy, we will help).
Breakdown cover providers may enforce limits on how many times a year you can call them out or charge more for older vehicles. When researching breakdown cover, compare the limitations applied to the different areas of cover.
When you compare breakdown cover quotes, it can be confusing when you have to add on extras to cheap roadside assistance cover to arrive at the level of cover you really need.
With GEM Motoring Assist, you don’t have to pick and choose. Our personal breakdown cover automatically includes home and roadside assistance, nationwide recovery and onward travel. No add-ons or catches… just all-inclusive breakdown cover. Read on for our personal breakdown cover comparison.
GEM Motoring Assist breakdown cover comparison
Here you can compare roadside assistance car recovery prices for personal breakdown cover policies that include roadside assistance, home assistance, nationwide recovery and onward travel options for a single person. See how the price for a breakdown policy from the RAC and the AA compares to GEM in our car breakdown cover comparison.
Personal Breakdown Cover
With GEM Motoring Assist, you don’t have to pick and choose. Our award-winning personal breakdown cover includes everything you need for peace of mind on the road:
- Home assistance
- Roadside assistance
- Nationwide recovery
- Onward travel
No add-ons or catches — just comprehensive breakdown cover that covers you at home and on the road.
Our 24-hour breakdown recovery is rated 5 Stars by Defaqto.
Vehicle Cover
Vehicle Cover protects one specific vehicle, regardless of who is driving it.
This option is ideal if you:
- Primarily drive one vehicle
- Want your vehicle to be covered, regardless of who is driving it
- Are looking for simple, cost-effective breakdown protection
What’s included:
- Breakdown assistance for the insured vehicle
- Home assistance, roadside repair and UK wide recovery
- GEM Membership including our quarterly magazine, Good Motoring, as well as free motoring and road safety advice
- Protection across the UK and subject to terms and conditions, the option to upgrade cover to include Europe.
Value for money
| GEM £106.00 | AA £225.45 | RAC £236.76 |
| GEM £82.22 | AA £119.78 | RAC £103.00 |
Compare our breakdown cover prices here
Prices correct as of 1st April 2026 for new customers joining directly via the AA/RAC/GEM websites and, where applicable, using postcode CO1 1UX and date of birth 29/12/1977. Whilst this price comparison demonstrates how an RAC and AA breakdown cover quote compares to GEM, please check each provider's Terms & Conditions for full details.
With GEM's Recovery EXTRA personal cover, we organise everything, including the callout, fees and labour charges.
You get the full service for one simple, up-front payment. Learn more about GEM's Recovery EXTRA breakdown policy.
What's included in GEM Breakdown Cover?
We'll cover you at home
If you’re at home and your car won’t start (or grinds to a halt around the corner, within a quarter of a mile from your home) call us for home assistance. We’ll either fix it there or take it to a garage that can. Remember, cheap roadside cover does not always cover you if your car breaks down at home. Compare breakdown cover carefully to check if you need to add this on to your UK breakdown policy.
We'll cover you on the road
If you break down on your journey, we provide roadside assistance. With our roadside recovery, we can do most basic repairs right there. If you break down more than a quarter of a mile from home we will carry out emergency repairs to get you going, otherwise we will recover the vehicle to the nearest suitable or local garage which is able to undertake the repair the same working day. If neither are possible we will recover you to a UK destination of your choice.
We'll cover your onward travel
What is onward travel breakdown cover? If you're far from home when you break down (more than 25 miles from home) and repairs can’t be carried out that day, we can assist with onward travel or overnight accommodation up to the value of £200.
We'll cover all your vehicles
When comparing UK car breakdown cover, it's important to check exactly which vehicles are included. Many providers only cover standard cars - leaving out motorbikes, caravans, trailers, or even classic cars unless you pay extra.
With GEM's Personal Breakdown Cover, you can protect more than just your car. That means you can cover all your *eligible vehicles under one single policy, without needing separate breakdown plans.
We'll cover all your callouts
We cover vehicles of any age for the same price and there’s no limit to how many times you can call us out in a year. Not all UK breakdown cover policies include unlimited callouts, so compare breakdown cover carefully. Please note that repeat call outs for the same fault in 28 days won't be covered.
We even cover you as a passenger
With GEM's personal cover, you’re also covered as a passenger. If you’re driving a hired or borrowed vehicle, we can help too. We look after you as a GEM member, which means we also cover accidents and driver illness. And with our personal breakdown cover, you can call us for assistance as a driver or passenger in any eligible vehicle* you're travelling in. This is also a great option for multi-car breakdown cover, because you are covered as a driver in more than one vehicle.
Why join GEM Motoring Assist for your breakdown cover?
Award-winning - Endorsed as a Which? Trusted Trader, Highly Commended in the Personal Finance Awards 2025, Defaqto 5 Star Rated
All-inclusive breakdown cover - 24/7 home and roadside breakdown assistance, nationwide recovery and onward travel
Cover as a driver or passenger – take your cover with you with our comprehensive personal breakdown cover
Unlimited callouts - plus we cover driver illness, punctures, flat batteries, misfuelling and running out of fuel or charge
We cover vehicles of any age – pay the same price for any age vehicle including classic cars and brand new cars
Easy assistance – request assistance quickly and easily through the GEM app or call our rescue helpline by phone
Value for money - we're cheaper than similar breakdown policies and you can cover up to four drivers in one policy
GEM member benefits - exclusive quarterly magazine, unlimited motoring advice, competitions and member offers
*Eligible vehicle: Private cars or motorcycles, Vans with a gross vehicle weight (GVW) up to 3500 kgs, Motorhomes/campervans with a GVW up to 3500 kgs which do not exceed 7 metres/23 feet in length or 2.3 metres/7 feet 7 inches in width (including any extra fitments). If in doubt, check the terms and conditions.
The True Cost of Breakdown Cover
When calculating the real value of a breakdown cover policy, consider these factors:
Annual Premium - The upfront cost of your policy
Excess Fees - Any additional charges for callouts
Coverage Limits - The number of callouts allowed and any mileage restrictions
Additional Services - Value of extras like home start or onward travel
Potential Savings - Cost of individual callouts without cover vs. annual premium
Peace of Mind - The intangible value of knowing you're protected
Flexibility - Value of being covered in multiple vehicles or as a passenger
At GEM, we believe in transparent pricing. Our all-inclusive policies mean you know exactly what you're getting without hidden costs. By offering unlimited callouts and coverage for vehicles of any age, we ensure that the true cost of your cover remains consistent and predictable, providing excellent value for money.
