Roadside Recovery: AutoAid Feedback

bashful

After receiving my AA renewal quote for £127.50 I had a look around the Interweb and found folk on here recommending AutoAid. The annual premium was £36 and so I reckoned it was worth taking a chance for that saving. Policy started 1 September 2008.

My first call out was for a dud battery on 3 Feb. AutoAid used a well known local outfit who arrived ahead of estimated time and I was soon on my way again. Cost £44.85

It wasn't long before I needed AutoAid again unfortunately - 7 Feb. I stupidly put petrol in our diesel Bongo and needed to get it back home - over 100 miles away - coz I know how to sort that out myself. Again, the breakdown firm arrived ahead of time although there was an issue with drivers and I had two separate breakdown trucks and drivers to get me home. Nevertheless it all happened and everyone was very courteous with offers of a hot drinks whilst we waited the changeover. Cost - £345.58

Paying by credit card over the phone was slightly worrying waiting for the "proper" receipts to arrive in the post - but they did!

I sent the claim forms (downloaded from AutoAid website) off on 9 Feb and was delighted to receive the cheques in this mornings post.

I guess that throughout this I spoke to the AutoAid helpline about 4 times and the helpline folk were always very helpful and courteous.
Credit where credit is due and I reckon I got good service so well done AutoAid :T

davidlizard

I am just about to find out how good Autoaid are. After 3 or so years of not needing them, we break down twice in three weeks!

We broke down a couple of weeks back. Phoned Autoaid, they sent someone out, who arrived within 40 minutes, listened to the engine (water pump on its way out) and put us on the back of his lorry. Invoice received in post and sent off. Awaiting reply (UPDATE: Cheque for full amount received from Autoaid 15 days after posting!).

We fixed the water pump and sold the car, and our new car decided to break down yesterday. Autoaid called, driver appeared within 30 minutes, spent 30 minutes trying to fix it, gave up, put us on the lorry and off we went (UPDATE: Cheque for full amount received from Autoaid 9 days after posting!).

So how quickly, if at all, the two claims get paid I do not know, but will post the outcomes (have done, see above, v. impressed). However, the "response time" appears good (better than the 5 and 3 hours waiting we had with another company a few years back).

Interestingly, the second driver said that they give priority to Autoaid calls as they know that cash will be paid pretty much upfront.

parsnips

so let me get this straight in my head.....

so i join autoaid, i call them IF i break down, they send someone out who fixes the problem, i pay, then i send in invoice to autoaid, they pay up.

Do they pay for parts and labour? i ask this because with the AA / RAC, they come and and fix the car but you have to pay for any parts they put on,

so do autoaid pay for everything ?

thanks

derrick

parsnips wrote: »

so let me get this straight in my head.....

so i join autoaid, i call them IF i break down, they send someone out who fixes the problem, i pay, then i send in invoice to autoaid, they pay up.

Do they pay for parts and labour? i ask this because with the AA / RAC, they come and and fix the car but you have to pay for any parts they put on,

so do autoaid pay for everything ?

thanks

You can call them to send someone out, or you can choose your own garage, then yes, you pay and send in the invoice.

AFAIK no breakdown company,(including Autoaid), pay for parts, so the answer to "so do autoaid pay for everything ?" is no, they just pay for the call out and the labour, depending what it was, i.e. they would not pay for a complete engine strip/replacement, just enough to get you going again.

Perky

MSE_Archna wrote: »

This thread is specifically to discuss feedback on AutoAid in the Roadside Recovery article. Previously there has been lots of good feedback in the general discussions.

Please report feedback on AutoAid

See general Roadside Recovery discussion

Or read Breakdown Cover: Get the cheapest roadside recovery policies

On Martin's advice I joined Autoaid last year. This year I had to use them. They were with me within the hour, attempted to fix the car for nearly an hour but had to relay me home (174 miles). The relay vehicle arrived within the hour and off we went. I had to pay over the phone to the Breakdown company, once they had told me how much it would be.Couldn't fault the service, however it took two weeks for the Breakdown company to mail my invoice to me, they said they sent it straight off after the job was complete. However I contacted Autoaid and they were fine with it, I submitted the claim minus the invoice, a few days later the invoice turned up, I again spoke with autoaid and they requested the invoice. Within two weeks I had the cheque. so I was quite Happy that it had all turned out well.

june.elizabeth

I have been with Autoaid for a year. I broke down outside a garage on a country road and the mechanic pushed my car into the garage and did the repair. (£245.00) Autoaid still paid me £60.00 as a sign of goodwill as I did not call out a recovery vehicle. Thats what I call service. I only made a tongue in cheek claim!

geordie458

geordie458 wrote: »

Im not sure if anyone has mentioned this before but Autoaid not only covers an individual plus spouse for the car they are driving, but also motorcylces too. So for £30 odd quid me and my wife are covered for whatever car we're driving and i'm covered when im on my motorbike too. I had a puncture on my bike last december and the recovery van turned up at exactly the time they said they wouild. I was then taken to a motorcyle dealer some 20 odd miles away. When we got my bike out of the van i signed the form the recovery fella gave me and as i got my credit card out he said no payment was necessary. I had to pay for a new tyre but i was on my way about 30 mins after reaching the bike shop. Last week i got my car out my garage, it had been sat there a fortnight without being used, to find both front suspension springs had fractured. I rang autoaid who had my car recovered to the local garaged i ask it to be taken to. The recovery firm sent me a receipt in the post which i have returned to Autoaid and im now waiting for a cheque from them. So so far ive had good service from Autooaid and would recommend them to anyone, as long as they dont mind paying up front of course.

I received a cheque from Autoaid just under a fortnight after sending the receipt off to them for the full cost of the tow, so im happy.

Alan_Cross

My wife and I have been with Auto Aid/Boncaster for three years and have used them just the once, when things went very smoothly and there was prompt settlement of the claim.

NB To judge by the renewal quote just received, they will settle to a maximum of £65 for repairs needed in respect of breakdown at home or within one mile thereof. They have obviously had a lot of claims of this kind coming in. I can think of an obvious ploy to counter that one and am now off to Freecycle to insert a 'Wanted: tow rope' ad...

derrick

Alan_Cross wrote: »

My wife and I have been with Auto Aid/Boncaster for three years and have used them just the once, when things went very smoothly and there was prompt settlement of the claim.

NB To judge by the renewal quote just received, they will settle to a maximum of £65 for repairs needed in respect of breakdown at home or within one mile thereof. They have obviously had a lot of claims of this kind coming in. I can think of an obvious ploy to counter that one and am now off to Freecycle to insert a 'Wanted: tow rope' ad...

They have had that clause in for a number of years, it was £45. when I joined 3 years ago.




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gabyjane

Hi can i just ask as getting fed up with all the searching what this actually includes as all i can get is the sign up bit and not sure exactly what i am signing up for.
From what i can work out i am going to pay a one off £37 and then IF i should breakdown i pay for the repairs accordingly? is that correct and how long does the £37 last for? whjat do they cover as going round in circles
Thanks