UKC

I need to arrange breakdown cover and I am just looking for some recommendations or warnings of companies to avoid as there seems to be a lot of options now.

Obviously there are the big two, AA and RAC, who have their own vans and staff. Then there seem to be a lot of other companies offering policies that use local independent contractors. I suppose the second approach is likely to give a more variable standard of response?

Other than deciding between the big two and the rest is it just a matter of deciding on level of cover and looking for the best price? With so many resellers it can be a bit of a murky market. I see that Asda offer  cover that seems to be reselling Britannia Rescue which seems to be owned by LV insurance. Asda looks to be selling the same cover packages at a cheaper price.

thanks

Gem.

Reasonable price, excellent service.

I have no complaints with Autoaid. They use different contractors, either local or national depending on the situation. Had to use the service recently and no complaints. If you're married then your spouse is covered on your policy, so is cost effective in this situation.

Worth noting that RAC also subcontract jobs out, I was with them before and was taken halfway home by one truck, left at a services for an hour to wait for another truck to take me the rest of the way. 

Worth checking if your cover via your insurance is a possibility, sloves some issues but not others. I went independant one year with Green Flag.

Pheasant flew into my windscreen, rendering the car unroadworthy. Phoned Greenflag, they wouldn't recover as it wasn't a mechanical fault. Phoned my insurance all though covered for glass, they passed me to their breakdown provider whom wouldn't recover as I hadn't taken the insurance firms breakdown cover.....round and round in circles.

Took the insurance firms cover another year underwritten by RAC. RAC left me at the side of the road in the NW Highlands over night in winter, when it came to the morning I complained as it transpired they still hadn't got my call on to any of their vans task lists, suddenly the local garage with whom RAC had an agreement turned up in 40 minutes. The operator had been on call all night and had not been tasked. Basically the RAC was happy to leave me there in the hope one of their vans would get to me at some-point, rather than pay the local garage to do the job via their agreement.  Funnily enough the RAC never sent me a 'how did we do survey'!

All companies do that if the journey is long enough as they can only have the drivers driving a certain number of hours in a day. Friend of mine had to be recovered from Oban to Hertfordshire a few years ago, think it took 4 handovers to get back.

Autoaid every time. Cover is just as good as the big names, but they're much cheaper. 

The achieve this by having you pay up front for the recovery, and then refunding you. As long as you always have a credit card that's got a few hundred pounds left, it's fine.

I get Green Flag recovery "free" with my Natwest gold account. They have been pretty good.

I was really unhappy the way the RAC treated my elderly parents.  I will try to find the thread about it for you.  

I've been very happy with the AA, but other providers may be better value for money and just as good.  

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/off_belay/rac_kept_my_parents_waiting_ove...

Auto aid seem to be popular.  

It was a while ago, but I was handed from AA patrol to another AA driver.  

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/insurance/breakdown-cover/#tabs

I think they've changed that policy (relatively) recently actually. I had to use them about a year ago and they settled the bill directly...

Yeah when we were recovered a couple of weeks ago we didn't have to pay or claim back anything

I've used Autoaid for years, and you're right that you no longer have to pay up front for recovery and get refunded, they now settle direct.

On the few occasions I've had to use them they've been great, and for a fraction of the cost of the big 2.

Britannia - they've been good for us when we've had some breakdowns. I did phone them when we were at my parents', 100 miles from home, and child 2 managed to lock the car keys in the car. They were apologetic but that wasn't covered because it wasn't a breakdown, so fair enough I guess. 

A few years ago now my parents had cover with them and were going to Southern Sweden to meet my family (we lived in Finland at the time). My mum and dad needed them in Belgium and Germany just on the way! Each time had great service from local contractors, including a local Landrover dealer in Flemsburg who couldn't fix my dad's discovery on a Sunday so said they should put their caravan in their secure yard and camp there and left the showroom door open so my folks could use a "proper toilet" and make coffee!  After a week or so in Sweden, my wife went back to Finland as she had work, and I went with my two kids with my parents in their car back to England for a week there before flying home - or at least that was the plan. In Northern Germany the car broke down again and this time wasn't particularly fixable - Britannia sorted out: recovery of the car and caravan, a night in a nice hotel in Bremmen (suite for me and my kids, room for my parents) including a meal. Because my parents had their stupid dog with them, we couldn't be flown to the UK, so the next day they arranged taxi to Bremmen airport, pick up a one way hire care to Calais, a night in a hotel in Calais, ferry to Dover, a hire car from Dover back to the Worcestershire which my Dad was told to hang onto until his car and caravan was transported back to his local garage from Bremmen! I think my dad paid 100 quid for a year "Euro cover" - we reckon it must of cost going towards 10 grand to sort us out! So you can definitely get your money's worth.

I’ve been happy using AXA for quite a few years. And I HAVE “used” them. Seem to remember they have a nice modular/option “build your own policy” thing. iirc the cover is for me in any car, and I am covered for mainland/continental Europe, all at a reasonable price. Had poor experiences in the past with AA. 

Have a look at Dynamo, they’re decent