2gether Breakdown - Left Stranded -

Singhj3

Following being stranded in a different part of the country we called for assistance
We were told We would have to find a garage for the vehicle to be removed to, we asked which garage, don't know the area, and which garage would come out at this time (was late) , the response was, that we would have to find a garage - down to us.
When asked to recheck policy, we were responded with "I don't need to check, Ive been working here for 4 years" The responses were abrupt, cold and uncaring.
No mention of a garage list, no mention of hotel or travel options
I understand the policy, and its restrictions, however the call, left me concerned, and worried for myself and my children, stranded in a different part of the country.  If my wife was to be stranded similarly, and called, and received this response, I fear the way they would have handled it.

The response from 2gether was - 'The call handler offered the assistance in line with your cover offering'

To clarify - I have raised my issues with them, and they have been extremely dismissive - basically saying oh well, and theres nothing you can do about it - followed thier complaints process - means nothing to them -

flaneurs_lobster

One person's brusque and dismissive can be seen as business-like and professional by someone else.

Without knowing the details of the cover you believe you have purchased it's difficult to offer a comment or advice as to whether the call-handler could/should have done more.

Do you have a link to the product you have purchased?

Vitor

There seem to be two separate issues here. One is the manner of the call handler, which you found abrupt and dismissive. The other is whether they failed to provide something your policy actually covered.

The important bit seems to be that you were apparently told to find a garage yourself. Was 2Gether refusing to send recovery until you named a garage, or were they simply asking whether you had a preferred garage?

Similarly, whether hotel accommodation or onward travel should have been offered depends on the level of breakdown cover you bought and the circumstances in which those benefits apply.

If you post a link to the policy wording, or say exactly which 2Gether breakdown product you have, it should be possible to establish whether they actually failed to provide the contracted service. At the moment there isn’t enough detail to tell.

Mildly_Miffed

Laughably cheap breakdown provider in "shonky customer service" shock - hold the front page!

2Gether's cheapest breakdown cover is fifteen quid a year.
https://2getherinsurance.co.uk/insurance/breakdown - roadside assistance, local recovery only.

I'm really not sure what expectations I would have, at that price, but they would certainly not be high.

Their Ts & Cs say they will take the vehicle to the "nearest suitable garage".
They define "suitable garage" as…
"• Suitable Garage
Any qualified mechanic or garage which is suitable for the type of repair required and where the initial work undertaken can be evidenced in writing. Please note that opening hours do not affect suitability and if a garage is not provided, We will take Your Insured Vehicle to the nearest appropriate dealer instead."

They do not specify who identifies that garage - but "if a garage is not provided", then that would suggest to me that they expect you to do that bit of legwork, or it's main dealer.

As far as "hotel and onward travel" - their documentation seems clear that they will reimburse you for your costs, and not arrange it for you.

Bigwheels1111

The old saying, pay peanuts get monkey.

I pay £50 ISH a year to add RAC to my insurance.

Simple and cheap enough in my eyes

Nobbie1967

This is often the problem with breakdown insurance in that most don’t find out what is covered until you try and claim. I am with autoaid and had an unrepairable puncture in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales on a Sunday. My car doesn’t come with a spare, so I needed either a mobile tyre fitter or recovery to a local garage.

Autoaid could not arrange either and would only pay for 10 miles of recovery with a £350 charge for the remaining 80 miles. Luckily I was out with friends who gave me a lift home and returned later with borrowed wheel to recover it.

Bendo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82102713#Comment_82102713

Interesting, I'd get back onto them if I was you. My reading of the terms is that if there is no repair option available by the end of the day, they will recover you either home or your destination, whichever is closest.

When I had a blow out on the M5, approaching Bridgewater services where I managed to get to, at 11:30 PM 200 miles from home, Autonational (sister company, same terms around recovery) arranged a recocery truck (well two as they had to relay due to the distance, 2nd one was sat waiting for us to arrive) with no fuss or ask for additional payment.

My current insurance policy includes RAC cover, but I still renew my Autonational policy as I've seen too many horror stories RAC leaving people stranded on the motorway for hours and hours.

MEM62

I pay £50 ISH a year to add RAC to my insurance.

Who can be equally useless. Left my wife on an unlit dual carriageway section of the A303 at night in -4 temperature. Apparently she was 'priority' because of the circumstances and the recovery arrived 6 hours later. We actually didn't wait as it was too dangerous - both because of the temperature and the exposed position of her car - so I picked her up and we waited at a local service station.

a

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82102713#Comment_82102713

https://autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/frequently-asked-questions/

I don't have a spare tyre in my car, can AutoAid Breakdown still cover me?

Although our membership states you are required to have a legal spare tyre, we are aware that some cars do not have this and have a tyre inflation kit instead. In this instance, AutoAid Breakdown will recover your car to the nearest tyre centre for you to get a replacement.

Nobbie1967

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82103116#Comment_82103116

Thanks for highlighting that. I did indeed have the tyre inflation kit, but I could put my finger through the hole in my tyre so it wouldn’t work. They did not offer to recover me to the nearest garage. I suppose I could complain, but think I’ll just not renew with them.

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82103944#Comment_82103944

We had the misfortune to burst two tyres on a pothole.

Had a spare tire but needed two.

When the breakdown truck arrived the driver told us that he was regularly called out to find the gloop running down the road after the driver had used it.