Breakdown cover

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Tue 27 Oct 2020 19:35
Breakdown cover - Doc

Has anyone experience of breakdown cover from Start Rescue?

I am currently with Autoaid and due to renew next month, but SR is much cheaper.

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Tue 27 Oct 2020 20:18
Breakdown cover - KB.

I, too, am with AutoAid, and have been since 1894 or thereabouts.

Prompted by your comment about Start Rescue being "much cheaper" I just had a look at their website.

My Mrs. and I and two cars are included within our AutoAid policy and it includes an element of 'Home Start' too.

It would seen that Start Rescue charge £122.81 for similar cover that AutoAid provide for £59.99.

I'll stay where I am.

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 08:01
Breakdown cover - nellyjak

AutoAid covers YOU surely...not any specific car..you are covered whatever car you might be driving.

My wife and me are covered for £59.99.

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 09:21
Breakdown cover - Andrew-T

Breakdown cover comes in quite a few different flavours, so like must be compared with like. Especially whether you are covered in a specified car or in any driven with owner's permission for example.

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 10:01
Breakdown cover - mcb100
Whenever this topic comes up it always amuses me to see replies stating that Company X are great value at £4 per year, but they’ve never actually had to call them to verify the quality of work.
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Wed 28 Oct 2020 10:20
Breakdown cover - Andrew-T
Whenever this topic comes up it always amuses me to see replies stating that Company X are great value at £4 per year, but they’ve never actually had to call them to verify the quality of work.

Rather like insurance when you finally make a claim ? Though it can be a bit unfair to judge breakdown cover on the same basis, as it is often outsourced to local garages, who may be busy a long way off or waiting for a job just down the road.

Edited by Andrew-T on 28/10/2020 at 10:22

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 10:29
Breakdown cover - daveyjp

Breakdown service is an insurance. You need to consider what level of cover you need and buy accordingly. P

I use Autoaid as we have two cars and two drivers and it is good value, but I have never used them.

The last time I used any breakdown cover was National Breakdown at least 25 years ago. I was at home and it was a local garage that turned up.

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 10:40
Breakdown cover - nellyjak

I've had breakdown cover for 50 years...NEVER had to call ANY of them, so I cannnot comment on anyone's service etc.....I just operate under the Murphy's law principle...if I didn't have it...I know damn well I'd need it.!

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 10:56
Breakdown cover - KB.

Nellyjack sai:-

"AutoAid covers YOU surely...not any specific car..you are covered whatever car you might be driving. My wife and me are covered for £59.99"

You said "surely it coversYOU - but then said your wife and yourself were coverered for £59.99.

Well, as a policyholder, then you will know it does cover ME and it does cover my "legal spouse" therefore my wife is named on the document (as is yours, I imagine).

And, yes, as per the documentation, it covers the driver in any vehicle they are legally driving.

All of which was intended in my earlier post, but I guess I should have spelled it out more comprehensively.

And, regarding the observation that people are commenting on various service providers but without having used their services in the event of a breakdown - I can confirm I've used it three times in 36 years and the service was fine. But, admiitedly, three times in 36 years probably doesn't win any prizes and the last time I used them was quite a long time ago.

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Fri 30 Oct 2020 14:37
Breakdown cover - nellyjak

Nellyjack sai:-

"AutoAid covers YOU surely...not any specific car..you are covered whatever car you might be driving. My wife and me are covered for £59.99"

You said "surely it coversYOU - but then said your wife and yourself were coverered for £59.99.

Well, as a policyholder, then you will know it does cover ME and it does cover my "legal spouse" therefore my wife is named on the document (as is yours, I imagine).

And, yes, as per the documentation, it covers the driver in any vehicle they are legally driving.

I'm sure you knew what I meant..was merely underlining that it isn't simply a specific vehicle that's covered.

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Sat 31 Oct 2020 11:58
Breakdown cover - Bromptonaut

Well, as a policyholder, then you will know it does cover ME and it does cover my "legal spouse" therefore my wife is named on the document (as is yours, I imagine).

There's a trap there for the unwary. A spouse is a wife/husband or Civil Partner. The term does not include a partner or what is colloquially called a Common Law Wife/Husband.

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Sat 31 Oct 2020 18:01
Breakdown cover - dan86

Well, as a policyholder, then you will know it does cover ME and it does cover my "legal spouse" therefore my wife is named on the document (as is yours, I imagine).

There's a trap there for the unwary. A spouse is a wife/husband or Civil Partner. The term does not include a partner or what is colloquially called a Common Law Wife/Husband.

Auto aid updated their policy to reflect the 21st century and allows partner not just spouse.

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 10:45
Breakdown cover - mcb100
I’ll go back to a point I made the last time this came up - there must be a correlation between the amount a customer pays for breakdown cover and the amount a garage receives for turning out.
If I’m garage A, and get two calls for flat batteries, both equidistant, but one pays me x pounds and the other pays x+10 pounds, guess which one I’m going to do first.
Only the liveried companies (AA & RAC) have it in their best interest to get you up and running again, rather than be paid for a lengthy recovery because they don’t have the kit/spares/knowledge to effect a repair.
I’ll admit a bias in that in a previous life I dispatched AA patrols and garages to breakdowns.

Edited by mcb100 on 28/10/2020 at 10:46

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 11:07
Breakdown cover - ralph278
Whenever this topic comes up it always amuses me to see replies stating that Company X are great value at £4 per year, but they’ve never actually had to call them to verify the quality of work.

Rescuemycar have charged me little. And they organised good service when I had a problem - thanks people

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 11:22
Breakdown cover - Steveieb

Feel sorry for all the AA engineers who were sacked when the company was sold and apparently the slaughter is still continuing .
I too am with Auto aid as they cover any car you are driving but Start told me they will attempt to allow your dog to travel with you which is an important consideration having being abandoned by Brittania with my dog at Donnington services.

But Start even provided a private taxi for a friends mother who was travelling with her daughter as she couldn’t climb into the recovery truck cab.

Has anyone else been refused taking a dog in the cab ?

And another case , the AA took 14 hours to recover a car from Dover to Northampton with three truck changeovers because of the relay system as their vehicles are not fitted with tachos.

So Auto Aid have it IMHO

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Wed 28 Oct 2020 11:38
Breakdown cover - KB.

I see that "ralph278" has contributed to the topic, I wonder if he would like to add a little more detail of his experiences with the organization he mentions?

He has simply said:- Rescuemycar have charged me little. And they organised good service when I had a problem - thanks people

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Fri 30 Oct 2020 07:31
Breakdown cover - daveyK_UK
With LV Britannia rescue , used once and the service was good.

As others have experienced, they sell on the work to the local garage call out
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Fri 30 Oct 2020 08:05
Breakdown cover - Falkirk Bairn

The AA hikes in their annual charges is not really related to recovering cars but to their financial history over the past decades.

Originally an association with members. This became a company and through various ownerships became private & owned by Vulture Capitalists who raided the piggy bank and borrowed megabucks against this Breakdown/Insurance Broker etc etc.

The VC then floated the company about 5 years ago - trouble is fixing cars and a very competitive on-line Insurance comparison market meant that they are struggling to keep afloat with £2,700,000,000 (£2.7Bn) debt.

Whether they are here in 2021 is a question. Shares floated at £3.00, now 20p ish ... says a lot.

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Fri 30 Oct 2020 09:10
Breakdown cover - Steveieb

The major question I would be concerned about if I was a dog owner is the companies policy about carrying pets in the recovery truck otherwise you may be left stranded with your pooch at the roadside as your car is carried away !

And only Start were sympathetic to this situation when I rang around.

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Fri 30 Oct 2020 10:36
Breakdown cover - catsdad

My VW breakdown cover ran out last week. So we added me to my wife’s personal cover (I.e.in any car we happen to be in, in UK) with LV/Britannia for £13 up until her full year renewal in March. Covers either of us inc recovery. They’ve come top in a recent Auto Express survey if you believe these sort of articles.

I think it works out about £90 pa to cover both of us in a full year. This might be a special rate as Boundless/civil servant members. I can’t actually check this amount as their website is coy on prices.

On the other hand there are a lot of instant cover deals from all the big names where you could just risk it and bite the bullet with paying a call out charge and joining at the roadside. I just don’t fancy breaking down when they are running at full stretch and prioritising members.

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Sat 31 Oct 2020 16:47
Breakdown cover - Andrew-T

The major question I would be concerned about if I was a dog owner is the companies policy about carrying pets in the recovery truck otherwise you may be left stranded with your pooch at the roadside as your car is carried away !.

I'd be interested to know the reasons for the exclusion of pets. Allergic reaction by the rescue driver may be one, but perhaps the risk of a nasty dog getting loose and causing havoc is another. I don't think these vehicles contain pet cages or the like ?

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Sat 31 Oct 2020 10:36
Breakdown cover - ralph278

Certainly

May 2020 renewal

Vehicle based membership

National recovery with at Home Assistance

No excess

£26.50

A couple of years ago my previous car broke down

They sent a local recovery truck promptly and took it where I wanted it to go (so I did have a claims record)

***************

I see that "ralph278" has contributed to the topic, I wonder if he would like to add a little more detail of his experiences with the organization he mentions?

He has simply said:- Rescuemycar have charged me little. And they organised good service when I had a problem - thanks people

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Sat 31 Oct 2020 11:12
Breakdown cover - KB.

^^ Ta.

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Sat 31 Oct 2020 14:09
Breakdown cover - Bromptonaut

Has anyone else been refused taking a dog in the cab ?

We're not dog owners and not dog people either. I can see both sides. My daughter's dog is a properly house trained well behaved Show Cocker used to being in vehicles. He can be Barky McBark Face when he wants. Something bigger and less well socialised might raise legitimate concerns.

There's also an issue with allergy. The driver might be allergic but it's not just him, the customer on the next job may be too. Is there time for a deep clean between jobs?

And Islam has some words about dogs that may make its followers reluctant to get close to canines.

And another case , the AA took 14 hours to recover a car from Dover to Northampton with three truck changeovers because of the relay system as their vehicles are not fitted with tachos.

How does the absence of a tacho affect that? Unlike a lot of other operators the AA have long used a swap model, hence the name 'Relay'.

Last time we needed a flatbed home were 'pole towed' from the breakdown location to the contactor's depot. We had to wait a a couple of hours there as there were no drivers with sufficient hours to get us home.

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Sat 31 Oct 2020 15:55
Breakdown cover - Steveieb

Most companies deny access for pets from their recovery trucks which caused me major problems as I was left stranded by LV.

My dog is a non hyoerallergenic cocker poo but it made no difference.

The car that took 14 hours had a steering pump failure on A new Focus on the ferry ramp . So resigned to cancelling their holiday they called the AA who after some delay arranged a relay to Dartford where there was a two hour wait to find another relay to Toddington, then a further three hour wait to find a driver with enough hours to take the car to Rushden. 14hours in total on top of an early start to reach the ferry.

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Sat 31 Oct 2020 16:05
Breakdown cover - RT

The Relay system is abhorrent if you need to be recovered a long way, much better in one go. Another thing to watch is that some services will only authorise flatbed recovery when a patrol has checked the car, so two lots of wait periods which is frustrating with an automatic 4wd vehicle which cannot be towed or dollied. When I've needed them, Green Flag have authorised a flatbed directly from my description of the problem.

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Fri 13 Nov 2020 16:37
Breakdown cover - aethelwulf

If anyone still interested. I use the Nationwide service through their current flex account. Had cause to need it a month ago. Rang the number on my card got through to a person in Yorkshire, I am near Leicester. As I was on the A46 by pass it is noisy even though I had got to a lay by. and am pretty deaf so rang my wife and had her deal with the call center. She raises her voice sufficiently for me. Britannia rescue were behind this service and put the job with Unity a large Leicester recovery company who were excellent but Covid got in the way and I had to sit in my car on the truck! Took me to a local service station where my wife met me in the other car. They could not take me home due to Covid 19! Yes really. But he brought the car home and by a wonderful piece of reversing got my Mondeo estate car in to my car port off his flat bed. So Nationwide did work . First time I need it ( hope the last) but I did use Green Lag before and they were excellent the very few time that I used them So beware of Covid 19 if you breakdown. Still you do get to be wound up onto a flat bed for the experience. Sorry a bit long. I could tell you what was wrong....

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Fri 13 Nov 2020 17:12
Breakdown cover - DavidGlos
Green Lag

...like that! Are they very tardy?
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Fri 13 Nov 2020 19:35
Breakdown cover - _

Green Lag

Eco prisoners? or your get out of jail card?

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Mon 30 Nov 2020 12:18
Breakdown cover - Doc

I've gone with Start Rescue £28

www.startrescue.co.uk/

Edited by Doc on 30/11/2020 at 12:19

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