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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

... to wonder why I have breakdown cover?

26 replies

hanahsaunt · 06/03/2013 14:37

Reviewing our DDs and noted that we paid £272 for joint membership of the AA (other breakdown organisations are available Wink) for the year. Really? We last called them out in 2009 and that was the first time in years. Would we be cheaper not having any cover and joining when the car breaks down (which it would about a week after we cancelled no doubt).

OP posts:
witchface · 06/03/2013 14:39

I have the RAC through tesco clubcard. I've had to call them out twice in 2 weeks. Thats unusual, I don't own a complete banger but I don't know what I would have done without the breakdown cover.

TeamEdward · 06/03/2013 14:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Manchesterhistorygirl · 06/03/2013 14:41

We get breakdown thorough our and account.

Catsdontcare · 06/03/2013 14:41

That's a huge amount for breakdown cover! I pay £30 a year for a basic get me back on the road or tow me to a garage cover.

I never use to have it until last year I got a flat tyre in the arse end of nowhere and my car doesn't have a spare just one of those stupid repair kit thingies that are shite.

ISeeSmallPeople · 06/03/2013 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

piemistress · 06/03/2013 14:43

Agree thats a lot. Try autoaid, they are about £40 and offer full package. Only difference is you pay upfront for breakdown then claim money back. I have called them out at least four times and had no problems. One was even a 300 mile tow. Regularly come out top on money saving expert, and if married can get joint cover.

So yes to paying that much, but not to having cover!!

ErikNorseman · 06/03/2013 14:44

How much??? You can get joint membership for around £50.

ProfYaffle · 06/03/2013 14:45

Have you tried Autoaid? It's not breakdown cover like the AA but breakdown insurance. It works like the AA, if you break down you ring up, someone comes out and either fixes it, tows you to a garage or will get you to where you need to go. Breakdowns at home are covered too.

The difference is you have to pay the chap who comes out upfront but you then claim the money back from the insurance.

We've had it for a few years and it works brilliantly, we've never had any quibbles when it comes to claiming the money back and they've always turned out when we needed them. Costs about £40 for a year's cover.

ProfYaffle · 06/03/2013 14:46

x-post piemistress!

Original poster
hanahsaunt · 06/03/2013 14:46

Yes - I should call them. It slipped through the net last year as the renewal came midst house move and forgotten about. It is for both me and dh and seems to provide about every service going. Wondering if we should alternate between AA and RAC every year to get new member bonuses. Clearly no loyalty bonuses - I've been with them 22 years!

OP posts:
mmmuffins · 06/03/2013 14:46

£272??? Mine cost me £40!

ReallyTired · 06/03/2013 14:47

That is a lot for breakdown cover. I suppose a lot depends on what level of cover you want. I have breakdown cover through car insurance, but it does not cover breakdowns within 1/4 mile of my house. The car is towed to the nearest garage or home if they cannot fix it. I have to arrange my own transport.

zipzap · 06/03/2013 14:48

Go and have a look on moneysavingexpert.com about it - they have lots of info about getting it much cheaper. AA are definitely one of the most expensive and apparently one of the easiest things to haggle down if you don't mind doing this or walking away if they don't have the best price.

when we were looking for a couple of weeks of european cover to add to our aa cover a couple of years ago, they quoted over £300. When I rang my insurers they could give me full rac cover on my car including european cover (albeit for holidays rather than living there permanently, but that's fine) for significantly less than half that price. So we not only switched to them for european cover but cancelled the aa cover at the same time and saved lots of money. didn't do the ringing around and checking lots of other things at the same time as I was crazy busy so didn't have time. But I will once the time comes to renew!

Also going through things like quidco can help reduce the price - again, info on MSE

Original poster
hanahsaunt · 06/03/2013 14:49

It's roadside, homestart and breakdown repair cover (which seems to be a sneaky new addition).

OP posts:
Original poster
hanahsaunt · 06/03/2013 14:51

Fab. Thank you. Will keep but start shopping around. Autoaid sounds good.

OP posts:
TroublesomeEx · 06/03/2013 14:52

Blimey!

I'm with Green Flag. Before that I was with First Call. £48 for the year for cover that was the same as the highest level of cover the AA covered (at the time).

MrsHoarder · 06/03/2013 14:53

Its like all insurances, every year you need to get a load of new quotes and then ring up to "cancel". We've been with the RAC for years, but we have to go through this dance every year as they try to put our premiums up by 50% and we get a quote online (usually Green Flag) and they beat it.

SummerRainIsADistantMemory · 06/03/2013 14:57

Does your car insurance not have added breakdown cover?

Even my cheapass Tesco value insurance comes with breakdown cover as standard, and my insurance costs less than your breakdown cover!

worldgonecrazy · 06/03/2013 15:00

If you have a Volvo and get your car serviced annually by Volvo dealerships, you get free membership of Volvo Assist who are brilliant. One phone call and everything is sorted, with regular texts to let you know how long until help arrives. I've only had to use them once but they were fantastic.

ENormaSnob · 06/03/2013 15:07

Fucking hell fire that's expensive Shock

Machadaynu · 06/03/2013 15:14

We paid about £50 I think. I cancelled the RAC when it go into 'how much?!' territory, although the two times I used them they were very good.

We have home-start (most car issues are to do with starting) and 'try and fix it or take you to a garage or home' cover. I wouldn't be without it even though it's been 5 years since we called them (and that was a flat battery).

HoHoHoNoYouDont · 06/03/2013 15:28

Bloody hell, they're ripping you off. I get free breakdown cover through my bank account but I recently renewed my car insurance and around 99% of companies offer breakdown cover with insurance for around £30-£40 extra.

pingulingo · 06/03/2013 15:35

Bear in mind that the AA / RAC are more likely to repair your car compared to Green Flag, who do also send out technicians but they don't have the same level of equipment that the AA/RAC have.

Also if you buy your breakdown through your car insurance you will probably have an unlimited number of call outs, whereas you won't with direct cover.

You have to weigh up the risk based on your own circumstances, do you do long distance etc? What's more important to you - being rescued quickly or getting car fixed on roadside etc. I've got an unreliable car so am paranoid about my breakdown cover (plus I used to work for A large breakdown company so guess I'm biased too).

pingulingo · 06/03/2013 15:39

Also the breakdown repair cover you have allows you to claim for cost repair of car if it has to go to garage when patrol cant fix ar roadside. I've made two claims this year - about £800 of garage repair cost and I only had to pay 2 x £35 claim excess fees.

(But I only paid £180 for the cover and got £90 back via cashback site). I agree with everyone that says you have to shop around every year

Manchesterhistorygirl · 06/03/2013 17:47

And very glad I am too that I have it. Flat tyre and wheel won't come off situation = greenflag. Wink