Best breakdown cover?

[xtriple]

Been with the AA for the last decade and a half and never used them! My son however, was on my cover and used them bloody daily! They were always fine, prompt and efficient.

 

When my Honda FTPd the other day, I called Honda assist who are the AA and they were her within thirty minutes, nice bloke started my car and tested it all for me.

 

But, they try it on EVERY year with renewals putting the price up massively which results in a phone call and then a reduction. I hate the fact they try it on. I know lots of companies do, but it's wrong. Even though I'm with Honda Assist I still have minimal AA cover separately! They charge me the grand sum of £2 per month!

[barefoot]

I didn't want to ring my insurance company because I wanted to fix it myself without claiming or them having any record of an accident.  So it depends whether 'ask' is the same as 'require'.  In any case if you only have 3rd party and hit a deer there isn't much point calling them.

I don't think you have to, just tell them that you've done it.

They can hardly check can they?

[derskine]

I'm with AA, this morning I read this thread thinking "No issues at all, been fine, and cheap".

Lunch time I get a phone call from them offering me travel cover or some bullshit, I said nope not interested, only in it for the recovery of broken cars.

[willswitchengage]

 

 

Well reliable

[Stanky]

I've used FirstCall GB several times on and off for the last 10 years, seemingly £32.50 regarless of the car or its age. Limited to 6 'free goes' a year and there is some bumf about them telling you to FOAD if they recover you, you don't fix whatever it was that borked your car last time and you try calling them again for the same issue.

 

I've had reason to invoke them once or twice, they use local recovery firms who have always arrived within 45 minutes and never charged me a penny, you just pay the annual premium.

 

I think they do onward journey, or recover to a place of your choosing, and will do up to 1 hour of hammering a smaller thing over whatever is broken before towing you away should you so wish. I think the only other limitation is that they won't come out if you are within 1 mile of home, but thats never been a problem for me. Might be a bit crap if you lived in a city though.

[matt79]

So with start rescue you don't have to mess about claiming money back etc its just sorted out there and then? That's one reason I've not bothered with these cheap outfits, banking on the (very) unlikely possibility I'd have £300 in my account to settle up with them in the first place.

 

Just a straight forward recovery, no extra charges when I had to call them out to my dead Focus.

 

I am a bit sceptical about these pay first then claim the money back after companies, always feel like they will refuse / not pay the claim fully, stating some bullshit about 'not filling in section B8 of the form correctly', or some other bollocks excuse to avoid paying out.

 

They do have a limit of the amount of call outs allowed though, but in my experience most, if not all breakdown companies have this policy.

[richardmorris]

I've always taken the breakdown option with Aviva insurance- an extra 50 or so a year. Have used this a few times with the daily. The 2cv and fiat are with footman James with breakdown as standard,

[Steviemillar]

ADAC, about 100 Euros a year for their top cover, applies to both me and the missus anywhere in Europe. Bargain

[gordonbennet]

I'm with Autoaid too, haven't (touch wood) had to use them yet.

 

I think the claiming back angle helps keep costs down for everyone...there's always going to be the question in the back of your mind ''is this claim  going to be rejected or summat'' so it's natural to mitigate your costs...if you can find a cheap recovery then its cheaper for you with immediate out of pocket and cheaper for Autoaid which feeds back to cheaper cover.

 

It's the opposite to those idiots who following an accident decide to go with cliamsRus accident management type things, think they've won the effin lottery, fuckin brand new BMW for 6 weeks, whiplash compo, off work compo milk every fuckin ha'penny, where it was only a bastard bent back bumper in the first place....we all end up paying for twats like that...i have to smile when i hear of the self same accident no helpers taking the greedy sponging cunts to court to get back credit hire charges the other insurer rightly told 'em to stick up their arse.

[Wilko220]

Another vote for GEM Recovery. Never had a problem with them in several years of membership.

You also get a free, utterly shite magazine every couple of months, clearly aimed at the great-grandad motorist audience with lots of features on English holiday destinations, road tests of the latest base model Ford Focus, and adverts for beige slacks.

[dieselnutjob]

This thread just cost AA the £150 renewal that they wanted from me.

 

Thanks shitests.

[dieselnutjob]

it says here

https://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/adac_membership/

 

"Using the links below to acquire ADAC membership requires that your place of residence is in Germany."

 

so how are Brits getting whole European cover from them?

[beko1987]

The last time I broke down a bird with big norks came in a fucking Vauxhall to provide assistance

 

 

Only costs me circa £1200 per month to keep her too, utter bargain!

 

(3/4 the rent and all bills, she pays for the shopping, fuel and other random bits)

[Pillock]

£1200 for norks and breakdown? That's good.

 

I paid a massive £35 a year for some outfit called Start Rescue. Only because I was going to be driving an unknown, but probably good car from Birmingham to home, I thought it silly to be hitting the motorways with nothing. I dare say for that price I'll get really poor service but they've got some good reviews, so we'll see. That gets me recovery home or to my destination, but no homestart. I do get overnight accomodation and "alternative transport" to the value of £100 though. 

 

There is no mention of norks.

[anonymous user]

I'm still with RAC, sorry no idea what it costs as I'm useless and let it auto renew, I have the full-fat option, home-start, recovery, onward travel, hire-car, plague of locusts, etc. They've been worth it over the years just for the recovery, I suspect I may be up on the deal, strangely most of the uses have been when I've been a passenger, or gone to assist a mate. e.g.Mate's car "stopped" on Brecon Beacons, I went up in mine and let him use it to go to work, I waited and got recovered, due to hgf, and got a "free" hire car for three days. Another that must have cost a bomb was being recovered off the M5 in a 101 Land-Rover, they needed two recovery lorries, one for the Land-Rover and one for the trailer due to the Nato hitch on it.

[Stroller133]

+1 on Start Rescue. Nearly didnt take out cover this year, but they were far cheaper than AA/RAC. Good job as I've broken down twice already this year!

Both times they handled call quickly and efficiently and confirmed the provider and ETA straight away.

[dieselnutjob]

I just called ADAC on 0049221472747 and asked for an English speaker.  They took my name, address, phone number and email address, and then credit card payment on the phone.  I am covered from tomorrow morning.

[oldcars]

£1200 for norks and breakdown? That's good.

 

I paid a massive £35 a year for some outfit called Start Rescue. Only because I was going to be driving an unknown, but probably good car from Birmingham to home, I thought it silly to be hitting the motorways with nothing. I dare say for that price I'll get really poor service but they've got some good reviews, so we'll see. That gets me recovery home or to my destination, but no homestart. I do get overnight accomodation and "alternative transport" to the value of £100 though. 

 

There is no mention of norks.

I am too with this company, and i can confirm that some norks, or other words to describe said items do indeed work in the call centre.

[Pillock]

Oh. Not a good experience then?

[xtriple]

I am STILL with the AA even though I have 'Honda Assist' which is... the AA! Being in the AA costs me a £5er per month and as I have been a member since just after time began (and before the first motor car!) I get all sorts of 'wonderful' extras that I have never used and likely, never will!  I am however, dreadfully reactionary and couldn't leave.

 

In fifteen years of being a member, I have never used them but used Honda Assist earlier this year when my battery died. They were quick and efficient and did exactly what they say, i.e. got me on my way with minimal fuss or bother.

 

I'm not a fan though and the fact they bump up the prices to renew every year is dastardly as they should reward (not punish) loyal customers. Every year I say I'm going to leave... then don't. I am pathetic.

[oldcars]

The call centre was grim, they "forgot" so send someone out to me once, but the folk that come are good. They are normal local garages and seem decent. Only had to use them twice.

[robinmasters]

I have breakdown cover via my insurance; I think it's called 'Rescue my Car', but I've never had to use it so can't add anything useful.

 

The only reason I mention it is because they, apparently, cover repair costs up to £500; when I took the policy out I have them quite a grilling over this, and they assured me there are NO exclusions to this, and it includes parts & labour. If they were being straight with me, I now have an everlasting car-don't do any preventative maintenance, just drive it until it goes bang, and they fix it.

 

As an aside, I work for an insurance company, and, *apparently*, *some* insurance companies have been known to pay for mechanical repairs, when there's been no accident.

[Pillock]

The call centre was grim, they "forgot" so send someone out to me once, but the folk that come are good. They are normal local garages and seem decent. Only had to use them twice.

 

Oh right, so because I scrimped on my breakdown cover I've bought it from a place that "forgets" to send people out. That'll learn me.

I suppose for £39 a year I'm lucky they answer the phone. I did have a panic just after buying it that it was going to be one of these "pay it and claim back, assuming every one of four hundred points of consideration has been met and you do so within 16 minutes" but it's straightforward callout.

 

The other car has green flag (which annoyingly Mrs_P renewed at full £80+ cost, even though the first year we got it through Quidco for £40 and could have done again), and my work car has a number that I phone and they make it all better, somehow, probably. 

[320touring]

fucksocks I should likely get this sorted!

 

obviously a reliable*modern* 14yr lod 190k miles derv is the bestestest bet

[oldcars]

Oh right, so because I scrimped on my breakdown cover I've bought it from a place that "forgets" to send people out. That'll learn me.

I suppose for £39 a year I'm lucky they answer the phone. I did have a panic just after buying it that it was going to be one of these "pay it and claim back, assuming every one of four hundred points of consideration has been met and you do so within 16 minutes" but it's straightforward callout.

 

The other car has green flag (which annoyingly Mrs_P renewed at full £80+ cost, even though the first year we got it through Quidco for £40 and could have done again), and my work car has a number that I phone and they make it all better, somehow, probably. 

No claim back needed and no call out fee that some have. I think there is a max 5 call outs per year on mine.

[mercrocker]

Just renewed my all-option cover with the AA for the 21st year running. The best breakdown cover for me is the one where somebody actually turns up and gets you on the way again. I expect I am being bum-raped on the price but I probably save this by refusing to have any extra insurance of any kind above that which I legally require. No gym membership, no SKY, no phone insurance, no I-phone, no pet insurance, no pets etc. Knowing that Mrs Rocker can be sent forward into the world in any old shite that she is asked to drive (she does more motorway mileage than I do, for example) is worth its weight in AA Gold membership for me. I have easily covered something like 50percent of my subs in breakdown and recovery and saved at least one weekend away from being a disaster. It also covers us in other peoples unreliable modern shite, too. Its one thing I wont ever skimp on.