Decent Breakdown Cover?

[dr_gn]

All, I’ve been with the RAC since 1991. Had a couple of call-outs over the past few years, and had to buy temporary home start cover at one point.

Cover auto-renewed at over £360 last week (I know, was too busy to deal with it at the time). This doesn’t even include home start.

I’m going to cancel under the 14 day grace period today, and was wondering which cover to go for - AA, Green Flag? Others?

Looking for personal any car cover (recovery) with home start.

I’ve only needed recovery once, about 3 years ago - for a classic car. I had to wait 5 hours, and it was a contractor, not an RAC recovery truck, so I’m not even paying for prompt service.

Thanks.

[s p a c e m a n]

No such thing. If you need assistance once every 3 years just phone up whoever you find local in Google to bring you a new tyre/recover your car and pay them. It's probably cheaper in the long run and you'll get a decent service.

The only time I'd pay for AA ect is if I'm going Europe and get the cover that gets the car home

[mikeyr]

No help in finding an alternative I know but having broken down this year with the RAC I got picked up by them within ten minutes. However, the big caveat to that is that I was stranded on the middle lane of a motorway! The RAC guy was saying that if it had been a non-priority the wait would have been at least three hours and he suggested they have less drivers available in last few years and were going backwards compared to the AA. He was genuine in his embarrassment at how bad they'd become. So can understand why you'd not want to pay over £300 for the service.

[davek_964]

I've been with GEM for years. Used them a couple of times with no issue.
For just me (personal cover) I think it was about £100. I now have 3 people on it with personal cover, including home start and it cost me £186 this year

[mikeyr]

Should add that I had cover through the car insurance policy and it was all of about £60 for the year so I wasn't going to complain. Might be an option to bring costs down.

[littleredrooster]

We are with Compare Breakdown Cover and have been for a few years now.

It's an excess-based policy, which means that if called, there is a charge of £35 per call-out.

The upside is that we (i.e. Mrs Rooster and I) have personal cover across all of Western Europe covering anything that we're in at the time and this year's premium was about £82.

I've needed them once in five years for a puncture on the bike.

[GeniusOfLove]

I've used rescuemycar.co.uk for years and both myself and Ms GoL have been recovered multiple times, largely due to my dubious taste in cars.

Unequivocal recommendation for them from me, for both price and service. I think the two of us for personal coverage and all the bells and whistles is still sub £100 this year.

[Tom8]

s p a c e m a n said:

No such thing. If you need assistance once every 3 years just phone up whoever you find local in Google to bring you a new tyre/recover your car and pay them. It's probably cheaper in the long run and you'll get a decent service.

The only time I'd pay for AA ect is if I'm going Europe and get the cover that gets the car home

Do not even consider using the RAC is travelling abroad. Ever.

[hellorent]

What Car have just done a comparison on BD cover, top 3: AXA, Autoaid & AA

[WrekinCrew]

Do any let you pause cover, or give a partial refund, if you replace your car with a brand new one during the contract that comes with recovery included?

[Sir Bagalot]

WrekinCrew said:

Do any let you pause cover, or give a partial refund, if you replace your car with a brand new one during the contract that comes with recovery included?

Did for me a several years back. No refund but they allowed a pause

[Sir Bagalot]

I bounce between RAC and AA using a cash back site

[vikingaero]

Sir Bagalot said:

I bounce between RAC and AA using a cash back site

This is the advice I constantly give and most people choose to ignore it and bend over and pay £300+.

Loyalty does not work. OK you might get a wky silver, gold, platinum card with a few token benefits, but all marketing is front loaded to attract new customers. Using a cashback site will effectively halve the annual premium.

Or go for a Nationwide bank account package that includes Euro cover.

[v8notbrave]

Yep no more rac for me, if you're low risk it can be 6-8 hours

[ajm_ph]

Been with AutoAid for about 15 years, had 3 callouts in that time, and been pretty satisfied. It's always just some local garage rather than their own vans, but the days where the AA / RAC can offer a superior service with their own patrols are long gone.

It costs £66.14, including homestart, but you can get £16 cashback so £50 for the year. Adding your partner costs an extra £10.

[s p a c e m a n]

Doesn't matter if you're low risk or not, unless you're in a live lane with police behind you they will turn up whenever they want

They key in my wife's discovery died and locked her out of the car in a carpark at the beach at lunchtime. RAC told her to phone a locksmith. The locksmith couldn't get into it so as far as they are aware they left her wearing beachwear in a carpark with nothing but her phone until 10pm by which time it was cold and dark. She made multiple phone calls, crying, and was fobbed off for hours. They offered her a £25 voucher as compensation.

[fooman]

ajm_ph said:

Been with AutoAid for about 15 years, had 3 callouts in that time, and been pretty satisfied. It's always just some local garage rather than their own vans, but the days where the AA / RAC can offer a superior service with their own patrols are long gone.

It costs £66.14, including homestart, but you can get £16 cashback so £50 for the year. Adding your partner costs an extra £10.

Autoaid here too, it should be noted it is more like insurance you pay transport and claim it back. I've used them a couple of times they can get a local garage out to you quicker than AA / RAC will ever respond and I was reimbursed before credit card bill came due.