Roadside Recovery: AutoAid Feedback

GTG

My experience with breaking down (not when I've been covered with Autoaid) the recovery man has always filled out a form in triplicate with name adresss vehicle reg. etc. One copy has been given to me and I presume one is for his office and the other for another rescue service like the AA if they are subcontracting. It's imperitive to establish at the outset whether the recovery man is reciept friendly (see below). If you can't get a proper written receipt on the companys' stationery I'd ask the recovery man to endorse the afor mentioned form with "Received X pounds in cash/cheque credit card" and get him to sign and date it" Also stress that you want an invoice through the post and make sure your name and address is legible on the form.

In the absent of any paperwork demand that you want to speak to his boss make out your own receipt and get him to sign it and be sure to take a note of the operators name the company's name address and telephone number as well as the recovery trucks reg. number and stress you want and invoice through the post. If he is still reticent to give you a receipt give him a good kick in the test____s, oops ignore that. If all else fails get in touch with autoaid they maybe be able to help. The last resort is to tell them to go and you'll get someone else assuming you've informed them that it is imperitive that you are issued with a receipt BEFORE he's secured your vehicle to the flatbed of his truck etc.

I doubt whether you would have this much trouble though.

Indi

Having called them a couple of times on simple breakdown problems ..found them to arrive promptly..solve problem.... paid cash ...and refund was within 14 days..good value all round.

Keanu

Does 'Legal Spouse or civil partner' include your fiancee?

Optimist

Keanu wrote: »

Does 'Legal Spouse or civil partner' include your fiancee?

Highly doubtful as your finance is neither a legal spouse or a civil partner. Phone and ask

Bisoy

Having had such good reviews and publicity in here joined auto aid last year and never thought that would make a claim as our car is just nearly 4 years old and never had problems on the road. Anyway 2 weeks ago on a Sunday the engine diagnostics warning light comes on even with the engine running and I can hear a different sound intermittently and the engine is also shaking.

I was in panic as my young family is with me and the car dealer/garage where I got the car is not open on Sunday so rang Auto aid and call out time was 60 minutes that day and recovery truck came exactly 1 hr and was told need to towed to the garage or home which we decide the latter. Paid the bloke with credit card and sent the claim form and receipts the following day and cheque arrived within 14 days.

Overall one happy customer and would definitely renew our policy which is due next month.

Hicola

Bushboy wrote: »

Have been reading all these reviews and will probably go with Autoaid myself.( Been driving 6 months without cover, very silly )

I'm just worried in the case of having to call them out if the recovery driver/repair man won't provide a receipt as mentioned earlier.

Don't want to get into an argument by the roadside with my car at his mercy especially if it needs some overnight work!

Can anyone allay my fears?

Cheers

Hi Bushboy, my recent experience with Autoaid is not good - I've just updated my post of a few months ago as I'm currently out of pocket due to the overcharging of a recovery firm they sent to me. The garage took ages to get the receipt to us and were very rude to my wife and I when calling up on seperate occassions to request the receipt. Autoaid don't seem to want to act even though there has been some poor practice here. I'm disappointed especially as I got their details from here.

thespacecowboy

I'm with them already and thankfully have not yet had to claim.

I can understand some of the frustrations here, but if the garage itself won't sent a receipt it's hardly Autoaids fault. They are not actually subcontracting the work here.

sarahb

My Autoaid cover expired in May and I neglected to renew it in spite of several reminders. Of course I then broke down shortly afterwards and had to fork out nearly £50 for recovery.

After giving myself a good kicking I sent the renewal documents off and when I hadn't received anything back after a couple of weeks gave them a call to check I was covered. A nice lady informed me they had backdated my cover to the expiry of the old one (I forget what the grace period was but I'm guessing 2 weeks minimum) and I was entitled to claim for my recovery.

Cheque was received one week after I submitted my claim.:T

benstone

I'm trying to make my mind up. Yesterday I called the AA, who I have been with for donkeys years and told them I was leaving, and not to charge my card any longer. They asked why I was leaving. Too expensive, I said, and told them I was considering AutoAid. The guy tried to dissuade me, saying there's a limit to claim back (£65?) and that call out charge (approx £39 plus vat plus miles travelled to get to me) and labour (£30 an hour) would make it eventually uneconomical for me. He said if I paid £200 for a job, I'd get only £65 back. Is this correct? And if so, does that make it worth my while?

Ickle_Steve

No, they are wrong. The £65 maximum applies to the home start part of the service only. I signed up a couple of weeks ago.