AA Breakdown Recovery - Or not as the case may be...

Margot88

I had a car accident a couple of weeks ago - about 160 miles away from home.

Called the AA for recovery and although I'm a full member with home relay etc I was only offered to be taken to nearest approved garage, a destination within 10 miles of accident (on the M6) or Knutsford Service Station!!

I was told by the AA that because I had a car accident they wouldn't recover me to my home - they are a 'breakdown recovery' service and "not an accident recovery" service.

Has anyone had a similar experience - are there any breakdown services that recover the driver/passengers home after an accident?

pompeyrich

It does state that recovery, even a local recovery is excluded after an accident, here is the relevant section


No right to recovery following an accident

12. In the event that You require vehicle recovery following an accident, the AA can, if You require, provide this for You but will not be responsible for meeting the costs involved. If the AA does agree to provide recovery in these circumstances You will be responsible for, and required to pay, the AA's charges for this service (including, but not limited to, any charges relating to any specialist equipment used). In the event that, following an accident, You require one of the additional services available under Relay Plus (and You have the relevant cover), the AA can arrange this for You but will not be responsible for any costs involved. You will, therefore, be required to pay on request any applicable charges. In regard to all matters referred to in this clause, You must give the AA, on request, any relevant information it reasonably requests.

I am surprised by this, as when I joined they advertised to help following a breakdown, accident or act of vandalism. Obviously they have changed their t&cs since then but thanks for pointing it out.

MarkyMarkD

It's your motor insurer's responsibility to recover your vehicle after an accident, not your breakdown insurer's.

It doesn't make any difference who's responsible, as long as someone deals with your recovery!

Margot88

Both very useful and accurate comments, however...

The insurance provider I used was internet based and, try as I might for several hours from Friday night to Sunday night, although I was invited to "keep holding, your call is important" I simply couldn't get a response. Finally got an answer an 9.01am on Monday morning (I tried several different numbers and also had a friend searching the internet for me for recovery numbers erc).

I am also aware that Green Flag DO (apparently) recover the driver and their vehicle to home destination - again this might be within a specific mileage but useful to know.

Moral of the story - read every word of the agreement...

RainbowsInTheSpray

The AA are crap. Sorry this has little to do with the 'accident' question but I have to get this off my chest.

I also recently had a breakdown on the M25, 100 miles from home.

I made the mistake of using my mobile to ring them and to try to describe my location. I gave them a fairly clear idea of this and also gave them the number of the 'kilometre post' next to which I'd pulled in on the hard shoulder.

I was then in receipt of approximately 6 calls from a garage in Guildford who couldn't pinpoint where I was. (Clearly, they weren't interested in sending out their own patrol van to me but were subcontracting the job out).

Finally, my mobile battery gave out and I was forced to walk through the rain to the next roadside emergency phone. Thanks to the kind person at the other end, I discovered that the garage had given up on trying to find me and the AA had 'closed the case'. The kind person, it seems, read the riot act to the AA (I have full get-you-home membership) and they promised to send a van. In the meantime, the kind person arranged for a patrol from the Highways Agency to come and look after me... and THEY arrived within 20 mins.

Finally, after first calling them at 1805, an AA truck arrived at 2115, a wait of over 3 hrs. Apparently, the truck had been sent to somewhere near Portsmouth...

The Highways Agency officer told me that he considered the AA to be the worst recovery organisation by a long way.

Moral of the story:

DO NOT TOUCH THEM WITH A BARGE POLE

MarkyMarkD

Rainbows: Moral of the story, use the proper emergency phones on the hard shoulder, not your mobile.

Margot: Some recovery companies certainly will recover you in the case of an accident, but there's no good reason why they should do as it's your insurer's responsibility. I have had a car recovered over 150 miles following a write-off accident (not my fault, I would hasten to add) and my recovery company paid for the recovery. Some insurers ask their policyholders to try to get the vehicle recovered by the recovery operator, to save their money - this happened to me.

It is hopeless for an insurer to fail to answer their claims line 24/7; bear in mind that you could always have had the vehicle recovered, paid for it yourself, and then claimed it back from them if you are unable to contact them to organise this for you.

Margot88

Ah, yes but... by using my mobile phone I did at least get taken off the motorway. The recovery driver who collected me also collected a young couple who were not linked to any recovery service. They used the motorway phone and were charged (I think) £85 for the pleasure because they "requested" the collection. They were told if they just sat tight and waited for the police to pick them up on the cameras and arrange for recovery to take them off the motorway they wouldn't have to pay for it.

For me, this has just highlighted the need to double check all the possible variations of what is covered or is not covered.

If it helps people become more aware also then that's a bonus. In talking to lots of people since my accident, I am clear that the majority of people would expect their recovery service to be the first point of contact following an accident - especially if they are advertising themselves as "the fourth emergency service" which in itself implies support following an emergency which an accident is more likely to fall under than a breakdown where an exhaust falls off.

I've learned a fair bit from all this - no experience is ever wasted (doesn't mean I've got to be ever so happy about it though :-)

piggeh

I agree Margot - I didn't really think of this before. I checked this with the RAC on Friday before signing up with them, and they cover accidents.