Breakdown cover recommendations.

[Austin160]

Apologies, since I know this has been covered some time ago, but wondered if there was some updated information to hand.

We have been with the AA for many years via. a so called freebie with the bank.
Recovery was an essential requirement and we were able to add that element to the basic cover offered via. the bank, so I effect we only paid the extra for the recovery. Not so any longer and whatever the bank offers, is ignored by the AA, and we now have to pay them the full £160 odd, so it's time to look elsewhere.

Recovery home, as opposed to the nearest garage, is essential. Cover needs to be for two cars, the oldest of which is 15 years old, and we need this cover for my wife and myself.
We don't really need homestart and onward travel would not be essential. Not too keen on the type of cover where you pay and reclaim.

Think that gives the general idea, and it would be great if someone has gone through this trawl fairly recently and come up with some recommendation.
Many thanks in anticipation.
p.s. Don't really want to change banks to get better deals for this type of cover, or add breakdown to the two car's insurances.

[Whippy]

Some insurance policies, Aviva I think is one, offer breakdown. Talk to your broker. Other than that I believe a lot of people use greenflag? Might be cheaper? I use Rac, partially because we can pay for it using Tesco vouchers. Worth a thought.

[AndyJudge]

Who do you bank with, I can't recall my cover having changed & I'm with Lloyds.

I've got a top level account so always had the full works, I also use a number of the other bit's that the account includes so the monthly fee seems worth it

[Bonefishblues]

An absolute no-brainer. Have been with them for 2 years. Excellent.

https://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/B...nServices.aspx

[Simon Jones]

Every year I ring the AA to complain about the increase in premiums and they usually knock 25% off or offer the 'new customers only' price. If you're happy with the service but not the price just call them and see what they will do for you - you've got nothing to loose.

[Peter86]

Which ever is the cheapest. For me green flag has always been cheapest. Check policies with all if them if you want European cover. My 2003 v70 was just at the age where I could get European cover as long as I kept it added every year after. Dude to its age I could not add it on at a later date. Hope that makes sense, don't know if that still applies but it was only last year. That year I updated so wasn't too bothered.
Don't forget to try looking for online discount codes, cashback offers etc.
Don't forget if your towing a caravan to make sure its covered, my dad told me only major companies will cover his 1996 caravan.

[green van man]

I have RAC through the camping and caravan club via their arrival scheam, £150 ish a year for personal cover of the wife and I any car one of us is in. There are other things like getting the car and caravan home if the driver is incapacitated and unable to drive, but that may not be essential to others.

Volvo assistance comes free with a dealer service.


Paul.

[ITSv40]

GEM Recovery: I have the pay and reclaim option, but when I have had the need to use the service I have been reimbursed within the week with no fuss at all. It covers both myself and 'er indoors for any car that we happen to be travelling in and I am in control as to where the vehicle is recovered to - which suits me fine. Cannot fault the service.

[TheLeeds]

I was with the RAC for over 10 years and was happy with the service for most of that time. I had the roadside assistance + recovery options, and the price seemed to be about £90 a year on average. I had the personal membership which covered me in any car I was travelling in, rather than being tied to just one car.

I've had a probably 3 or 4 callouts over that 10 year period, but one day, the M reg 940 developed an immobiliser fault and wouldn't start. I rang the RAC, and the call handler wrongly told me I wasn't entitled to help and suggested I was too close to home. She offered to put me through to a department so I could upgrade to home start, but as I wasn't at or near home, I said no. Despite my insistence that they provide the service I'd paid them for, she still refused to send anyone out to help me. I then managed to find someone with a 4x4 and a tow rope and paid him to tow me home.

I wrote a complaint letter, and then when my renewal paperwork arrived shortly afterwards, I wrote and said I would not be renewing unless my complaint was addressed. I instructed them to cancel the automatic payment and told them not to take any further payments, but when I got my next statement, they'd taken the money anyway, so I had to get the card issuer to reverse the payment.

The RAC later admitted their mistake and said I was entitled to the call out, but I'd gone to the AA by then, and obtained a similar level of cover for slightly more money. The RAC sent me a cheque by way of an apology, so this covered the difference, but it was still a hassle I could have done without.

I'm sure both companies have their good and bad points, but that was my recent experience, and their call handler's behaviour cost them a customer that day.

And after a quick google search when I got home, I managed to disable the immobiliser.

[StatusRed]

AutoAid!!! £43 for 15 months, includes your spouse too - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ca...wn-cover#BBtwo