breakdown cover/rescue: any suggestion?

Ok we have one - here's an opportunity to have one - if you got a point of view about something and want to share it - here's where you do it.
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vblanche
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breakdown cover/rescue: any suggestion?

Post by vblanche » Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:18 pm

I hate this time when you have to go shopping for car insurance +/- breakdown cover.

I've been with LV insurance and just got my renewal, which does not include breakdown cover.
just got my renewal from Green flag, but it's gone higher.

now, LV insurance offers breakdown cover (in my new quote) slightly cheaper but with Britania rescue.

Anyone can recommend or tell me to avoid Britania rescue?

thanks
vincent
2002 B3 3.3x touring No 100

ade and liz flint
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Re: breakdown cover/rescue: any suggestion?

Post by ade and liz flint » Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:35 pm

vblanche wrote:I hate this time when you have to go shopping for car insurance +/- breakdown cover.

I've been with LV insurance and just got my renewal, which does not include breakdown cover.
just got my renewal from Green flag, but it's gone higher.

now, LV insurance offers breakdown cover (in my new quote) slightly cheaper but with Britania rescue.

Anyone can recommend or tell me to avoid Britania rescue?
Hmm, and I'm just trying to do that for a 3rd car! :lol: Anyway, breakdown policies are an insurance policy, so subject to the same vagueries as your car insurance. I've currently got both our cars with Green Flag at around £80 for the year, but no overseas recovery inc in that. Your D3 is getting older, so they may be increasing your policy due to that...and if you have used their service (in the same way as a car insurance NCB).

My neighbour operates for AA, RAC, GF and Britannia (and various other players). He recommends GF, but he's given me no major negatives about Britannia. If most of your driving is 'local' and within the UK, Britannia should be OK.

HTH
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vblanche
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Post by vblanche » Tue Feb 14, 2012 1:52 pm

well, I don't mind paying £20-30 more if needed, what I would like is be sure I'm going with a company that is efficient in breakdown. That's why I went for GF the last two years...

what is this no call out discount? is it like the NCD?

thanks
vincent
2002 B3 3.3x touring No 100

bmw virgin
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Post by bmw virgin » Tue Feb 14, 2012 2:39 pm

Which? magazine rate the breakdown services in the following order:-

1) AA (2,882 people asked) = 70%
2) RAC (1,723) = 69%
3) Britannia (411) = 65%
4) GEM Motoring Assist (47) = 65%
5) Saga (69) = 65%
6) Autonational (45) = 62%
7) Europ Assistance (55) = 59%
8) Green Flag (758) = 53%
9) Auto Aid (58) = 51%
10) More Than (36) = 38%


BMW Emergency Service (69) = 47%....pretty low on the manufacturer's offered services....Honda at top with 77% & Merc's at bottom with 44%!

I have a Lloyds TSB account that has an £8/m fee to provide a number of benefits, one being AA cover!

hth
Colin
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Post by jamesa » Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:01 pm

I have used Britannia but many years ago now, to recover an E36 ... very efficient and helpful.

Have used the AA several times over the years and would recommend them, excellent service ... especially that of three weeks ago when I had an early morning puncture (Hertz hire car) on the way to Sytner Nottingham.

AA cover for Roadside & Recovery is currently from sixty nine pounds ... covered the daughter`s ten year old, 120k Golf for this amount.
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Post by ade and liz flint » Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:01 pm

bmw virgin wrote:I have a Lloyds TSB account that has an £8/m fee to provide a number of benefits, one being AA cover!
Annoyingly, the LloydsTSB Silver upgrade only included AA roadside assistance, not recovery when I looked at it last year - which is why I didn't take it on. However, the recovery now is 'roadside repair or recovery home or to the nearest garage (whichever is closer) for you and your vehicle for breakdowns more than 1/4 mile from home'. They've improved that by the look of things, though the recovery to a garage if nearer than home puts me off a little if I'm a distance from base (my GF is full recovery)......and it's gone up (again!) to £9.95 per month. Some other quite useful goodies, there, though, if you can use them.

Another point with Britannia and GF is that they use local breakdown specialists (such as my next-door) rather than having a fleet of their own vehicles. It can mean that if you have a midnight breakdown you get a grumpy local guy out of bed, or you may drop lucky and get a breakdown service award-winner :lol:

The other 'issue' with AA and RAC is they 'relay' you home, ie changing recovery vehicles during a long distance recovery (this is my neighbours main operating bug-bear with them), whereas Green Flag is one vehicle all the way. They're fine for short recoveries (I'm told :D ).

I have to say, my only experience of calling a breakdown organisation was with a hire car, and the RAC attended. The service was lamentable - he could not do a roadside fix and, as it was a Sunday, we had to limp from the Midlands to Gatwick and consequently missed a flight. The technician was out of his depth tech-wise.
Current:
23MY Porsche Macan GTS in Papaya
23MY Cupra Born V3 77kW in Aurora

Previously loved:
ALPINA: E91 B3SBiturbo #127, E92 B3SBiturbo #285, E90 D3Biturbo #097, E85 Roadster S #168 & variety of 'beige' 4 and 6-cyl BMW lumps.
PORSCHE: Macan S, Cayman 981 S, Cayman 981 GTS

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Post by MarkWG » Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:40 am

I've used Britannia for years now: had to call them three times (three different cars) in the past year; they always arrived promptly, on two occasions recovered the car to the garage of my choosing, & on the third I fixed the problem whilst waiting & they were fine about me continuing on, even though the recovery guy was en route. He then rang & was fine about the wasted trip. More than happy to recommend them.

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