AA breakdown insurance
Author
Discussion

ismellburning

Original Poster:

136 posts

168 months

Saturday 12th October 2013
quotequote all
Good morning PH,

As bangernomic disciples will know, even the sturdiest of sheds will give up the ghost in some way at some point and present an often surprising bill.

The AA offered my breakdown insurance the other day. Wonderful, I thought; in the last 18 months my car's had a new clutch, rear brakes, half an exhaust etc etc, so £100 a year to prevent further triple-figure bills is a bargain.

Then I looked at the small print ( it's here, PDF) and the list of Stuff Not Covered is huge.

Worn clutches aren't covered, the exhaust system isn't covered, brakes are covered, but not "Brake discs, pads, drums and shoes", which would seem to be the entire brake system to my uneducated mind.

Most damningly the insurance excludes breakdowns caused by "wear and tear", which again to me would seem to describe the cause of virtually all breakdowns in the history of motoring.

So the question is: does anyone here have breakdown insurance (with any company), and if so, what do you think of it? Because from where I'm sitting it looks like a crock.

steviejasp

1,646 posts

195 months

Saturday 12th October 2013
quotequote all
They paid out for my Cerbera for a new battery and a new driveshaft when I accidently snapped it in half at the traffic lights. I've got it on all my vehicles.

Ug_lee

2,224 posts

241 months

Saturday 12th October 2013
quotequote all
I've got it for the RS6.

My understanding with regards to paying out is anything resulting from a breakdown where it has to recovered on the back of a truck.


Mines purely for when the alternator packs up which is due anytime now.

The Moose

23,684 posts

239 months

Saturday 12th October 2013
quotequote all
Suggest you delete that last post. Their terms in the exclusion section: "was caused by faults, which You were aware of prior to the start of the journey on which the breakdown occurred"

...

Condi

20,486 posts

201 months

Saturday 12th October 2013
quotequote all
ismellburning said:
Worn clutches aren't covered, the exhaust system isn't covered, brakes are covered, but not "Brake discs, pads, drums and shoes", which would seem to be the entire brake system to my uneducated mind.
Well, no, they are all wearing parts designed to be replace at some time or another. What it really means are pipes, servo's and cylinders which are not wearing parts. Similarly the clutch is a wearing part, but the gearbox is not.

Its for breakdowns, not general servicing.

Ug_lee

2,224 posts

241 months

Saturday 12th October 2013
quotequote all
The Moose said:
Suggest you delete that last post. Their terms in the exclusion section: "was caused by faults, which You were aware of prior to the start of the journey on which the breakdown occurred"

...
Eh,why should I?

It's well known that alternators in these go roughly every 60k. It's covering myself for a fairly likely event with the mileage it is at now

It's an RS6 so it's just a matter of time before something goes wrong. So this kind of cover is handy.

The Moose

23,684 posts

239 months

Saturday 12th October 2013
quotequote all
Ug_lee said:
The Moose said:
Suggest you delete that last post. Their terms in the exclusion section: "was caused by faults, which You were aware of prior to the start of the journey on which the breakdown occurred"

...
Eh,why should I?

It's well known that alternators in these go roughly every 60k. It's covering myself for a fairly likely event with the mileage it is at now

It's an RS6 so it's just a matter of time before something goes wrong. So this kind of cover is handy.
I took your comment to mean that you know it's failing and on its last legs. Not that they're known for going at that mileage.

tr7v8

7,623 posts

258 months

Saturday 12th October 2013
quotequote all
All three of our cars are covered. They paid for new callipers on the Jeep GC despite it being a known fault. They covered the brake flexis but not the pads. So around £370 or so. The water pump went on the Boxster & was recovered to an OPC. They will pay for the pump & 2.3 hours of labour at £85+VAT Seems a good deal to me.
I wouldn't expect them to pay for bits that are wear & tear. Would the OP expect them to cover tyres?

Daston

6,154 posts

233 months

Sunday 13th October 2013
quotequote all
Would they payout on things like Rotary tips wearing or water seals perishing? They seem to be the major cause Rotary engine failing.

tr7v8

7,623 posts

258 months

Sunday 13th October 2013
quotequote all
Daston said:
Would they payout on things like Rotary tips wearing or water seals perishing? They seem to be the major cause Rotary engine failing.
I assume so if it is recovered by the AA to the garage.