What is Breakdown cover at Home?
Breakdown cover at home (also known as ‘home rescue’ or ‘home start’) means we’ll come to your rescue if you break down on your doorstep. For example, with a flat battery or a cold engine. The RAC will always try to fix your vehicle there and then. Or if we can’t, we’ll tow your car up to 10 miles to a garage for repairs.
Our 'Extra' and 'Complete' breakdown cover levels include breakdown cover at your home address. With our 'Basic' and ‘Standard’ cover, you're only covered if you break down ¼ mile from home.
Whether it’s a flat battery or brake failure, we’ll be there to help at your doorstep with our at home breakdown cover. We offer home start with our ‘Extra’ cover, or you can add it on to any pre-existing policies, so you can have peace of mind even at home.
Why 15 million members trust us
Big fleet, 24/7 rescue
With over 1,700 RAC mechanics nationwide, help is never far away.
RAC trained patrols
We fix 4 out of 5 breakdowns, saving you the cost and hassle of a garage.
More for your money
Award-winning cover, with a free car health check and savings on fuel, tyres and more.
Trusted by
How does home start breakdown cover work?
Choose your cover type
Choose a package
With our 'Extra' and 'Complete' cover, home start breakdown cover is included. Once you’ve bought your cover, you can call us 24/7 and we’ll send a patrol to your home address.
Basic
Standard
Extra
Complete
*Max 40% applies to new Standard cover for 1 person with social use only. Ends 16/10/26, 9am.
Our 'Extra' and ‘Complete’ cover levels also includes national recovery, so we’ll tow you an unlimited distance if you break down at the roadside. This could be to any garage or any other destination in the UK.
If you choose 'Basic' or ‘Standard’ levels of cover, you're only covered if you break down over ¼ mile from home.
Select your extras
Battery Replace
A new battery costs £200 on average. Get a new battery if we can't recharge yours.
Key Replace
Replacement keys cost £315 on average. We'll replace your lost or broken car or house keys.
Tyre Replace
Puncture? No problem – get Tyre Replace and you're covered for the cost of up to 5 new tyres a year.
Legal Care Plus
Up to £100,000 motoring legal expenses cover for accidents that aren’t your fault.
Onward Travel
Can’t do without your car? Get a hire car while yours is in the garage with Onward Travel.

European cover
Get covered in up to 48 countries in Europe. So you can have complete peace of mind® when driving abroad.
It's that simple.
Need to add cover at home to your policy?
If you’re already a member, but breakdown cover at home isn’t included in your policy, it’s easy to add at home start cover. Just give us a call on 0330 159 8454 and we’ll be happy to help.
I'm already a member
The quickest way to report a breakdown is online.
Prefer to speak to us? Call 0333 2000 999. Lines are open 24/7.
I'm not a member
Call us on 0330 159 8743 to arrange instant breakdown cover.
If you buy cover online after breaking down, we won’t be able to attend.
RAC award winning breakdown
Home start breakdown cover FAQs
If your breakdown cover includes ‘At Home’ cover, yes you can. We’ll come out to you on your driveway and try to fix you there and then. If we can’t, we’ll tow you to a local garage for repair (within 10 miles of your home).
Breakdowns at home are very common. For example, if you have a flat battery and can’t start the car. If you only have Roadside Assistance, we can only rescue you when you break down over a ¼ mile from home. But with At Home cover, you can relax knowing we’ll help you on your driveway too. It’s also a great option for households with family breakdown cover, as everyone is protected under one policy.
That depends which cover level you have. Our 'Basic’ level of breakdown cover includes a tow up to 10 miles – so, if you’ve broken down less than 10 miles from home, we can tow you there. If you prefer, we can tow you to a garage within 10 miles instead.
With 'Standard', ‘Extra’ and 'Complete' cover, you have ‘national recovery’ – which means we can tow you an unlimited distance. So, if you break down far from home, we can tow you there or to any garage of your choice.
‘Onward Travel’ is included with our 'Complete' cover, or available as an add-on. This covers you for a hire car for up to 3 days, or a taxi any distance, so you can get back home or wherever else you need to go. With Onward Travel Premium, you can also upgrade to a like-for-like car for up to 7 days.
It depends on where you break down, and what level of cover you have. Our ‘Basic’ level of breakdown cover includes a 10-mile tow, so we can tow you home if you break down within 10 miles of your house. But with 'Standard', ‘Extra’ or 'Complete', you’ll get national recovery – so if we can’t fix you on the spot, we can tow you home or to any destination in the UK.
Yes, it’s worth getting at home breakdown cover since 1 in 3 breakdowns happen at home. It’s worth getting At Home cover so if something goes wrong with your car while you’re at home or within a ¼ of a mile from your address, we can come and get you moving again.
Page reviewed by: Simon Williams

