The AA has introduced a new guarantee which it claims is unique: it will provide a complimentary courtesy car for 24 hours if the vehicle cannot be fixed at the roadside.

The benefit is available to all personal and vehicle-based members. Customers can choose to collect the courtesy car – a specially-branded Smart or choice of another similarly-sized vehicle – at the time of the breakdown, or within 72 hours. Patrols or garage agents will take the member to a local Europcar depot if it is during opening hours. Members can also choose to extend the car hire period and/or upgrade to a larger car at preferential rates. Outside of these hours, members make their own way to the nearest Europcar depot when it opens.

Kerry Richardson, director of AA Road Services, says: “In eight out of 10 of the 3.9m breakdowns we attend each year, we can get our members on the road again. Even when that’s not possible, we are determined to keep them mobile.”