breakdown service = crashing your car?

hothothot_3

If you crash your car into another car, or a wall or whatever.......is that covered by the breakdown recovery service (AA, RAC whatever) who will try to fix it, if not tow it back to your house or do you use police to move it away with their tow truck thing?

Nilrem

I doubt they will do much more than possibly recover the car to the nearest garage if that.

Breakdown cover is for if you suffer a mechanical breakdown, and possibly (depending on level of cover) transporting the car back to a garage or home.

Insurance is for when you get a little too close that tree that leapt out in front of you etc (and will normally cover the cost of getting an accident damaged car to the place of repair/scrappage).

The Police/Highways Agency/Fire Service may move the car out of the way (or for inspection depending on accident), but only far enough that it's no longer a danger/obstruction, and may well charge you (or your insurance) for it, depending on the exact circumstances.

hothothot_3

ive got all the cover........so if the car crashes, than that is a mechanical breakdown? and they would come and deliver it either back to my house or a garage? or does it happen a different way?

iamana1ias

When I crashed I was able to use my RAC membership to recover me home (150 miles). I do have the recovery option on my membership though. They dropped the car off at the repair centre of my choice and a friend came and picked me up. The RAC could get to me faster than my insurer's recovery company, and I permitted the RAC to claim back the cost of the recovery from my insurers, so it doesn't count as a strike on my breakdown cover.

marlot

Most of the breakdown companies exclude crashes, or want to reclaim it from your insurance.

Its a real problem for bikers - if you drop the bike you can break (say) the gear lever (but no other damage), so not be able to ride, but you'd never want to make an insurance claim for a £5 part.

djheath

I got stung by this too. All I say is read the small print. I was once on holiday in the darkest devon countryside. I popped out one night to the shops and hit an object on the road (turned out to be a large lump of metal that had fallen off a lorry). It ripped a massive hole in my sump. I called my breakdown people who said it was an accident and not a breakdown and I wasn't covered. Cost £300 to recover me back home. I could have gone through my insurance but my excess was £300 anyway, so wasn't worth the hassle or loss of no claims.

I know use Autoaid who do cover for mechanical and accident situations.

vikingaero

My dad has been involved in 2 accidents and both times we called the AA out. We were told beforehand that they would invoice us and we would need to submit the invoice to our insurers. No problem with that - the AA is for mechanical breakdowns but will generally get involved if you're a long standing member.

If you have an accident and a firm recovers your vehicle, who do you think pays? Your insurer. The only difference is that your insurer has an account to settle the transportation but sometimes it's easier to call out the AA/RAC etc as that's a number you have to hand.