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Breakdwon Cover - providers/experience?


marzman

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Having been a member of The AA for years, i've just had my annual renewal through and i'm fed up with their policy of ripping off loyal customers who renew. Every year they try to charge me over £200 for renewal of Roadside/Relay/Homestart which is just a rip off. Yes i always call up and get them to discount it (usually to around £125-140 i think), but it just annoys me that i have to do this.

 

On MoneySupermarket you can compare breakdown recovery providers and i can get a similar service for around £50-60 - my concern is i've never heard of the providers. Does anyone on here have any experience with anyone other than The AA?

 

E.g.

 

RescueMyCar.com

Breakdown Assist

StartRescue.co.uk

GEM Motoring Assist

QDOS

Green Flag (obviously i've heard of these... but these are up there with The AA prices).

 

Cheers.

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I get green flag for the Mrs £43 for personal insurance + free 2nd driver. Trick is to register the primary vehicle as a new car. She uses the old puggy for work but her main car is registered as a new golf r so it's cheap as chips. Last year it was £20 for personal breakdown cover but they changed there policy this year 😡

 

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

 

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I'm the same mate, I've been with AA since 1991. Every year it's a battle with them to keep the cost down.

They usually send through offers half way through the year to top up on extras to your cover then if you add the extra they automatically assume you still want it come renewal time and try to take even more cash.

My missus was with green flag until last year when I put her on my policy as it worked out cheaper for her to ditch them and help spread the cost with the AA.

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We've been with GEM for years. I think it's about £90 pa for the two of us and it covers the driver, rather than the vehicle. My wife sorts it every year, so I'm not up on the actual nuances of the policy cover, but it's rather like AutoAid whereby an independent recovery service is sent out and GEM pay the bill. It covers any vehicle, even if you're just unable to continue a journey due to illness, etc.

 

I've been fortunate enough not to have to use it for a long time but I've had no complaints when I've needed to in the past.

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Best bet is changing each year between two companies and taking advantage of new business offers. I work for one of the big names above and know exactly how it works. PM for details if interested.

 

This ^

 

I stay with the AA but always check out the new business offers elsewhere including the AA. This is then my benchmark for renewal. As a "loyal" long term customer I throw my toys out if they can't match a rivals offer. In general they give me the discount rather than lose the business. I have probably only called them out 5 times since I joined over 20 years ago so I buggered if I'm going to pay more each year. If they ever dig in I wouldn't hesitate in moving to someone else :)

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We use Britannia and have done for years, both of our cars are covered plus we have personal cover and my daughters car is registered on the account, gives us full at home, continental, and whilst we are in other cars, costs us just over £100 a year, which I think is good for peace of mind....

 

Daughter has used the service in the past, and as soon as they know elderly, disabled or children are present, they are there within 30 mins. Nice clean trucks as well, which is a bonus if you are unfortunate enough to have to be recovered...... My wife did..... Twice... Blowing her MR2 engine twice on the rollers..... she is now banned from power shoot outs :-)

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Don't know if you pay for your current account, but I'm with Barclays and they charge me £19.50 a month for a bunch of strap on benefits. Having worked in finance previously I was super skeptical, I know they make good margins on these. However, I went out looking for other providers for each individual product and I got some quick quotes and found I couldn't get them all for less.

 

Phone Insurance

Gadget Insurance (iPad) - £193 pa (combined quote including phone above)

Worldwide Family Travel Insurance - £45 pa

RA Comprehensive Breakdown (including Europe - £183 pa

 

I've had a replacement phone out of them and two visits from the RAC, no issues actually using any of the services. I should add, I don't have contents insurance, so none of these would be covered elsewhere.

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Ours will be coming around soon - we chose RAC last year with home start and paying monthly got them down to something like £150 a year covering both my wife and I in any car.

 

I did use the AA for a one week cover when I went to Scotland, having used both the RAC and the AA have to say the AA's mobile app is light years ahead of the RAC app which generally is nothing more than an information display of their website, the AA app allowed you to personalise it and request rescue all via the app without actually having to ring anyone.

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I used my tesco points to get RAC membership last year. Worked out at about 1/4 of the full price.

This is great and what my mother always does as she shops at Tescos the most. ;)

 

I'm with the RAC as well and have been for well over a decade now. Used them lots of times in the past and have always felt the price is fair.

 

Thread moved btw marzman.

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I use quidco and so not only get the new customers rates but also a decent chunk of cashback, usually around £30 for a joint policy.

 

I do exactly the same, it's around £50 cash back at the moment through quidco and I can really recommend the rac. I've had to use them on 3 occasions in the past and each time the guys have been petrolheads and really helpful.

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I'm with the RAC as well and have been for well over a decade now.

 

This is the first time ive ever got any breakdown cover. Always relied upon calling up a mate with a tow rope, or limping home. But figured with my 997 I should splash out, especially when it cost hardly anything via the tesco points.

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Has anyone experienced use of these companies when they are not already members? I know there is an emergency call out fee, but I wonder how long you would need to go between breakdowns before you are saving money by just relying on the emergency call out.

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I'm with the RAC as well and have been for well over a decade now.

 

This is the first time ive ever got any breakdown cover. Always relied upon calling up a mate with a tow rope, or limping home. But figured with my 997 I should splash out, especially when it cost hardly anything via the tesco points.

Definitely a worth while investment I'd say. ;)

 

For me personally I have found the RAC an invaluable thing to have especially when I used to own a my96 JDM Subaru Impreza WRX. That car spent more time on the back of an RAC flatbed recovery truck then it did on the road. :dry::lol:

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