I had breakdown cover with car insurance, no idea which company I'd just ring my insurance and they'd contact a garage local to me who would come out and sort me. Got back from a holiday, 1am Stanstead airport, car battery was so flat even the alarm didn't work. Called insurance, said they'd get someone. 3am a bloke in a van turned up, asked me to go to the car park entrance so I could get in and show him where I was parked. Absolutely reeked of alcohol, reckon he was hammered. Cones blocking car park entrance as it was full. He just runs them down to get in. Still, got the car started and off I went.
I got AA breakdown cover for £20 for the year when I renewed my car insurance a few years ago. Had to use them twice and found both times to be excellent.
On a bank holiday my starter motor went at the asda petrol station in fosse park. Pushed the car away from the pumps and gave them a call. Someone was there within the hour, diagnosed the problem, went off to buy a new starter motor, fixed it there and then and off I went. Had to pay for the starter motor (£100). I knew it was already on the way out and would've cost a fair bit more to have it done at a garage. So very happy with that.
The other time I used it was for a flat tyre. Was about to leave for work and it was absolutely pissing it down, saw the flat tyre. Didn't fancy sorting it myself. Didn't have home start, so drove it slowly to an industrial estate round the corner, just outside the range classed as home start, and they had me sorted within the hour again.
Left them this year as the £20 a year went up to £200, took out RAC cover with insurance but never had to use them.