RAC multi-vehicle breakdown policy costs more than buying separately

We've discovered that drivers covering two or more vehicles with the RAC's Roadside policy are paying more than they should.

The RAC is charging customers who have two or more vehicles covered on one basic roadside recovery package more than if you had bought the cover separately for each.

If you want breakdown cover for a couple of vehicles you own, you might hope for a discount from your provider because of the extra business. You certainly wouldn’t expect to pay extra per car.

Prices being driven up

‘Roadside’ is the basic breakdown service offered by the RAC and it costs £27.99 for single-vehicle cover.

This plan comes with 24/7 breakdown cover, including a ten-mile tow.

However, when you look at the cost of multi-vehicle cover, you’ll notice that the pricing isn’t just a simple multiplication of the cost of one car. You’re actually being charged extra for the privilege.

Thankfully the other three roadside assistance options offered by the RAC do give large discounts for members with multiple vehicles.

The Roadside Recovery bundle, which the RAC says is its most popular choice, costs £67.99 for one vehicle, £114.99 for two, and £149.98 for three, saving £20.99 or £53.99 respectively for drivers who choose to bring multiple vehicles under the same cover.

The savings can be even greater for their Unlimited and Premier options, which offer much more comprehensive cover in the event of a breakdown.

[Related story: Don't get caught by the new breed of car crash con artists]

Why is this happening?

So why were drivers on the cheapest package being penalised? We asked the RAC for an explanation as to why the product had been priced this way.

It responded to say that it was amending its vehicle-based pricing, so that cover for multiple vehicles would not add additional expense for drivers in the future. This should be introduced towards the end of October.

If you're looking for breakdown cover, it's always worth shopping around and our investigation also highlights that it's important to make sure you're not paying more on multi-vehicle cover too.

See if you can drive down the cost of your car insurance