Breakdown insurance

[Telegram Sam]

I have just taken out a new insurance policy through Adrian Flux (previously with Heritage / Norton, both agreed value policies). Because my Cav mileage is so limited I have not included breakdown rescue insurance this time nor in the past, but the decision has always been borderline. Anyone know of any particularly good value policies (excluding all the fancy European rescue options which must double the premiums)?

[planetc]

For one car it's usually cheaper to add to the car insurance policy

[Gaz]

personally i can fix my cav and even i know there is some stuff that cant be fixed at the side of the road thats why i have it.

Barley used it in the time ive had it but i know its there.

[Telegram Sam]

If I was as technically competent as U to fix things I wouldn't bother considering how close the movements tend to be to "friendly" garages, and the low mileage. But there is the odd trip south to way out Cambs, and ***'s Law. I had some vague idea that you could get good deals through Tesco, or Vx themselves? Or from that Mk 3 OC!!

[Envoy CDX]

I just shelled out £52 for RAC cover for the year. Means I get home if the Corsa craps out on me. A worry off my mind.

[Freakmandu]

I just shelled out £52 for RAC cover for the year. Means I get home if the Corsa craps out on me. A worry off my mind.

Make sure of the cover you have... £52.00 doesnt sound enough for recovery? Im only mentioning it cos we got stung a few days ago, wouldnt want you to have to go through what we did.

[Envoy CDX]

Paperwork says I am covered to get me home, but appreciate the thought. Was that through Rac too?

[planetc]

£52 does sound cheap. Three main elements to cover usually....
Roadside, which includes a tow up to 10 miles.
At home, which adds cover within a quarter of a mile of your home address.
Recovery, which removes the 10 mile tow limitation when you are not at home.

[Telegram Sam]

You lot must know someone that I don't. Cheapest online RAC cover that I can see that includes "home" - where the Cav spends most of its life - is £79. I'll do without the get-you-back-from-Jugoslavia option but if anyone can point me in the direction of a better (£52?) deal I'd appreciate it.

[Envoy CDX]

Looked my details over again, it seems I signed up to a 50% discount as I was previously a member with no "claims" about 2 years ago. But yeah recovery to home no homestart, really dont see the point in that given the gadgets and gizmos I have to hand if I get a flat battery..

[humbucker]

I get free comprehensive AA cover with my bank account, including roadside recovery, homestart etc. The monthly fee for the bank account works out to be less than the equivalent AA cover, and I get stacks of other benefits with it, so it's a no brainer, and I don't need to add it to my Cav insurance policies.

[Telegram Sam]

Interesting. I've always been suspicious of these fee-based bank accounts with lots of gizmos that I wouldn't need, but perhaps I should look again. Is yours one where you have to pay in £5K a month and/or maintain a min balance of £20K...?

[planetc]

Bank account is a very popular route to cover these days, most banks offer a variation but watch the small print and make sure the cover is what you need as some give only the bare basics.

[carlos_canter]

Bank account is a very popular route to cover these days, most banks offer a variation but watch the small print and make sure the cover is what you need as some give only the bare basics.

Ive been to many people who have thought they had the bee's knee's of cover, only to find out its not worth a penny then they have to shell out costs for recovery.

Try these: http://www.vehiclebreakdown.org.uk/vehi ... kdown.html

I had my car covered with them, the silver grade cover is £57.50 but does go up to £63.50 for the older vehicle according to the website, but I kept my cost down to £57.50. Give them a call or browse the site, the cover includes as standard:

Roadside Repairs. Recovery of your vehicle. Free Breakdown Assistance, Free Vehicle Recovery and Onward Transportation, Message Relay Service, overnight accommodation plus get you to your destination service

Plus: Home Call-out - Getting you started from home

And trailers are included free, which is another clause in the small print of most policies.

[Telegram Sam]

That sounds worth investigating since I've concluded that in my circs a packaged bank account wouldn't fit the bill. As a lateral thinking alternative I'm chewing over just having the Albany Recovery tel no in my glove box for use when I get stuck >> you pay only when in need. I think the cost of a recovery could be in the same ball park or below a year's breakdown insurance policy but they Albany are not much good at replying to my emails asking for details of what they do and cost. Hopefully their recovery service would be an improvement! Has anyone had experience of Albany alias Egertons?

[carlos_canter]

Egertons, as in the yellow trucks?

If you only pay when you need it, it wont be cheap, they WILL sting you, all recovery can becasue you need them(think fuel and food at a motorway service station), you will pay a minimum of around £2.50 per mile, which starts from the trucks depot, to you, your home and then back to the depot.

So a 10 mile tow for you could cost around £50, they may even throw a call out charge on top.

£50 spread out over a year is nothing, I doubt youd even notice it gone, get cover for a year and you know your sorted.

Make sure you have cover in the event of a crash aswell, some polices dont count that, especially in winter.

[Telegram Sam]

Points noted and very valid. This is precisely why I've been emailing Albany to get them to send their conditions so that I know in advance what the ground rules are rather than when I'm desperate!

With the breakdown insurance I equally need to check whether a home start for a 21 year old motor is in or excluded - and / or if they make a special case for overhauled SRi's!

[planetc]

It's also easier to manage £1 per week than it is to find an extra £50 (if you are lucky and it's as little as that) randomly on top of the cost of the repair of the car. If you have a healthy bank account then playing the game of risk and underwriting your own breakdown arrangements is fine, and might end up being cost effective. If you are like most of us, and would miss the money then it's better to be prepared.

[Envoy CDX]

Ring the companies direct, they were otching for sales when I rang up...

[carlos_canter]

This is precisely why I've been emailing Albany to get them to send their conditions so that I know in advance what the ground rules are rather than when I'm desperate!

With the breakdown insurance I equally need to check whether a home start for a 21 year old motor is in or excluded - and / or if they make a special case for overhauled SRi's!

You have said that they are not very forth coming with there reply's, which for me, would amount to very poor customer service and if it is egertons, that seems to be a trait with them.

When I did ring the link I posted, I spoke to a gent and asked him the same questions and more, he made it quite clear that they do not discriminate the older vehicle, regardless of make, model, spec or condition.

[Telegram Sam]

For the benefit of those who may be in the market for Albany / Egertons I was finally able to extract their terms out of them: £65 + VAT call-out plus £1.50 / mile for towing. You will point out to me that you only have to get stuck once in Rannoch Moor or wherever for this to drive a coach & horses through any insurance policy. The reason I have not insured up to now was on account of my very limited mileage and within a limited radius of home, but now I might reconsider - the terms of both your link tks and what Adrian Flux appear to be offering for £54.

[humbucker]

I need to look at European cover now as Mrs Humbucker and I are embarking on our road trip across France/Belgium/Germany/Switzerland in a couple of months and could do with peace of mind, just in case. Apparently one major insurer even covers you on the Nurburgring although I forget who that is... Might come in handy as we're planning a few laps if the calendar permits...

[Telegram Sam]

I seem to remember that the ADAC are quite adept at sorting folk out whose Mrs have been trying to emulate Fangio, Moss, Lauda & co round some of the more difficult corners.

[Telegram Sam]

Bank account is a very popular route to cover these days, most banks offer a variation but watch the small print and make sure the cover is what you need as some give only the bare basics.

Ive been to many people who have thought they had the bee's knee's of cover, only to find out its not worth a penny then they have to shell out costs for recovery.

Try these: http://www.vehiclebreakdown.org.uk/vehi ... kdown.html

I had my car covered with them, the silver grade cover is £57.50 but does go up to £63.50 for the older vehicle according to the website, but I kept my cost down to £57.50. Give them a call or browse the site, the cover includes as standard:

Roadside Repairs. Recovery of your vehicle. Free Breakdown Assistance, Free Vehicle Recovery and Onward Transportation, Message Relay Service, overnight accommodation plus get you to your destination service

Plus: Home Call-out - Getting you started from home

And trailers are included free, which is another clause in the small print of most policies.

This seems at first sight very similar to the Adrian Flux Equity Red Star policy but I've yet to grind through the small print. Thought: if you are involved in an accident miles from home as opposed to breaking down then presumably a breakdown policy won't want to know???

[carlos_canter]

This seems at first sight very similar to the Adrian Flux Equity Red Star policy but I've yet to grind through the small print. Thought: if you are involved in an accident miles from home as opposed to breaking down then presumably a breakdown policy won't want to know???

Some companies may charge an excess for an RTC, however, its been a long time since ive heard that happening out side of winter.

AA will now charge you during heavy winter conditions if you have an accident. It does have sense behind it, you get your car wrapped round a tree or in a field and your putting another person and another vehicle at risk.

Not sure if other clubs do the same but AA definatley do this.