Breakdown cover

[Scotland North AR]

Thanks for that Carlie. I think we may stay with what we have...I normally lose my wife for a couple of days every time she has to update it, fill in more forms etc. etc.    Nearly as difficult as swapping gas and electric suppliers!

[Piers300]

I’m looking into Breakdown Cover for my wife and myself.

I’ve just read RAC’s terms and conditions and could not find any reference to older cars, as my 7 is 2004, plus my Audi is 5 years old.

I would want the car (7) transported home from anywhere in the UK in the event of an unfixable problem. I am not considering European travel this year.

So I have looked at RAC, what else is available. I would like a company who won’t say NO to trying to fix or transporting a 7.

The RAC quote is optionally based on covering you and wife, rather than a specific car. Is it worth a call to the RAC to check that it would be covered ?

Piers

[John Vine]

Re #27:

This is what the RAC Breakdown Cover website has to say:

What is breakdown cover?

Breakdown cover is a type of cover that provides help if your vehicle breaks down. You can cover a particular vehicle, or a person in any vehicle – it’s up to you. There are different levels of cover but most companies offer roadside assistance as standard covering cars, vans and motorcycles.

If your vehicle can’t be fixed at the roadside, you won’t be stranded with breakdown cover. Your car will usually be recovered and towed to a garage for further repairs. This type of cover is sometimes included as standard with car insurance but is often an optional extra to add on to your existing policy. Comparing breakdown cover is a great idea to get the best deal for your circumstances.

What types of breakdown cover are there?

There are two types of breakdown cover to choose from: personal cover and vehicle cover.

Vehicle cover

This means your vehicle is covered no matter who is driving. Cover up to 3 vehicles.

Personal cover

This means you’re covered in any vehicle as a driver or passenger. Cover up to 5 people in the same household.

Which level of cover is best for me?

We offer two levels of cover: Standard and Unlimited. With both levels of cover, we’ll rescue you at the roadside and at home – so you’re always covered wherever you break down.

Here are the main differences to help you choose:

Standard

If you break down and we can’t fix you on the spot, we’ll tow you up to 10 miles. This can be to a local garage for repair or another destination of your choice up to 10 miles from where you break down. You also have up to 5 callouts a year.

Other providers may refer to this level of cover as ‘Roadside Assistance’ with ‘At Home’ (or ‘Home Start’).

Unlimited

If you break down and we can’t fix you on the spot, you can get an unlimited tow to any destination in the UK. This means that wherever you break down, you can always get to your destination, back home or to any garage you like. You can call us out as many times as you like, as long as it’s not for a recurring problem.

Other providers may refer to this level of cover as ‘Roadside Assistance’ with ‘At Home’ (or ‘Home Start’) and ‘National Recovery’.

Once you’ve chosen your level of cover, you can choose your add-ons. This includes Onward Travel, which means you’re covered for a hire car or alternative transport while your vehicle’s in the garage.

 

That's slightly different to my Footman James RAC add-on, but it does seem to cover what you want.

 

...and could not find any reference to older cars,...

Their FAQs state:

"We cover cars of any age (including hybrids, electric vehicles and classic cars),..."

So, yes, I think it would be worth calling them.

JV