What breakdown cover would you recommend?

puddy

Its time to renew our breakdown cover.

We used cashback for the first time last year and went with the AA as 'new' customers. I cant remember what we paid but we want joint cover (either person or car depending whats cheaper), home start, roadside and the one where they take you home if they cant fix it. We're not bothered about hire cars and hotel expenses or european breakdown.

Renewal quote is for £287,,, haha

So, I have found that if we do the RAC as 'personal' cover for joint, its £108, I dont think theres any cash back as it includes an exemption for 'free recovery' which is automatic it seems.

However, I then found that kwik fit was cheaper (cheaper for car rather than the person) , but dont know of their reputation as a breakdown provider.

Ive also heard of green flag, dont know if they would be cheaper but what is their reputation like?

Who do you use and what do you recommend?

MX5huggy

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/roadside-recovery

Has it covered, Auto aid for me, excellent service.

vax2002

The AA is cheaper to allow it to expire and re-join as a new member via the web, Loyalty costs these days.

Many of these cheap breakdown cover policies are full of exclusions such as having a full main dealer service record, the car must not have broken down with a similar problem before, they often send a spotty kid with a tow truck tow you to a garage and hang you over a barrel.
The AA + RAC may be expensive, but they send a damned good mechanic who will spend an hour and try to fix the car, I have even had the AA go and get the part and fit it at the roadside, that's worth paying a bit extra for.

Dontknowanymore

vax2002 wrote: »

The AA is cheaper to allow it to expire and re-join as a new member via the web, Loyalty costs these days.

Many of these cheap breakdown cover policies are full of exclusions such as having a full main dealer service record, the car must not have broken down with a similar problem before, they often send a spotty kid with a tow truck tow you to a garage and hang you over a barrel.
The AA + RAC may be expensive, but they send a damned good mechanic who will spend an hour and try to fix the car, I have even had the AA go and get the part and fit it at the roadside, that's worth paying a bit extra for.

I'm with the RAC but am considering going back to the AA.
I have had the AA out loads of times over the years and some of the blokes have been right diamonds, doing all they can to help you get back on the road etc.

Called the RAC out yesterday, the bloke was there for 20 mins, told me he'd sorted it and I would be ok to drive myself to my mechanic, got onto the A27 and the limp mode kicked back in again!
Managed to sort it out in the end luckily, although it cost me £80

Also they said that even though I have their homestart cover, they will only to me up to 10 miles to the nearst garage, yet if I had of broken down 1/4 mile from my home they would take me anywhere in the country?! I don't know if the AA operate like that.

The RAC is a couple of quid cheaper a month but I fel their service if far superior.
BUT for me, their brakedown repair cover is rubbish, it was good for when my battery needed replacing as I only had to py £25, but when my cam belt went they would not pay out my mechanic as he is not VAT registered. I don't see what difference it makes, he done the job and done it a hell of a lot cheaper than a garage would of!

poppasmurf_bewdley

I'm with Green Flag via the Caravan Club, and for two vehicles I pay about £80 per year. This not only covers full recovery, but also a holiday recovery (if I break down on my way to a pre-booked holiday, they will take the car and caravan to the holiday, and then at the end of the holiday take the car and caravan back home). In the last four years I've had to call them out twice and both times have been with me in less than an hour.

At the prices given above, it may be cheaper for you to join the Caravan Club and use their breakdown service.

Yorkie1

I have Britannia Rescue and they're great. It's cheaper if you have a civil service background or relatives etc.

benjus

I'm with Britannia Rescue via QuoteLine Direct - went for them as they offer comprehensive cover (
including Europe for £59 and cover older cars. I called them out when my old car died - the guy had a pretty good go at getting it started, but as it turned out the ECU had melted there wasn't much he could have done. No complaints from me...

Rolandtheroadie

Recently signed up with the RAC (cost around £40-£50 after cashback) and after weighing it all up, went for personal cover.

Good job, bike broke down the other day and was recovered home.

If the wife breaks down, I'll go to the car and call and get it recovered home.

Didnt bother with homestart though.

bizzybee

MX5huggy wrote: »

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/roadside-recovery

Has it covered, Auto aid for me, excellent service.

I'll second that. My renewal documents arrived today. Excellent service.

1jim

autoaid for me too

shortdog

I'm with the AA - my renewal cost was quite expensive, but I went onto their website and got a quote, then rung them with tghe price that came up online, and they were happy to renew for that price (I pay £11 odd a month, for joint cover for me and OH, home start, roadside and relay).
I had looked into others, but found that some wanted you to pay for your breakdown/tow etc upfront, then they would reimburse the money, some had an excess on every call-out, and a couple I just wasn't sure of.
Then, when driving to Devon on holiday, my car broke down at 7.00am on the M6, I had both kids (age 8 and 5) with me, I called the AA out, they arrived super quick, towed us to the next services, decided from there the car was unrepairable, I decided that we would carry on on holiday, so the AA took us nearly 300 miles with no hassle, and deposited us on my friends doorstep.
After the servcie we had then (when they didn't even complain about my son throwing up in the back of the van, and then commented on how polite and friendly my kids were) I wouldn't even contemplate changing - I couldn't have asked for better servcie.