Beware Norwich Union Breakdown/RAC

marybishop

Will try to keep this brief. Basically back in Feb my car broke down, couldn't get it going again so had to call out NU Breakdown. Along comes the RAC van, couldn't get it going either so offered to tow us home (approx 10 miles) on a static tow pole. OH said OK, read through the do's & dont's, was happy enough so off we went. Almost home, on main road, lots of traffic. Car pulls out of side turning, RAC van brakes hard, tow pole slams into front of my car causing damage and pulling out towing eye so we're left like sitting ducks in the middle of the road! Driver of car carries on on her merry way, obviously no idea what problem she has just caused, RAC van then has to tow us on the things that go round the two front wheels and we jump into cab. (First question - he never offered this option, why not?). He's very apologetic and says not to worry, it'll be covered by the RAC! To cut a very long story short RAC Customer Care Manager keeps changing his mind as to how he wants to deal with the situation, firstly he's sending out an inspector to inspect damage and decide from there, then he tells me to get a quote for the repairs which I did, faxed it through to him and never had a response. When I finally get to speak to someone else because original CC Mgr is away they say that reading through his notes he's now decided I have to make a claim on my insurance as there are no details of the driver who caused the accident so it has to be treated as a knock for knock. I'm now very cross!!

Now the problem is NU/RAC own each other so how on earth can I get an independent opinion. NU Claims Dept said surely it's down to the RAC but that doesn't seem to be the case. All the repairs are done and sorted so that's OK but in the meantime I've had to pay a £50 excess. A firm of solicitors have been appointed by NU to reclaim my expenses so once again it's all 'in-house' even though they try to tell you they're independent! I'm having to chase them up for responses to my letters and I've only written two!!

So, my point is if I were you I would make sure when taking out breakdown cover through your insurance company that the two companies are not owned by each other so that if something goes wrong you might stand a chance of getting it sorted out properly.

Hope that makes sense and stops anyone else from ending up in this ridiculous situation!

craigboy

Accidents can happen you know.

marybishop

For your information I haven't ranted and raved at anyone on the telephone, I have been perfectly polite the whole way through. So go and crawl back in your hole.

Oh and if you look to your right you'll see a little paragraph about forum etiquette - I suggest you read it

craigboy

i did read it.