Car breakdown cover

I’m very happy indeed with Emergency Assist and it’s a fraction of the price of the AA, RAC and Green Flag. Recommended by Martin Lewis.

Something popped up on Facebook yesterday that I hadn’t considered. Someone’s car broke down: they were travelling with their dog but weren’t allowed to have their dog with them in the breakdown vehicle. He had to stay in the broken down vehicle. I think that new legislation about dogs having to be restrained means that the breakdown vehicle could be breaking the law if the dog isn’t restrained properly in their vehicle. They also say the their drivers could eg be allergic to dogs. I think the AA are much better regarding this but still say it’s at the discretion of their driver. Some people had to make alternative arrangements to get their dog home; catch a train or get a family member to collect them. It isn’t something that had ever crossed my mind before: I assumed that, if I was being rescued my dog would be included.

I’m with green flag and found them excellent the once I called them out. Used to be with AA for years but price kept going up and then I made a complaint about some awful service ( not breakdown) which was upheld and I cancelled my membership. Green flag is with my motor insurance and is much cheaper

Having spent time comparing both of our cars are now covered from September with the RAC for £84, the Green Flag renewal offer was £150 odd from £99 last year and they wouldn’t budge. Such a pain every year researching for insurances, but worth it.

Fingers crossed none of us need recovery, but if so, that it all goes to plan.

Thanks everyone: I've just bought cover from Green Flag.
GN is great for good advice!

Mine is included with a Co-op Extra bank account, and is full RAC membership (so home start, roadside assistance, onward travel if needed). We mainly have the account because the included travel insurance has been better, even with the account fees and extra costs for various serious health conditions, than others we’ve been quoted for.

However, if we didn’t need that, I’d go back to having my breakdown cover with GEM, who were always brilliant when I needed them and are reasonably priced

www.motoringassist.com/breakdown-cover??gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD79T1uwtlwRmsHb8GlVJE-W6SkfD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI26ij_ICViAMViopQBh0xsgMMEAAYASAAEgL_rvD_BwE

I agree. Always read the small print. For example Auto Aid:

www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/car-insurance/breakdown-cover/

Though it's less good if you've an older car as there's a £25 call-out fee for cars aged 10+ years, and you pay around £20 more for the policy if your car's over 16 years old. So if your car's between 10 and 15 years old you might be better off with Eversure below. We've great feedback for AutoAid, though it doesn't have its own recovery fleet (it notifies local recovery operators instead).

That part sounds similar to Green Flag.

Eversure only offers full service cover for any car up to 15 years old.

If you end up paying those add ons for an older car it could works out more expensive than AA and RAC.

Make sure you check out the cashback offers for AA and RC which can get you up to £70 back.

Knit that’s the exact reason we didn’t upgrade our bank account to include breakdown cover. It really wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on. Same with the travel insurance too.

I’m with admiral and that includes the AA . I failed to read the small print and discovered the recovery service was only within a ten mile radius. That cost me dearly last weekend 🤦‍♀️ . I would’ve been better off having separate coverage!
Read the small print playmates! 😁

Just had a look.
Martin Lewis recommended AutoAid @ £57, but with a 10% discount for new buyers.

You gave the reason in your opening post. Breakdown cover is insurance just as car and home insurance is. Providers do not reward loyalty. Nowadays, we are expected to shop around hence comparision websites.

Most car insurance will included breadown cover or will include it for a small add-on fee. Roadside assistance is often standard and you pay a liitle more for homestart.

I switch my car insurance regularly to keep the premium down. Over time, included in those policies has been cover from AA, RAC or Green Flag. On the rare occasions I have needed assistance they have all come out swiftly and fixed whatever was wrong.

The Aa has doubled mine from last year and won’t reduce it,so no alternative but to move. I stopped with them although i never used them but they prefer giving offers to new customers.

We were with Churchill, but their prices nearly doubled. DH did compare the market and got Churchill at less than the previous year.
That didn’t work for me so I changed to M&S.
then Churchill kept contacting me to ask if I want to renew my insurance with them as they were sure they could offer me a good deal. The final part if the saga is that say they’ve overcharged me and they’re going to repay me!

We were tempted by changing to a different bank account that included breakdown cover, but it was totally unsuitable as was the travel insurance on offer.

I've been with the AA for 51 years (and my dad was a member before me). They've rescued us on numerous occasions, sometimes from obscure locations and either got us going or "Relay"-ed us home. Most recently they came to our home address when the motorcaravan wouldn't start and checked the battery, supplying a replacement (which we had to pay for, of course).

Membership isn't cheap, but it would take more than the cost to make me change to a company that might not be as reliable.

Always get it as an add on with my car insurance....works out cheaper

We get it through our bnk account.

Same as mumofmadboys.

I phone AA every year when the new price arrives, say I am thinking of leaving and they always reduce the premium. I like AA and have had good experience of them in the past.

I think adding it in with your insurance premium is probably the most practical way - not easy to overlook!

My cover is (apparently) with a dodgy company - hopefully I won’t need them, then I’ll change. Martin Lewis makes a good recommendation on his website - personally I wouldn’t pay more than £50 for it, including home start, etc.

I get home start breakdown cover included in my car insurance for about £35. Green Flag I think.

Green Flag is good. They use a network of mechanics. Used to get discount membership with my profession.