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I have just got new insurance that does not include breakdown cover and as I have never had to call any of them out wondered which are actually the best. I dont mind paying for piece of mind but dont want to get taken for a ride. Thanks
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Andrew,
I've used, that is paid for and called out, Green Flag and found them ok. The van that came was big, yellow and had "AA" on the side of it. It seems to be all contracted out to local garages.
John
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Try AutoAid IMHO the best value breakdown insurance out there.
If you breakdown you call the emergency number and AutoAid send out breakdown truck. You pay breakdown truck by credit card and then claim back the cost from AutoAid it costs around £27 per year for full cover and they pay out in 7 days.
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Yep, AutoAid would appear to have comprehensive cover at a good price. They do not have a web site but full info can be found here tinyurl.com/3m67k
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A couple of years ago Which magazine did a large survey and the AA came out head and shoulders above the rest, however a couple of months ago they did another survey and the AA, RAC and Britannia rescue all came out as best buys with Green Flag/Direct line following behind.
If I were you I would go with either the AA, RAC or Britannia dependent upon which cover suits you best and which is the cheapest...
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I heard that the AA have a maximum towing distance policy, which is pathetically short. Is this true?
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I heard that the AA have a maximum towing distance policy, which is pathetically short. Is this true?
In short NO.
There basic breakdown cover (option 100) is about £43?, for that they will tow you to the nearest garage.
Then theres the relay cover (option 200) about £84? they will tow you to ANY UK destination.
Then theres Homestart and europe above that, then your at about £130 upwards.
With AA you usually get free joint cover for somebody else.
I've used all 3 RAC, AA and Green Flag, and to be fair AA do seem the better of bunch but slightly more expensive.
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Second the reccomendation for Direct Line/Green Flag, been with them since NBRC days in 1982. Called out 9/10 times, mostly the inside 40mins though some of the call centre staff are a bit geographically challenged. Techies excellent, usually the local contractors Freeways or Westbridge but equally good experience in April when car threw its cambelt in Bakewell.
Will take bust car to your home outside garage hours and then return next working day to tow in to repairer - lot of companies regard their obligation as fulfilled once the car's on your drive.
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I have found GEM Motoring Assist to be very good on their pay and claim system.
www.motoringassist.com/breakdown-cover/index.shtml
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Agree on AutoAid, excellent service, excellent price. I've a feeling that GEM's service is AutoAid with their badge on it.
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Gem was OK but their renewal was over the top. They wouldn't accept a new subscription either, so I moved to Autoaid last year - better service anyway from what I've seen.
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Gem was OK but their renewal was over the top. They wouldn't accept a new subscription either, so I moved to Autoaid last year - better service anyway from what I've seen.
I had the same, renewal at GEM was about double the amount when I had joined a year earlier. After years of paying for breakdown cover with RAC/AA/GEM and never calling on it, i've decided not to have any and pay the cost if a breakdown happens.
For some, breakdown cover is a real bargain. Those that breakdown several times a year and use it instead of having a well looked after and reliable car (I know many). But for those that have a well maintained, modern car that may only call on a service every 10 years or so there seems little point in paying the fees.
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I can endorse Autoaid. I've been with them for years, used them twice and each time the service was quick and they paid up within a few days. A bargain.
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"They do not have a web site "
"AutoAid doesn't do any active marketing, so it has no brochures."
How does one find what is covered and the terms and conditions?
What is the address and contact details of the Company?
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Info for Doc...
AutoAid are part of Boncaster Limited, Library House, New Road, Brentwood CM14 4GD 01277 235500. I've always assumed the reason why they don't promote the service more widely is that they supply the base service for other providers and they don't want to brass them off too much.
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I use the RAC with a joint policy for SWMBO, comes out at about £130 per year, but is one down from their top level cover. Had to use them 3 times last year in all, they were with me in under 45min on 2 of the call outs, and were with my other half in under 30min when she broke down on the Motorway with our daughter. So all in all a good service from my point of view. I am sure the others are much the same though!.
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Well I have roadside assistance, recovery and european cover from MoreThan, and it comes in at the princely sum of £5.01 per month.
Considering it includes some things specifically excluded by other services (changing tyres, loss of keys or accidentally locking them in car !), 'Extras' such as car hire, emergency accomodation or rail ticket to recover your repaired car and message forwarding, I think its a bargain.
I take Carl_a's point about breakdown cover is no substitute for scheduled maintainance, but the only time I've ever had to use the cover was when the car broke down on the way home after a service.
It is all very well saying it won't happen to me, and I'll call a garage out if it does, but how do you go about finding a garage that will do recovery when you break down miles from anywhere in the middle of the night - knock on doors? wander around aimlessly hoping for a phone box that might have a yellow pages ?
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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I take Carl_a's point about breakdown cover is no substitute for scheduled maintainance, but the only time I've ever had to use the cover was when the car broke down on the way home after a service. It is all very well saying it won't happen to me, and I'll call a garage out if it does, but how do you go about finding a garage that will do recovery when you break down miles from anywhere in the middle of the night - knock on doors? wander around aimlessly hoping for a phone box that might have a yellow pages ?
Well if you live local move your car to a safe spot and get a taxi home and sort it out when the garages are open. If you live far away, park the car and get a taxi to a hotel. If you break down on a motorway or are obstructing the road give the police a call and they will call for a tow truck.
I think the RAC and AA etc are there to perform a serivce, something they do fine and for a lot of people its great. But i've not used it so i'm not paying for it any longer, when I do breakdown I will be able to stay in some fine hotels with the money i've saved.
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Another aspect to consider is if you are involved in a collision will your vehicle be recovered under a breakdown policy. I have come across AA customers who in their moment of need have had to arrange and finance seperate recovery.
Fullchat
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I think all the breakdown services will try to recover charges in the event of recovery after an accident. The big three certainly said this when I asked. They said you should recover the costs from your insurer.
I'm happy to pay AutoAid - Car and two motorbikes, the latter can be incapacitated by a simple puncture and the thought of leaving an expensive bike at the side of the road whilst trying to arrange recovery is daft - it wouldn't be there to collect.
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My experince is between the AA and the RAC.
After 4 breakdowns with the RAC and never even seing an RAC patrol merly a contracted recovery firm i changed to the AA.
Since switching to the AA ( 7 breakdowns later) i have had briliant service truly trying to fix at the road side even though very dificult and towing me back home to unload a van full of chemicals and valuble powertools then towing me to my preferd garage a 200 mile trip in total.
I have the homestart,relay, option and in my opinion this is money well spent. The AA patrolmen and call centre staff seem to genuinly enjoy what they do and this makes a hudge differance.
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Must say I've never had any problem with the AA. Even their sub contractor that came to me once was very polite and helpful. the AA Even sent me a questionnaire after to find what they were like. Yes I will agree slightly more expensive than the others, but I guess you only get what you pay for.
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My family have been with the AA for years, principally because they used to supply a breakdown service covering trailers with horses. However we will change in 2006 as my daughter was refused assistance last year under a little known AA rule that restricts assistance to 3 calls per person in a year; this may just be for home starts but it caught us out at a very inconvenient time
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I'm not one for what i call silly insurances,GAP,PPI etc,and my trade insurance is RTA only but i have paid the AA or RAC for many years and i think it is good value,one recovery from a motorway will soon eat up any savings and i always like the fact that if wifey has a prob and i am not available the recovery service will be there.
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under a little known AA rule that restrictsassistance to 3 calls per person in a year; this may just be for home starts but it caught us out at a very inconvenient time
I think this is probably just home starts but also may be if the reason is the same or similar everytime. As far as i know they recommend you to have anything they do a temporary repair on fixed by a garage asap. What was wrong with the car to warrant 3 home starts in a year????
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Temporarily not a student, where did the time go???
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