A £22,954 claim approved by RAC Warranty for a replacement engine and gearbox on a 2020 Audi was the largest claim paid out by the organisation last year.
RAC Warranty’s 10 most common claim items last year were led by electrical systems, followed by engine; front suspension and hubs; cooling system; body exterior; fuel system; brakes; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; and body interior; and exhaust system.
Lee Coomber, RAC client director at Assurant, said: “While the trend may be moderating, cars in the UK have been getting older since the pandemic thanks to reduced supply and the increased cost of living, two factors that have had a direct impact on warranty claims.
“Failure of larger items such as engines and gearboxes obviously become more likely as cars age while at the same time, the price of everything from labour rates to parts has been increasing, sometimes dramatically.
“As a result, we are seeing more high-value bills of this kind. It is a trend that very much underlines the value of a warranty to the motorist.”
RAC Warranty also saw rapid increases during 2025 in volumes of paid claims for electrified vehicles.
Coomber said: “The number of EVs and hybrids within our customer base remains relatively low compared to petrol and diesel but is rapidly growing and will obviously further increase in 2026.”
