Breakdown/Recovery Insurance

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Fri 11 Sep 2020 08:53
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - thecloser

I know that the subject of breakdown recovery/insurance is a regular topic in the Back Room and I am approaching renewal time. Rather than just renew with my present insurer I decided to look for quotes and received one that covered my requirements at a very competitive rate from Emergency Assist Ltd, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. I am not familiar with the company and I wonder if any backroomers have had dealings with them. As we all know the value of insurance cover only becomes evident when a claim is made.

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 11:45
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - dan86

I've been with Autoaid for some time now and only had to use them once, they sent out a subcontractor who was with me within 20 minutes and had car at my trusted local garage within the hour of breaking down. The cover you and not the car and also cover your other half married or not. I would highly recommend them

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 12:35
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - mcb100

If you want a better chance of getting your car repaired at the roadside, join the AA/RAC. If you're happy to be recovered, join a garage based service.

In reality, the same garage agent will work for multiple breakdown companies - who they attend at the roadside, and in which order, is then up to them. If I was such a garage, I'd be attending a breakdown that is going to pay me the most and I'd suspect that that is reflected in the price of the membership.

An AA/RAC patrol is targeted to repair as many cars as possible at the side of the road, anything he or she puts up for recovery is, to some extent, a defeat, whereas a garage is paid per mile and thus in their interest to move the car (ideally back to their base for further work).

You pays your money, you takes your choice.

Edited by mcb100 on 11/09/2020 at 12:38

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 14:00
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - RT

If you want a better chance of getting your car repaired at the roadside, join the AA/RAC. If you're happy to be recovered, join a garage based service.

In reality, the same garage agent will work for multiple breakdown companies - who they attend at the roadside, and in which order, is then up to them. If I was such a garage, I'd be attending a breakdown that is going to pay me the most and I'd suspect that that is reflected in the price of the membership.

An AA/RAC patrol is targeted to repair as many cars as possible at the side of the road, anything he or she puts up for recovery is, to some extent, a defeat, whereas a garage is paid per mile and thus in their interest to move the car (ideally back to their base for further work).

You pays your money, you takes your choice.

But the chances of any breakdown being repairable by the roadside is very slim - last one I had like that was in the 1970s !

Over the last 30 years, the two breakdowns I've had have needed recovery to a franchised dealer for rectification.

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 14:13
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - mcb100

RAC say they fix 80% at the side of the road, within 30 minutes of arriving. Lots of belts, batteries and spares carried, along with up to date diagnostic kit. I can't see current AA figures, but when I used to dispatch AA patrols it was similar numbers.

Found the AA's figures, they're also saying 80%.

Edited by mcb100 on 11/09/2020 at 14:16

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 15:24
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - nellyjak

I'm with Auto-Aid too...never had to use them but it seems reasonable value to cover both me and the missus no matter what car we are in.

I've considered AA/RAC in the past but I figure they'd have little chance of fixing much on my V6 Estima import at the roadside.

I carry spare belts but getting to them is always a challenge given how "full" it is under the bonnet.

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 17:24
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Zippy123

I like the AA. I find their guys are good but sometimes they subcontract the recovery and the outfits they use come no where near the quality of their own mechanics.

I was in a 4x4 Mokka that broke down at services on the M40. The subcontracted repairer gave up after 10 minutes. The AA man came along to two but wasn't told by the subcontractor it was 4x4 so a tow wasn't possible.

AA man fixed it then followed me down the M40 and around from the M40 junction with the M25 and the A3 to make sure I was OK.

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 18:09
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - RT

I like the AA. I find their guys are good but sometimes they subcontract the recovery and the outfits they use come no where near the quality of their own mechanics.

I was in a 4x4 Mokka that broke down at services on the M40. The subcontracted repairer gave up after 10 minutes. The AA man came along to two but wasn't told by the subcontractor it was 4x4 so a tow wasn't possible.

AA man fixed it then followed me down the M40 and around from the M40 junction with the M25 and the A3 to make sure I was OK.

One of the problems with AA/RAC is that they insist on attending BEFORE authorising flatbed recovery for vehicles that can't be towed - on two occasions after accidents* and once with immobiliser activation I've had Green Flag send a flatbed directly after a phone call.

* most breakdown services won't recover after an accident but Green Flag affinity groups get that as an extra.

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Sun 13 Sep 2020 21:57
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Big John

* most breakdown services won't recover after an accident but Green Flag affinity groups get that as an extra.

The breakdown as part of Nationwide Flex plus it sort of does:-

"In the event of a road traffic accident you must contact your motor insurance company in the first instance to arrange recovery to ensure you receive your full entitlements. If assistance is not available for whatever reason, we will provide the services as shown under your cover entitlement."

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Mon 14 Sep 2020 06:09
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - RT

* most breakdown services won't recover after an accident but Green Flag affinity groups get that as an extra.

The breakdown as part of Nationwide Flex plus it sort of does:-

"In the event of a road traffic accident you must contact your motor insurance company in the first instance to arrange recovery to ensure you receive your full entitlements. If assistance is not available for whatever reason, we will provide the services as shown under your cover entitlement."

I have Green Flag through the Caravan Club Mayday scheme - this provides for double recovery, on different days if needed, one to recover the car back to the caravan site and the second with both car and caravan back home, if necessary with car to dealer/workshop - after an accident, the car's insurer will only recover the car leaving the caravan stranded, possibly a long way from home.

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 17:33
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Falkirk Bairn

AA/RAC fixing 80% at the roadside.

To get to 80% without too much bother with common & simple problems such as

Punctures, bulbs, fuses, flat batteries, run out of fuel, top up radiator,

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 21:19
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - thecloser

Many thanks for your help guys. I've got a month to decide. I'm currently with LV Recovery and only had to call them out once because of a flat battery. All your comments will be taken on board.

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Fri 11 Sep 2020 22:14
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Zippy123

Check there is no excess. SIL had a flat battery and got a £50 call out charge, even after paying for extra cover through her insurance.

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Sat 12 Sep 2020 07:17
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - tourantass

A cheaper option may be via your bank account we have the cars breakdown cover and mobile phones and travel insurance all covered for £13 a month with the Nationwide Flexplus account.

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Mon 14 Sep 2020 19:28
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - S40 Man

A cheaper option may be via your bank account we have the cars breakdown cover and mobile phones and travel insurance all covered for £13 a month with the Nationwide Flexplus account

We have this via Nationwide it also includes phone and travel insurance which I think it's a good deal.

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Sat 12 Sep 2020 14:04
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Heidfirst

Have you checked what your car manufacturer offers? My Toyota is covered via their scheme which consistently does very well in reviews/tests. It is currently handled by the AA & offers full At Home, recovery etc for £72 p.a. which, whilst not as cheap as AutoAid etc., seems very competitive for something with full European cover if you need it..

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Sat 12 Sep 2020 14:25
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Steveieb

Not sure if you are aware that the AA carry out a relay service to get you home. Friends had their steering pump fail which getting on the Eurostar.

The Aa authorised a recovery from Dover to Higham Ferrari’s, but it took 14 hours in total as each relay is limited to three hours.Something to do with the tachometer?. Or drivers hours.

But it envolved three stops and long delays waiting for the next recovery truck to collect them!

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Sat 12 Sep 2020 14:43
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Falkirk Bairn

A son had the Toyota scheme for his car - that was a few years back £60 and covered nearly everything which would be a fortune directly with the AA/RAC.

Be wary, the AA finances are precarious and need an injection of ££megabucks to keep going.

I buy Green Flag - top package (excluding European). Never claimed but they put the premium up from £56 last year to £72. Logged on to see what they charge new customers £58.xx! I phoned them and asked for the "new customer price" or I would cancel and have my wife take out the policy - I got it for £58.xx

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Sat 12 Sep 2020 16:17
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - concrete

In the past I had Green Flag through my insurer. Called them out once and they were very good and quick too. Since then the RAC which is included in my bank account with other things too. Called them out once when my son broke down and I was in the vehicle. Again, quick and good. Response usually is dependent upon your location. In or near a large urban area, fine. Out in the sticks a bit trickier for obvious reasons. I think you will simply have to do your homework on the internet. Good luck.

Cheers Concrete

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Sun 13 Sep 2020 21:49
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - thecloser

Once again many thanks to all of you. There certainly is a wealth of alternatives to consider and I've been tied up over the weekend but I'll address the subject this coming week. I was with the AA for many years before I discovered that they were just trying to extract as much as they could get away with. As a result I've pretty much discarded them as a possibility.

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Sun 13 Sep 2020 22:14
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Big John

I've had Autoaid in the past that gives good value joint breakdown cover. Lately I've had Nationwide Flex plus which is £13 month but gives joint European wide personal cover for mr + mrs BJ and covers a car each with other people driving it. Useful when my son was first driving - he tested it out as he had to return back to Uni Christmas eve to work a shift at the pub he was working at. He left the lights on and many hours later he rather discovered he needed Nationwide's services - on his way within 30 minutes.

In addition it gives travel insurance and family mobile phone insurance (again useful twice in the past when my son smashed the screen on his phone). The travel insurance has been well worth it for us as they have covered us even though there was "the big C" in the past.

If you travel to Europe OR need some of the other bits it's a bargain. A work colleague used the same type of account to great effect when his Landrover broke down in France. Surprisingly quick response.

It is also a mighty fine account - I use mine for holiday expenditure, to use the card abroad there are no fees and the exchange rate is the business rate of the day. In normal times when I can travel abroad this can save me rather a lot of money every year - this year er non.

Edited by Big John on 13/09/2020 at 23:29

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Tue 15 Sep 2020 16:01
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - BPL

I've had Autoaid in the past that gives good value joint breakdown cover. Lately I've had Nationwide Flex plus which is £13 month but gives joint European wide personal cover for mr + mrs BJ and covers a car each with other people driving it. Useful when my son was first driving - he tested it out as he had to return back to Uni Christmas eve to work a shift at the pub he was working at. He left the lights on and many hours later he rather discovered he needed Nationwide's services - on his way within 30 minutes.

In addition it gives travel insurance and family mobile phone insurance (again useful twice in the past when my son smashed the screen on his phone). The travel insurance has been well worth it for us as they have covered us even though there was "the big C" in the past.

If you travel to Europe OR need some of the other bits it's a bargain. A work colleague used the same type of account to great effect when his Landrover broke down in France. Surprisingly quick response.

It is also a mighty fine account - I use mine for holiday expenditure, to use the card abroad there are no fees and the exchange rate is the business rate of the day. In normal times when I can travel abroad this can save me rather a lot of money every year - this year er non.

I used Nationwide Flex - they said it was Green Flag which was actually subbed out to a local garage. It took an hour and they took the car to my local garage 5 miles away. I had to find my own way due to CV-19 shielding. They also paid out in full without quibble for my CV-19 cancelled ski trip

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Tue 15 Sep 2020 11:53
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Heidfirst

A son had the Toyota scheme for his car - that was a few years back £60 and covered nearly everything which would be a fortune directly with the AA/RAC.

Be wary, the AA finances are precarious and need an injection of ££megabucks to keep going.

As it's through Toyota I have no qualms - if the AA goes they will just shift the cover to somebody else (it used to be with the RAC several years ago).

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Tue 15 Sep 2020 14:43
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - alan1302

e wary, the AA finances are precarious and need an injection of ££megabucks to keep going.

They, like a lot of other companies, have a lot of debt - nothing to be concerned about though - even if they went out of business there would be a lot of interest in them from other companies.

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Mon 30 Nov 2020 11:49
Breakdown/Recovery Insurance - Steveieb

One thing that may have been overlooked is whether you are a dog owner.

If so worth checking whether the recovery will include the dog in the cab or in the car on the flat bed.

Got caught at Donnington Services like this with Brittania / Flex plus and had to wait for my daughter to collect me rather than have the dog travel in the car on a hot day in a car on her own with no air con!

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