Roadside Recovery: AutoAid Feedback

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  • hailbop_2
    hailbop_2 Posts: 32 Forumite
    Having been with AutoAid for a couple of years I've just had cause to claim; my motorbike broke down at the side of the road in a town 30-odd miles away from where I live and purely by chance a local motocycle mechanic stopped to offer his help. He couldn't repair it at the side of the road so he took the bike and myself home.
    At this point I was just happy to be getting home safely so I paid the guy with cash. In a few days he posted me a receipt which I forwarded to AutoAid and I received a reimbursement by receipt. :T
  • After joining last year due to the recommendations on this board, my wife broke down last week. I arranged a tow (auto gearbox had broken so it was clear that a roadside repair wouldn't be possible; no doubt the bigger services would have made her wait for a roadside mechanic to verify it, though), paid for it and got a receipt.

    The cheque from autoaid was in my hand four days after I posted my claim, even though she had just changed cars, so it wasn't the one on their records.

    I can't fault the service at all, especially as it's such good value.

    Best wishes, Neil
  • derrick
    derrick Posts: 7,420
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    The cheque from autoaid was in my hand four days after I posted my claim, even though she had just changed cars, so it wasn't the one on their records.


    The car does not matter, it is the policy holder,(and legal spouse), that is covered, there are no details of my car on my policy.
    Don`t steal - the Government doesn`t like the competition


  • lisyloo
    lisyloo Posts: 29,558
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    The car does not matter

    Or to put it more generically, the vehicle does not matter.
    My motorbike nor my car are listed on mine.

    I believe it covers vehicles and not just cars (which makes it EVEN better value).
  • derrick
    derrick Posts: 7,420
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    lisyloo wrote: »
    Or to put it more generically, the vehicle does not matter.


    To put it more specifically, the vehicle does matter, e.g they don't cover artics!

    They only cover cars and car derived vans, (this does not include transits), and motor bikes above 150cc.
    Don`t steal - the Government doesn`t like the competition


  • After all the positive reports about AutoAid's service I'm seriously considering changing to their breakdown cover but just have one query.
    In their policy summary they say that if your car breaks down within 1 mile of your home the maximum you can claim for call out charges and recovery is £65.
    I don't know how much a garage would charge to come out and try and fix your car and recover it if necessary if you broke down within a mile of your house but £65 doesn't sound like it would cover very much?

    Has anyone broken down within a mile of their house and if so can they comment on how AutoAid dealt with it?
  • I have used them twice in the 16 years I have been with them. Both times there was no hastle at all. Why pay more?
  • Hicola
    Hicola Posts: 3 Newbie
    I have had to call them out twice in the last month over a dying battery which on the second occassion gave up the ghost. A different company came each time. Whilst the service from both companies from their mechanics was fine, the second company were extremely reluctant to send me the receipt claiming that the inland revenue did not allow them to photocopy receipts and that they had sent the receipt direct to Autoaid/Boncaster. They eventually sent out a receipt but failed to give a breakdown of costs spliting the call-out and new battery. When I rang to query this they claimed that the receipt was for the costs of the new battery only and that they had sent the call-out cost direct to Autoaid. This I thought was highly unlikely as they knew it was pay and claim. Effectively, they seemed to be overcharging me by £50 and as I had alread paid, they were not prepared to do anything about it. I had been waiting for the receipts, I hadn't made the claim at this point. I explained I would take my grievance to Autoaid and the local trading standards which did not seem to bother them very much, no doubt as they already had my money.

    Without much hope I rang Autoaid and explained the situation and they promised to call back which to my surprise they did a few hours later. Cutting through the garage's spurious claims they explained that they would refund me the cost of the call out (approx £50). Their service was very efficient and helpful (unlike my previous experience with the RAC).

    In summary then, good service at the roadside but make sure you know exactly what you are paying for, get it itemised by the mechanic on site and written on the roadside paperwork and make sure you can claim it back!
  • lisyloo
    lisyloo Posts: 29,558
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    I don't know how much a garage would charge to come out and try and fix your car and recover it if necessary if you broke down within a mile of your house but £65 doesn't sound like it would cover very much?

    Hi ciderman,

    Generally speaking I don't think you'll find ANY insurance policy that will cover you for absoutely every eventuality.
    In general it seems that people are very pleased with AutoAid and it's cracking good value.
    If you aren't happy with particular aspects of it then you are of course free to pay more for a different policy, but be aware that other companies have some exclusions that AutoAid doesn't, like (for example) running out of fuel.

    I think you need to know what you are buying, but in general insurance policies do not cover you for every single eventuality, you just have to find the best match for your own circumstances.

    I'm not sure why they have this £65 limit, perhaps investigate how far away your local garage is and what they would charge and then decide.
  • lisyloo
    lisyloo Posts: 29,558
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    They only cover cars and car derived vans, (this does not include transits), and motor bikes above 150cc.

    Thanks for the clarification.
    Cracking good value for those of us who have motorbikes (over 150cc) as well as cars.
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