Breakdown packages confusion/what do you get?

dave_in_manc

Hi Folks, been car insurance shopping and gone from £670 this years 'renewal' down to a possible sub £400 :T

My current package & breakdown with privilege sets me back £52 and getting quotes there's one at £39.50 with auto aid but the excess is described as 'reclaim', no idea what this is but it sounds like, potentially, forking out possibly hundreds at the roadside then having to claim it back?? That puts me off but i don't know if my interpretation is correct?

Also, if I knock off 'personal cover', (allowing me to drive any vehicle) it drops to £28.90 which sounds like a bargain, (with rescuemycar) does anyone know the answer to the above first question or have any experience with rescuemycar as a company and whether this is as good a bargain as it appears?

Thank you

Dave

mad_rich

Yep. That's how auto aid work. They paid very quickly when I needed them.

If you can afford to pay up front and reclaim, they're great.

Bennifred

I agree with mad_rich - autoaid are great! I've had to use them twice, once at home and once away from home. I paid the mechanic by credit card, and both times the money from autoaid arrived before I had to pay my credit card bill.

dave_in_manc

Oh that wasn't what I was expecting lol . . . . what sort of figures are you talking of though to pay at the roadside? And what if you didn't have a card on you, can you pay after the fact?

Bennifred

Sorry - I can't remember how much I paid, and I always carry a card so not much use there either!

vikingaero

What cover you need depends on your circumstances and lifestyle. If you only ever drive one car then go for a (cheaper) vehicle specific policy. If you only drive locally then dropping onward travel/car hire might be OK.

I looked at Autoaid but didn't fancy the faff of sorting out a payment 500 miles from home with some random repairer deciding on some extortionate figure. Most private taxi's/couriers will charge you around £1 per mile for a parcel from A to B. I can't imagine a recovery truck being cheaper than £a few hundred quid plus £2.50 per mile.

leedsmodus

Be carefull with Auto aid.

Unlike your current Policy, is the use of Specialist Equipment covered in the event of being stuck on uneven surfaces, or lost keys, accidental damage, suspension collapsing.

typical costs
2 x skates £50
30 minutes winching £80
Hiab Lorry Crane £160
then there is snatch blocks, slippery jims, extra labour etc

Your current Policy is a good one, Autoaid is not. When you need it most maybe will be the time it will cost.

The top 3 cover most of what I mentioned

SailorSam

I've sorted my car insurance today and dropped the rescue from it after reading opions of Auto Aid on here. I can't remember the last time i needed to call out the breakdown service, i only do a low milage and rarely go far so only had the basic cover. The Auto Aid is roughly the same as i've been paying and i thought they should get me home if god forbid i did breakdown some distance from home.
Like you Op i was a bit worried about having to pay out and not get the money back but all the reviews say this wont happen.

egyptiancotton

SailorSam wrote: »

I've sorted my car insurance today and dropped the rescue from it after reading opions of Auto Aid on here. I can't remember the last time i needed to call out the breakdown service, i only do a low milage and rarely go far so only had the basic cover. The Auto Aid is roughly the same as i've been paying and i thought they should get me home if god forbid i did breakdown some distance from home.
Like you Op i was a bit worried about having to pay out and not get the money back but all the reviews say this wont happen.

I've also gone for AutoAid after reading many positive reviews on here and elsewhere. A few people have said "Why go with anyone else when AutoAid offer the same service as the AA, RAC etc".