Start Rescue - less than honest?

andygb

My breakdown cover with Start Rescue is coming up for renewal at the end of November, and I was pleased to see from the reminder email that I was entitled to a loyalty renewal discount.
I phoned them up, because I have to renew online or by phone and was on the verge of renewing when I decided to just check the level of cover I was receiving, because it was 4 star which includes European breakdown.
The guy then checked my car details and told me that I had 3 star cover, which does not include European breakdown because my car is more than ten years old.
Until I questioned my cover this was not mentioned to me, either in the email or by the customer service person on the phone.
I think this was a pretty shoddy way to go about things, because I would have expected them to contact me if they were changing the level of cover, and it would have left me without any breakdown assistance if I had gone over to France (which I have sadly had to cut down on in the last year).

csgohan4

Did you read the contract when you signed up last year? did it mention 3 or 4 star cover?

paddyandstumpy

Did they send you a key facts when you took the policy out? An age related exclusion should be listed on there.

You are responsible for reading your documents to check the cover is sufficient.

andygb

csgohan4 wrote: »

Did you read the contract when you signed up last year? did it mention 3 or 4 star cover?

Yes, it was 4 star cover, which was confirmed by the documentation which I downloaded from their site. The 4 star cover included European breakdown cover which was an essential item.

andygb

paddyandstumpy wrote: »

Did they send you a key facts when you took the policy out? An age related exclusion should be listed on there.

You are responsible for reading your documents to check the cover is sufficient.

The cover included what I required, which was European breakdown assistance. I don't know if they have just introduced this, but it seems as though they have downgraded my cover because the vehicle is now eleven years old.
I shall of course be changing my cover to another provider.

adandem

I need to get breakdown cover for my daughter, can I ask if the service is any good from Start?

erb

adandem wrote: »

I need to get breakdown cover for my daughter, can I ask if the service is any good from Start?

Not used them yet but they were recommended in the September 2016 issue of Which magazine. Based on this I intend going to them from Auto Aid when renewal is due in December. Their 3 star cover which includes home start is only £28.79 compared with Auto Aid £40 ish. Also can go through Top Cashback for cashback.

Would be helpful to know if anyone has used them what their experience has been.

zagubov

Useful thread. On paper they look like a good deal for one person driving one (relatively new) car. We both drive both of our cars, one of them over ten years old, so it would cost double what Autoaid does.