Updated September 28, 2026 · AssureCue Editorial Team
AA Breakdown vs Progressive
AA Breakdown vs Progressive: the differences
| Compare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Premium from | £5.49 | $75 |
| Insurance types | Breakdown, Auto, Home, Travel, Van, Motorcycle | Auto, Home, Renters, Life, Travel, Pet, Motorcycle, Breakdown, Gadget |
| Cover limit | GBP 535 per claim for Parts and Garage Cover | USD 5,000, 10,000 or 20,000 annual benefit |
| Claims channels | Phone, App, Online | Phone, Online, App, AgentCovers more |
| Excess from | £0 | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Provider type (Insurer), Monthly payments (Yes).
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Key differences
- AA Breakdown scores higher overall: 9.5 vs 9.3.
- Founded is lower at AA Breakdown: 1905 vs 1937.
- Insurance types: only AA Breakdown offers Van.
- Insurance types: only Progressive offers Renters, Life, Pet.
- Claims channels: only Progressive offers Agent.
- Support channels: only AA Breakdown offers Email.
Our verdict on each
AA Breakdown
AA Breakdown suits drivers and households in Great Britain who want roadside help sold by the insurer that carries the risk. Personal cover starts at £5.49 on a monthly policy, with a claim line that does not begin with a charge.
Progressive
Progressive suits households in the US who want auto, home, renters, life, travel and pet cover from a single insurer. Premiums start at $75 and monthly payments are available, so the appeal is breadth plus a bill spread across the year.
Score breakdown
| Area | AA Breakdown | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherPremium from £5.49 sits below the €23.33 median for breakdown cover on the site. | 8.7 |
| Offer | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Trust | 9.7Higher | 9.6 |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | AA Breakdown | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Car insurance | 56 of 375 | 95 of 375 |
| Home insurance | 40 of 273 | 80 of 273 |
| Travel insurance | 74 of 295 | 106 of 295 |
| Motorbike insurance | 22 of 120 | 42 of 120 |
| Breakdown cover | 8 of 53 | 17 of 53 |
Feature by feature
| Insurance types | AA Breakdown | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Auto | Yes | Yes |
| Home | Yes | Yes |
| Renters | No | Yes |
| Life | No | Yes |
| Travel | Yes | Yes |
| Pet | No | Yes |
| Motorcycle | Yes | Yes |
| Van | Yes | No |
| Breakdown | Yes | Yes |
| Gadget | No | Yes |
Sources behind this comparison
AA Breakdown
- theaa.com: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Progressive
- progressive.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | AA Breakdown | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Monthly | Monthly |
| Legal entity | Automobile Association Insurance Services Limited | Progressive Casualty Insurance Company |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United States |
| Founded | 1905Lower | 1937 |
| Support channels | Phone, Chat, Email, Help centreCovers more | Phone, Chat, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | AA Breakdown | Progressive | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excess from | £0below the median | Not confirmed | £25 |
Median across 49 listed insurance providers.
Pros and cons
AA Breakdown
Pros
- The excess starts at £0, so a covered claim does not open with a charge to meet.
- Cover is written by an insurer, insurer, with the Financial Conduct Authority named as the regulator in Great Britain.
- Monthly payments are available, so the cost can be spread rather than paid as a single sum.
Cons
- For Parts and Garage Cover the limit stops at GBP 535 per claim for Parts and Garage Cover, so a large repair can exceed what the policy pays.
- Personal cover starts at £5.49, and that figure is an entry point rather than a quote, so the premium a particular driver pays can sit above it.
- breakdown, auto and home does not reach life, health or pet lines, so anyone wanting those alongside the car needs a second provider; Good Sam Insurance Agency covers them through auto, home and renters.
Progressive
Pros
- Cover spans auto, home and renters, so a household can hold several lines with a single provider.
- Claims can be opened through phone, online and app, including an agent and an app.
- Monthly payments are available and monthly is the only payment model listed, so the premium is paid in instalments.
Cons
- Pet cover pays USD 5,000, 10,000 or 20,000 annual benefit, so a costly year at the vet can outrun the payout.
- Support runs on phone, chat and help centre only, so email is not among the ways to reach the insurer.
- The listed licences are held in California, Texas, Iowa and Florida, so the agencies behind pet cover answer to state regulators, with Iowa license #1002314428 one example.
Who each suits
AA Breakdown
Who it suits
- Drivers in Great Britain who want roadside help on a monthly premium with an excess that starts at £0.
- Households that already hold AA motor, home, travel, van or motorcycle cover and want breakdown added under the same insurer.
- Readers who prefer a named insurer with the Financial Conduct Authority on the record rather than a broker choosing the underwriter.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after life, health or pet cover in the same place, which Good Sam Insurance Agency covers through auto, home and renters.
- Readers who judge on the entry premium alone, where bunq lists €0 and EuroAsia Insurance lists UZS 60,000, neither priced for this Great Britain market.
Progressive
Who it suits
- Households in the US that want several personal lines from a single provider rather than separate ones, with auto, home and renters on the list.
- Pet owners happy with USD 5,000, 10,000 or 20,000 annual benefit who pay monthly.
- Drivers and riders who like claiming through phone, online and app and having an agent as well as digital routes.
Who should look elsewhere
- Good Sam Insurance Agency, if health cover matters: its list runs to auto, home and renters while Progressive's stops at auto, home and renters.
- bunq, if you want a personal finance app that opens at €0 rather than personal lines.
Current offers
AA Breakdown
Current offer
First period offer
Up to 40% off breakdown cover packages: 40% off the first year for new customers
New AA breakdown customers who are UK residents, first year only, buying Roadside Assistance plus one (40%), two (35%) or three (30%) of National Recovery, At Home and Onward Travel; sale 25 September 2026 to 11.59pm on 30 September 2026; not available with Roadside Assistance alone, Parts & Garage Cover, Key Cover, Commercial Use or Tyre Cover
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Progressive
Current offer
Discount code
Bundle and save an average of 5% on auto in most states: 5% average discount on auto when bundled with property
Average savings based on 6-month term and not available in all states.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
Switch to Progressive and save: USD 975 average 12-month savings
National average 12-month savings (auto = $975, bundle = $1,099) by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2025 and May 2026. Potential savings will vary.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | AA Breakdown | Progressive |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
AA Breakdown
What does AA Breakdown cost to get started?+
Personal breakdown cover starts at £5.49, and monthly payments are available, so the premium can be paid in regular instalments rather than as a single sum. The excess starts at £0, which means a covered claim does not open with a charge for you to meet.
Is AA Breakdown an insurer or a broker?+
AA Breakdown is listed as an insurer, insurer, rather than a broker or a comparison site. That means the firm carries the breakdown risk on its own policy, so the company holding the premium is the company paying the claim, with no intermediary choosing the underwriter.
Progressive
How much does Progressive cost?+
Cover starts at $75 for the year. That opening figure sits above the median of €8.37 across the brands on the site, so expect to pay more than a typical listing at the outset. What you actually pay depends on the line, the cover chosen and where you live.
What can I cover with Progressive?+
The list runs to auto, home and renters, so auto, home, renters, life, travel, pet, motorcycle, breakdown and gadget cover all come from the same provider. Progressive is an insurer rather than a broker, which keeps the policies with the company that pays the claim.
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