Green Flag Bike Breakdown Cover

[ophic]

Who owns Direct Line? RBS of course...

[madcockney]

Originally Posted by ophic

Who owns Direct Line? RBS of course...

All are one and the same group, why I questioned who is operating Green Flag. Anyway I have had a response from GF; well in fact Direct Line! They have said that the question is too complex for them, huh, and to phone or write to GF and provided GF's postal address. I think it will be the latter as I would like to see it in writing.

[Juju]

I do think fundamentally, all the recovery services are much of a muchness.

I recall having had the AA out to fix a busted chain on a bike, and being surprised that they refused to even look at it, and simply called a motorcyle recovery company to pick it up and take it to a fairly expensive franchised dealer in the middle of nowhere, wher eI got saddled with a pretty large bill for a chain and sprocket.

But on another occasion, similar that chain had come off (this was when I wuz a noob on a 125) an RAC man came out, sorted it out, and then showed me what to do, with my own toolkit, if it happened again, and insisted on following me down the road for a couple of miles til I got my confidence back!

Then I have had on cars similar "variable" service, from an AA man who was "delighted" to open up the points on my MG Midget, as he hadn't had to do that job in years - again, showed me what to do, and the AA man who was determined to sort out my Alfa 75, that I thought had run out of petrol, but in fact a balance resistor in the FI had failed when I was really low on petrol. After putting in a spare gallon and it still wouldnt start, he went at it for 1.5 hours, finally calling in the AA database of breakdowns and finding that once before, they had a dodgy Fi on an Alfa 75 and to try that part - and lo - it worked.

99 % of the time, they are brilliant, enthusiastic guys, but sometimes when they hear its a motorbike rather than a car, its real "oh no" territory for them.

I've never tried Green FLag though.

[madcockney]

You're not going to believe this at long last I have not just had a holding letter, but an actual reply to my query. It's only taken 6 months. Anyway the response came from Green Flag in Leeds:

They said that the cover I received on my bike was the same as in my car, or any vehicle I am travelling in. They then went onto to say "In the event your breakdown would involve another vehicle, it is in those circumstances that we would not be providing this service and that you would have to claim off your bike insurance."

I think I'll hold onto this letter. I hope that RBS/DirectLine are a bit quicker in sorting out their claims. In fact I know they used to be quick when I had a cage insured with them, but that was 8 years ago!

I ended up going with this company: http://www.rescuemycar.com/Breakdown/Motorcycle/

I think it was about £23 and they will recover if my bike is in an accident, as I phoned them to ask.

Extract from my policy wording.

Incidents covered under this contract
Mechanical or electrical breakdown, accidental damage, vandalism, fire, theft or attempted theft, flat battery, or accidental damage to tyres, occurring during the Period of Cover, within the Territorial Limits.
In the case of key breakage, keys locked within Your Covered Vehicle, the use of incorrect fuel, flat tyre, or puncture, We would pay for the roadside assistance and local recovery if appropriate. However, you will be responsible for paying any incremental costs such as lock replacement, new keys, drainage of tank, disposal of wrong fuel, any replacement fuel, and any replacement or repair of tyres.