Breakdown Recovery options

alric

My car broke down on the motorway nr Liverpool on Friday afternoon, as we were driving to Wales for the bank holiday weekend.

I have been with Emergency Assist for a few years and asked for recovery to home, which they refused, but is listed as a policy option under Section D Onward travel. They have recovered me to home on previous occasions with a different car.

SECTION C: National Recovery If We are unable to carry out a Temporary Repair to the Vehicle in the United Kingdom We will decide one of the following; 1. To take the Vehicle, and any Caravan or Trailer where applicable, the driver and up to six passengers to the nearest suitable garage able to carry out a repair 2. Your intended destination 3. Your Home

Section D: Onward Travel in the UK Your Policy includes national recovery or onward travel for the driver and up to six passengers if Your Vehicle cannot be repaired on the same day as recovery taking place (or following working day if the garage is closed). The most We will pay for any Breakdown, including any reimbursement costs, is £5,000, or the current Market Value of the Vehicle, whichever is lower amount. You can make an unlimited number of Claims during the Term of this Policy.

"What is covered -If Your Vehicle cannot be repaired at the roadside and is taken to a suitable garage and repairs cannot be carried out on the same day (or following working day if the garage is closed), then, provided You asked for our help at the same time as the Breakdown We will pay for one of the following;

5. Taking of Your Vehicle and up to six passengers to Your Home address or chosen location."

Since they refused to take us home, I found a garage that said they were closing but could leave it there and theyd look at it when they opened Tuesday.

Yesterday they diagnosed it but could not fix it that day.

So now my car is in Liverpool, Im nr Peterborough, I,d sooner fix it myself or with my local garage

Were the Recovery company right to refuse to take us home?

Can I get them to recover it now to my home?

Do they still have responsibility to do this?

I called them and was told that no, the decision was up to them, not me, but I am waiting for a call back from the manager.

Meanwhile the car is parked on an industrial estate

IF they refuse, is it worth me taking legal action, and how do I do that?

Bigphil1474

So which of the options in C did they choose to do? If there were no garages able to carry out a repair, then they should have taken you to your destination or home based on their Ts&Cs.

I'm not sure what EA do, but last time I had a breakdown, the car couldn't be repaired at the roadside, and the garage was shut as it was a Sunday. The RAC took me and my car home, and then I contacted them on the Monday for an onward recovery to the garage, which they did. This is maybe 7 years ago though.

Mildly_Miffed

Under that Section C, they did what they said they would. They decided to take option 1.

Did you pay for the Onward Travel option when you took the policy out?
Did they provide you with transport back to P'boro from L'pool? (If they didn't, and you had to arrange your own, then I'd suggest you're due a refund of the cost)

It's almost certain that they'll say they discharged their responsibility, and they will not recover your car back under the policy.

If it was you that chose the garage they took it to, then you can't complain about the fact that it's left "on an industrial estate". Nor, I would suggest, that you'd now rather not use that garage.

alric

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81989567#Comment_81989567

Yes I did pay for the Onward Travel option when I took the policy out

They said they were prepared to reimburse me for a hire car for £125 iirc

I chose the 1st garage I could find, before they would send someone out to get the car off the motorway. And changed the garage as soon as the car was picked up as the 1st garage couldnt do anything.

All the 2nd garage said was I could leave the key with them and theyd look at it when they were open again after Bank Holiday. When we got there it was 4.30pm and the place was closing down. Ive no idea how to "choose a garage" at random, i dont believe many people do.

The quote I later got from the garage was £1200, Ive now found a mobile mechanic to do it for £100 inc parts so you know, for a £1000 car thats a lot

Bigwheels1111

This is the issue with cheaper Breakdown firms.

The T&C’s bit you in the bum. We will at our discretion etc.

I broke down at 15.30 pm, waiting until 17.00pm before I called them. Deliberately waited.

They arrived at 18.30pm, as all garages were closed their policy forced them to take me home.

They were not happy as was over 200 miles.

Cheap cover is ok, but if you go via your car insurance company it not too much more than the cheaper one.

RAC, home, relay, nation and onward travel was £70.

Mildly_Miffed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81990385#Comment_81990385

£125 for a hire car seems eminently reasonable for get-you-home. They've done their bit under that clause.

I VERY much doubt that you're comparing apples with apples if you're looking at £1200 vs £100. What was the issue, and what's the diagnosis you've been given?
Labour in Liverpool is not going to be expensive per hour.

And a grand's worth of shed with a likely terminal issue? No wonder they didn't want to ship it back across country, just for it to be scrapped there.

alric

125 hire car was offered. Have not billed them for that yet so they havent actually done it.

500quoted for driveshaft, plus other bits possibly reqd and 200 labour vs 40 ebay driveshaft and mobile mechanic

Driveshafts not a terminal issue