AA Parts N Garage Cover (Breakdown Insurance)

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Just wondering if anyone has any direct experience of this - https://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/breakdown-repair-cover

 

Had a shufty round and it seems to get not bad feedback in terms of actually paying out*. Would be worth considering for something from the low cost big liability thread, I'm thinking.... Main considerations seems to be -

 

1) Call the AA out first
2) Make sure of service history
3) Make sure car is serviced by a vat registered garage

 

What say you?

 

*T&Cs apply

 

 

[Schaefft]

This sounds too good to be true. I would bankrupt them in the first 6 months. The service-at-a-garage requirement might be a problem, does that mean you need to stamp your service book whenever its needed?

[SiC]

Only covers parts that cause a FTP by the look of it. Also max of five claims in a year of a value of £535 each. Doesn't cover clutches, DPFs, exhausts, etc. Basically insurance on your starter motor, alternator, turbo and the like.

 

Pretty certain I wouldn't get use out of the policy.

[Schaefft]

It quotes 93 quid per year for one of the cars I have chosen, there's a decent discount with any additional car you want to have the cover for. This really just gets interesting for things like a failing alternator or overheating issues, or a bad sensor fault. Considering this happened to me a few times before it might still make sense as you don't really have to worry about these problems anymore, they are all basically paid for. Interesting for anyone driving older expensive cars, so basically me.

 

In fact, this would have paid for the alternator rebuild thats being done for the Safrane right now, if it wasn't getting fixed already...

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Doesn’t cover clutches? Oh well.

 

(Currently awaiting recovery due to a fucked clutch).

[Rocket88]

From what I know of the yellow peril, it won't be as good a deal as it appears...........some moons ago, when I was with the RAC, I had a major f.t.p with an E36 BMW........patrolman diagnosed blocked radiator, and suspect water pump. He buggered off to the nearest motor factors, came back with new rad and pump, fitted them, only charged me cost price on the bits..........

[Hawkeyethenoo]

This sounds too good to be true. I would bankrupt them in the first 6 months. The service-at-a-garage requirement might be a problem, does that mean you need to stamp your service book whenever its needed?

 

Requires proof of service in terms of invoices from a VAT registered garage. They won't accept service history stamps. Can't blame 'em really.

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Doesn’t cover clutches? Oh well.

 

(Currently awaiting recovery due to a fucked clutch).

 

Who does? Warranty would be the same, even from a Nelson.

 

Anecdotal, but FWIW.

 

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1488275

[Hawkeyethenoo]

It quotes 93 quid per year for one of the cars I have chosen, there's a decent discount with any additional car you want to have the cover for. This really just gets interesting for things like a failing alternator or overheating issues, or a bad sensor fault. Considering this happened to me a few times before it might still make sense as you don't really have to worry about these problems anymore, they are all basically paid for. Interesting for anyone driving older expensive cars, so basically me.

 

In fact, this would have paid for the alternator rebuild thats being done for the Safrane right now, if it wasn't getting fixed already...

 

Quote for my 2015 (soon to be out of extended warranty MK7 Golf GTI PP), is £75 + basic AA recovery + free at home cover = £115 PA. Way less than an extended warranty and peace of mind for not a lot of dosh.

[Schaefft]

Requires proof of service in terms of invoices from a VAT registered garage. They won't accept service history stamps. Can't blame 'em really.

 

But how do they define what items the car should get as a service? Things like changing the pads shouldn't have an impact on an alternator failure either? I think there is a lot of room for interpretation there, especially if you don't own a car with full service history, it doesn't say how far back that would need to go.

 

The 93 quid were on top of the normal breakdown cover btw.

[Hawkeyethenoo]

But how do they define what items the car should get as a service? Things like changing the pads shouldn't have an impact on an alternator failure either? I think there is a lot of room for interpretation there, especially if you don't own a car with full service history, it doesn't say how far back that would need to go.

 

The 93 quid were on top of the normal breakdown cover btw.

 

Good question. I refer you to the AA's T&C's which seem on the face of it, pretty fair.

[rainagain]

I’ve had it twice in the past and used it three times.

Stilo = new starter motor

Megane = new starter motor and new battery

 

Every time I used they never asked me for a copy of the service history.

[adw1977]

Just watch out for them only paying a very low labour rate for repairs. A few years back I got a new alternator from a policy like this, but they would only pay £35 an hour labour, my usual garage were charging £60 so I had to make up the difference.

 

I could have taken the car to a different garage of their choice to have it done free, but I didn't have much faith that a garage that would accept such a low price for labour would be any good.

[sierraman]

No VAT registered garage is going to charge £35 an hour. I’d avoid these type policies if I’m honest, I had one once, I’d not asked for it, it just came with the car. When you break it down it doesn’t cover fuck all unless the engine chucks a leg out of bed.

 

Also financially if it’s on an older car/banger having it serviced at a VAT registered garage every year will cost an absolute fortune.

[rainagain]

Just watch out for them only paying a very low labour rate for repairs. A few years back I got a new alternator from a policy like this, but they would only pay £35 an hour labour, my usual garage were charging £60 so I had to make up the difference.

 

I could have taken the car to a different garage of their choice to have it done free, but I didn't have much faith that a garage that would accept such a low price for labour would be any good.

Each time I used it I asked to have the car taken to the main dealer and they were fine with it.