Breakdown cover

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

Does anyone not have it? Does anyone think it's necessary?

After 1.5 years of driving around with breakdown cover I decided that it wasn't too clever. Especially since I drive rather long distances alone. So Im now a member of the AA :mrgreen:

Bit pricey...at least I got my nectar points & peace of mind :mrgreen: Oh and they have a text service for hard of hearing people. Super-duper!

Maria

[kwak zzr]

read the small print maria when ive needed them i hav'nt been covered :(

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

read the small print maria when ive needed them i hav'nt been covered :(

Haven't you? When did you need them? (circumstance wise). They've always been very good for people I know.

Maria

[kwak zzr]

when i had my bike accident they wouldnt recover me :( but i could upgrade cover on the road side for a further £60 :( i didnt tho i got a friend to recover it for me, the other day my mate locked his keys and his wallet in his vecta and couldnt think of anything else to do but phone the AA, guess what he wasnt covered for that either but he could upgrade on the fone for another £60 :( which he did.

[Baph]

I'm covered for breakdown of any vehicle I'm travelling in, or with, anywhere in Europe. :)

The sole time I've called breakdown (for me), technically I wasn't covered, but I may of told a porkie.

The situation was that I'd removed the battery from the bike, and rounded a bolt head trying to put it back, so I couldn't put the battery back in the bike. I'd actually been using the bike battery in a fork lift truck at the time. :smt083

So I told them (the AA as it was then) that the bike wasn't starting, and I thought it had a flat battery. Could they send someone out to me? Yup, no problem.

The guy then called me to say he was about an hour away, but didn't have a bike trailer, would it be an issue? Nah, I think we can get it started. :mrgreen:

He turned up, got out of the van & openly admitted he hadn't had any bike training yet. So I asked him for a couple of tools & showed him what was wrong & what needed to happen.

I've called breakdown a couple of times for the car, even when I've been no-where near it. I just give them "my" contact number - when it's actually Jen's.

Once the call centre have sent someone out, they find it very difficult to say no. :)

I'm not too bad with a spanner, but I'd still always have breakdown as a fall back.

[Lissa]

Does anyone not have it? Does anyone think it's necessary?



We have a Ducati.................of course we've got breakdown cover!:smt040

Always had it, comes free with Pete's insurance anyway, both UK and European breakdown and recovery. Had to use it twice, once for a puncture on the SV, and once for water in the front plug on the SV and it just wasn't having it!:D

[melody]

I have break down cover on my bike, which I get free with my insurance. I use it, on average, twice a year and have not had any hassle from them when I have called.

I got four years free break down cover with my car and called them out a total of two times in that period. Once when the power steering failed and the second when I had a puncture. I forgot to renew my break down cover when it expired last March and I've been driving around without it.:smt119 Not a good idea for me as I don't even carry a spare tyre in the event of a puncture.

[Tim in Belgium]

I got coverage from ADAC, 80 euro a year for european wide coverage and retrieval, good value and can be had even if you live in the UK, cheaper than the AA I believe for similar cover (although they often send the AA out to you in the UK!).

As for cover, under previous AA membership I've been recovered on a flatbed twice, pulled off the motorway on a solid tow before as well, so I always make sure I have cover

[thefallenangel]

I got the bank coverage one. I know it only covers you 10 miles from your house or to the nearest garage but if you know your bike then any breakdown that happens you should be able to figure it out. And if you maintain your bike decently then no problems should occur but there's no way you can predict some breakdowns.

[Gene genie]

oh yes maria, essential.

[xXBADGERXx]

Well on NW 3 , Stretchie found out that the AA would not come and collect you if you had a crash , whereas the RAC will . Whenever the AA touts try to get me outside Tesco`s I ask them if they will recover me after a crash . They blin kand rummage about trying to find the answer ............ they usually fail .

[orose]

Thats odd - they've recovered me twice after accidents now, so they must do it sometimes.

[xXBADGERXx]

Must be down to what type of cover you have then , I have just been sifting through some of these companies out of curiosity and it isn`t Black and White I can tell ya

[pencil shavings]

I have break down cover on my bike, which I get free with my insurance.

+1

Caral Nash for me.

great cover, needed it tiwce, limited to 4 call outs a year and its also valid in Europe.

When I had my RS125 I also has a free recovery that came with a third party mechanically warenty, and used that about 5 times in 2 years. One puncture and 4 blowen engines :twisted::smt040

had the AA cover for my capri, never needed it.

you spend your moneys, you make your choices. But I hope you (and everyone else) have breakdown free milage :)

[petevtwin650]

Well on NW 3 , Stretchie found out that the AA would not come and collect you if you had a crash , whereas the RAC will . Whenever the AA touts try to get me outside Tesco`s I ask them if they will recover me after a crash . They blin kand rummage about trying to find the answer ............ they usually fail .

Thats odd - they've recovered me twice after accidents now, so they must do it sometimes.

I think it must be something to do with it being linked to your insurance or something, so that they (the AA) can claim for the recovery costs as if you had used a private contractor. Or maybe not, but the AA defo don't do accident recovery normally.

[orose]

I didn't get involved with my insurance on the second one, but I have got their top grade of cover, so they must not care too much on occasion.

[yorkie_chris]

Yes have always paid the extra for it. Have had 3 punctures, a failed spark plug on CG and an electrical failure.

[carlos]

If you don't have it with your insurance, then before you get onto AA try gocompare and the likes as 99.99% of the time you'll do a lot better than going straight with the AA. Unless of course you are rich then who cares?

[Mr Speirs]

The AA will recover you after a crash IF you are on their top whack option, whereas the RAC will only not recover you after a crash if you have their absolute bog standard cover.

[Frank]

I had Euro cover and was glad I did when my head gasket went on the car on the way there.
Iwas covered for
1..breakdown cover and recovery to a garage
2..Car rental for the whole hols
3..£500 towards the repairs
4...Flights out to pick my car up
5...all costs to get it home



cant remember the total amount ,but it added up to thousands.

[shonadoll]

I had cover when I was with Carole Nash-it was excellent. Came and got me with a bike specific van, ramp etc, within an hour, and the guy even took it up the drive for me.

[petevtwin650]

The AA will recover you after a crash IF you are on their top whack option, whereas the RAC will only not recover you after a crash if you have their absolute bog standard cover.

That explains the difference some people have experienced Mr Spiers. I'll have to remember that next time I'm dissing the AA. :)

Thanks for that.:thumleft:

[kwak zzr]

i think the AA just peeved me off cus id been with them for 15years and never called them :( the time i needed them they was'nt intrested :( option 200 that was.

[dizzyblonde]

I had cover when I was with Carole Nash-it was excellent. Came and got me with a bike specific van, ramp etc, within an hour, and the guy even took it up the drive for me.


on one count, the bike specific van and man was excellent when Suzy broke down. I told Carol Nash,'' look I know for defo that you ain't going to get it going, as I've blown 3 fuses trying to get it out of a car park, I'm going to have to be taken home''....only thing is had to wait 4 hours on my own. Good job it was at a bike spot and I knew the manageress.
The guy in the van was really great, and told me a whole bundle of horror stories about folk that weren't covered....and some that thought they were, like the man from darn sarf who had gone up to Leyburn and blown his bike up, and thought that his free dealership insurance and recovery he got with the bike, would get him home....the small print said he was only covered for recovery upto about 25 miles from home....expensive journey home for him then!!!!!

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

when i had my bike accident they wouldnt recover me :( but i could upgrade cover on the road side for a further £60 :( i didnt tho i got a friend to recover it for me, the other day my mate locked his keys and his wallet in his vecta and couldnt think of anything else to do but phone the AA, guess what he wasnt covered for that either but he could upgrade on the fone for another £60 :( which he did.

Oh. That sucks..! Ive got the roadside & relay one.

Im worried now, a friend has just commented on my facebook status saying that she wasn't covered for a puncture (terms and conditions dont mention anything about a puncture)

Well on NW 3 , Stretchie found out that the AA would not come and collect you if you had a crash , whereas the RAC will . Whenever the AA touts try to get me outside Tesco`s I ask them if they will recover me after a crash . They blin kand rummage about trying to find the answer ............ they usually fail .

Well...I read the RAC terms and cobditions and they say they wont come and rescue you if you have an accident.

EDIT: just seen the issue resolved by Mr Speirs.

If you don't have it with your insurance, then before you get onto AA try gocompare and the likes as 99.99% of the time you'll do a lot better than going straight with the AA. Unless of course you are rich then who cares?

Cheaper prices does not necessarily mean good service. I choose the AA due to my family and friends experience with them (very good), the fact I got 2,000 nectar points (yipee £10 off shopping) and..they have a service for hard of hearing people.

Meh, I'll just stick with the AA. Heres hoping I dont even need them anyway :mrgreen:

[carlos]

Cheaper prices does not necessarily mean good service. I choose the AA due to my family and friends experience with them (very good), the fact I got 2,000 nectar points (yipee £10 off shopping) and..they have a service for hard of hearing people.

That is very true which is why you also compare the cover, average recovery times and do a bit of research into the companies. I used to be with AA, both personal cover and through work and I must say out of all the times I used them I was never really impressed with them. The worse part is their customer service though, totally incompetent and useless. As with their motor insurance, your breakdown/recovery cover will automatically renew every year until you request termination. When you do request this for the love of God make sure you log all calls (time, date and person) as they'll just f*** you over again and again. Since 2nd January this year I have had to contact them 12, yes 12, times because they just can't do their job. Last week I was served with a default notice because I haven't kept up my payments, which is odd because it was supposedly cancelled 10 times by that point:D:D:D

On the other hand I now use GEM motor assist as I got joint cover for me and my wife which has better cover than the AA service I was on and save £45. My wife called them out in the snow last week and they were brilliant in comparison to the AA monkeys.

[timwilky]

My company car has to be AAed for any problem, if they cannot fix it only then can you take it to the dealer, even when you know in advance it is a main dealer repair needed, you have to go through the routine.


I am well aware of problems being recovered after an accident. I explicitly check now whenever I change insurance. I am now insured through Norwich uinion and have "hero recovery" which I am told is full RAC the paperwork states that accident recover includes either to a repairer of my choice or home address.

Thanks for starting this thread as it has reminded me to write down the recovery details, ie policy numbers/recovery phone number and put them in my wallet/phone. There is no point having recovery if you don't know who to contact

[Baph]

There is no point having recovery if you don't know who to contact

I just pull my bank card out & call the number printed on the back.

"Hi, I'm one of your customers & I've broken down, can you transfer me please?"

Done. :)

[Luckypants]

Im worried now, a friend has just commented on my facebook status saying that she wasn't covered for a puncture (terms and conditions dont mention anything about a puncture)

Find out where your jack and spare wheel are. Learn to use them. :D Never understood why car drivers call breakdown out for a puncture (in a car).

[Miss Alpinestarhero]

As with their motor insurance, your breakdown/recovery cover will automatically renew every year until you request termination. When you do request this for the love of God make sure you log all calls (time, date and person) as they'll just f*** you over again and again. Since 2nd January this year I have had to contact them 12, yes 12, times because they just can't do their job. Last week I was served with a default notice because I haven't kept up my payments, which is odd because it was supposedly cancelled 10 times by that point:D:D:D

Blimey! Some people are really incompetent..going a bit off topic now, but my nan cancelled my grandads insurance because he died. Apparently it was all cancelled and she started recieving letters telling her to pay-up & renwe it :rolleyes:

Back on topic now, thats one of the reasons I hate direct debit. Luckily I didn't set-up a direct debit with the AA, I went for the "one-off payment" option. When my cover is due to expire I'll get the paperwork through telling me to renew it. If Im not happy with them it will be less hassle to go elsewhere :-D

Find out where your jack and spare wheel are. Learn to use them. :D Never understood why car drivers call breakdown out for a puncture (in a car).

Because they're stupid :smt040 (or lazy..or both). Ive made sure I know where all the essential bits are in a cars engine (water, oil etc) and also how to change a wheel.

Maria

[454697819]

NCI ONLINE... cars bikes whatever there brill (so far)