Breakdown Cover Discussion

jyotiagrawal

check your travel insurance, most policies specifically exclude motorcycling on a machine over 50cc. You can get hazardous activities cover at other sites also. I use them for every trip. Never had to use it, but well worth the peace of mind.

Bigsmak

I know this is a money saying forum.. But sometimes you shouldn't always take the cheapest breakdown cover available.

i.e - if you have the cheapest breakdown cover you wont be guaranteed to be taken home. If getting home (especially in this weather) is important (it is to me) then you will need to take a more expensive rate of cover.

the AA has

Roadside - which will try to fix your car at the side of the road, if they can't they will take you to the closest garage, If it is midnight, you still will get taken to a local garage. Not home. They will not come to you if you are within a quarter mile of your home. (i.e. outside) you will need homestart for this.

Roadside Relay - Which includes the above but you get the choice of where you want to go to. i,.e home or a garage of your choice.

Home start (which you can include with roadside (or the relay option_ ) and will get them to come to your home. mostly flat batterys are the cause of using this.

the RAC has the same but they are called called - Roadside assist, recovery and at home.

Both of these companies will try to send out their own guys who are all fully qualified mechanics, who get bonuses based on how many breakdowns they fix at the side of the road - its in their interests to repair it. Also - you will get unlimited labour at the side of the road - if it takes 3 hours to fix, they will do it.

Green-flag send out local garages, I believe have a time limit to how long they will give you free labour and based on this system it is more profitable for their drivers to get you to their own garage to repair your car. You pay for this.

Personally I would stick with the AA or RAC (probably the AA as they have the most vans on the road) - and I pay extra for the recovery option. (i don't take the home start as we are a two car household and have jump leads)

Also - be aware that breakdown cover is for breakdowns - not accidents / crashes.

sharnad

Bigsmak wrote: »

I know this is a money saying forum.. But sometimes you shouldn't always take the cheapest breakdown cover available.

i.e - if you have the cheapest breakdown cover you wont be guaranteed to be taken home. If getting home (especially in this weather) is important (it is to me) then you will need to take a more expensive rate of cover.

the AA has

Roadside - which will try to fix your car at the side of the road, if they can't they will take you to the closest garage, If it is midnight, you still will get taken to a local garage. Not home. They will not come to you if you are within a quarter mile of your home. (i.e. outside) you will need homestart for this.

Roadside Relay - Which includes the above but you get the choice of where you want to go to. i,.e home or a garage of your choice.

Home start (which you can include with roadside (or the relay option_ ) and will get them to come to your home. mostly flat batterys are the cause of using this.

the RAC has the same but they are called called - Roadside assist, recovery and at home.

Both of these companies will try to send out their own guys who are all fully qualified mechanics, who get bonuses based on how many breakdowns they fix at the side of the road - its in their interests to repair it. Also - you will get unlimited labour at the side of the road - if it takes 3 hours to fix, they will do it.

Green-flag send out local garages, I believe have a time limit to how long they will give you free labour and based on this system it is more profitable for their drivers to get you to their own garage to repair your car. You pay for this.

Personally I would stick with the AA or RAC (probably the AA as they have the most vans on the road) - and I pay extra for the recovery option. (i don't take the home start as we are a two car household and have jump leads)

Also - be aware that breakdown cover is for breakdowns - not accidents / crashes.

The RAC recovery package cost £129 and to add home assist it is an extra £86

Chorlie

Bigsmak wrote: »

Green-flag send out local garages, I believe have a time limit to how long they will give you free labour and based on this system it is more profitable for their drivers to get you to their own garage to repair your car. You pay for this.

Personally I would stick with the AA or RAC (probably the AA as they have the most vans on the road) - and I pay extra for the recovery option. (i don't take the home start as we are a two car household and have jump leads)

Also - be aware that breakdown cover is for breakdowns - not accidents / crashes.

Green Flag has different levels of cover including Home Start and taking you Home / Onwards Travel if you breakdown, its states on there web site there isn't a call out charge so I can't see the difference between them and the likes of AA / RAC.

trinidadone

Chorlie wrote: »

Greenflag

A couple of weeks ago I bought Greenflags Recovery Plus which is everything bar the European cover, it was £48.70

I bought via quidco and got £30 cashback, so I've paid £18.70 for full cover including Home Start etc.

It's now showing on Quidco has £40 cashback...

I just went in green flags website. My quote for recovery plus is £61.95 and offered £30.00 cashback from Quidco. Just have some questions, wonder if you or someone can help with:

1) I have registered a bank account with Quidco to get the cash back, do I have to use the same account to pay green flag, or can I use a bank account?

2) how long does the cash back take to be paid back?

3) I am currently with AutoAid Breakdown Recovery, which is £37.00, with the cash back Greenflag is £31.95, this sounds like a great deal, is it?

4) have you called out green flag in the past, and if so how are they?

hope someone can help with these, never used Green flag or Quidco before

Chorlie

1) I have registered a bank account with Quidco to get the cash back, do I have to use the same account to pay green flag, or can I use a bank account?

No you don't have to use the same A/c, just have to login to quidco and go to the sellers site via quidco.


2) how long does the cash back take to be paid back?

It can take several months, it should say on Quidco the average time for that seller (it's not quick)


3) I am currently with AutoAid Breakdown Recovery, which is £37.00, with the cash back Greenflag is £31.95, this sounds like a great deal, is it?

You'll have to compare the fine details of them both, also sometimes the Cash Back doesn't get paid, the general rule of thumb is find the cheapest then look if you can get cash back, some people factor in the cash back to fine the overall cheapest, I don't; it's your call which way you do it.


4) have you called out green flag in the past, and if so how are they?

I've never had to call them out so can't answer that.

Chorlie

trinidadone wrote: »

I just went in green flags website. My quote for recovery plus is £61.95 and offered £30.00 cashback from Quidco. Just have some questions, wonder if you or someone can help with:

3) I am currently with AutoAid Breakdown Recovery, which is £37.00, with the cash back Greenflag is £31.95, this sounds like a great deal, is it?

hope someone can help with these, never used Green flag or Quidco before

Another point to remember is there is a £5 yearly fee to use Quidco, so if you only plan to use Quidco to buy this your saving will only be 5p, so not worth it; but if you plan to use it.....

I've save £££'s of the last few years.

Bigsmak

Chorlie wrote: »

Green Flag has different levels of cover including Home Start and taking you Home / Onwards Travel if you breakdown, its states on there web site there isn't a call out charge so I can't see the difference between them and the likes of AA / RAC.

Because the AA/RAC give you unlimited free labour, e.g a fuel pump needs changed and it takes 2-3 hours.

Green flag give you 'up to one hour' free labour then you have to pay after that.

PsiDOC

Just had my renewal from the RAC through. Joint cover for the Missus and Myself U.K. Breakdown and Recovery only - I am handy with the spanners so just need to get it home if any of the cars die! £111.17 for the year.
The AA have quoted £102 for the same and I can get £50 back through top cashback as well. So will be calling them tomorrow to say no thanks!
I couldn't really find a joint cover - we're not married yet - that has the flexibility of the personal cover regardless of age of the car for cheaper.
Psi

shepsv2

I previously used Boncaster to cover both my wife and I, this was around £37 when I last checked. This is an insurance policy where you reclaim costs paid - never had any problems.

Since switched to using a bank account with breakdown cover included - costs £12 a month. This does include mobile phone insurance and worldwide travel insurance so a bargain for my purposes.