Breakdown cover (best vs cheapest)

[simonm]

I don't have breakdown cover.  I'm not exactly a liability    but I've had 2 low speed incidents (read fall off's) in the 7 months I've been riding (read in to that what you will).  I'm now considering going for a ride with the lofo's and wondering if I want to be possibly be stranded 100 miles away from home (I don't) and the bike is 13 odd years old too and I'm scared of punctures (and may have made some enemies recently  ) etc.

So I've been thinking about breakdown insurance.  The best option seems to be the AA and the RAC because they provide car and motorbike cover for no more money.  It seems a no brainer as a cager to make use of that.  However....  Apparently they know nowt about motorbikes (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=199747&page=1) .

My questions are:

• Is this a false economy ?
• are there better deals out there from a known big brand (voucher codes/referrals/cashback etc)
• Is going for the RAC/AA an idea as any sort of cover is better than none

I've looked at money saving expert and hotukdeals but I thought I'd ask you lot too.


TIA (sorry for posting so much but this seemed like a good question)

[Hedgetrimmer]

I've got breakdown cover on my insurance policy (had to pay a little extra but not much). All I want it for is as a get-you-home service (just a little peace of mind), and would not let people I don't know about work on my bike at the roadside. It's true a lot of RAC/AA types don't have much in the way of bike training/knowledge (although of course there will always be exceptions), but as long as you only want them to get you and your bike back safe and sound they're fine. Like anything else, it's just a case of shopping around to see who offers best service/value for money or whatever suits your needs...

[chaz]

I'm with the RAC, it's me who's covered, so they will either repair or take me home or to my destination even if I'm in someone elses car/ bike, it costs £68.
The cover I had with my insurance was 1 hour roadside or 10 miles recovery? to the nearest garage, so then you have to get it repaired there or get it home as the garage will charge £10-£20 a day storage, If you got "free breakdown" with your insurance read the small print?

[steeeve66]

I had a big falling out with AA. Point one: accident damage isn't the same as a 'breakdown' and that wasn't made clear to me until I slipped off on a bunch of diesel going in to Maidstone Services.
Point 2 was worse tho - the regulator/rectifier 'went' on my CB500 - AA came out and offered to take me to the nearest garage, except the nearest garage (in central London) was busy and wasn't able to 'take' my bike for another 4 working days. No matter said AA, that was the nearest garage and that's where they would leave me. Essentially picking me up from one pavement in London and dumping me on another about half a miles away. Useless!
I'm with the RAC via my insurer now.

[slappy]

My experience with the AA last year made me swear to use anybody but them, the service was abysmal and turned into a complete farce. Legitimate complaints are just ignored by them.
But I know that other people swear by them so I think it just depends on who you get on the day.

[Dead Eye]

Hmm... breakdown cover...

I've had RAC before and they've been ok but I was on the basic package which meant when I broke down 20 miles from home they wanted £150 to take me there... not happening!

If for whatever reason you do breakdown with the lofos, its more than likely going to be DURING the ride with us so you won't be alone in trying to solve the problem. I have a puncture repair kit under my seat (which Exupnut has already broken in to...) and I'm sure one or two of us will have some basic tools as well. May be worth storing a few bits and pieces under your seat just in case?

Realistically the main reason for breaking down is a puncture. If you have a repair kit your fine. If its anything else then there would probably be symptoms before hand

[simonm]

Hmm... breakdown cover...

I've had RAC before and they've been ok but I was on the basic package which meant when I broke down 20 miles from home they wanted £150 to take me there... not happening!

If for whatever reason you do breakdown with the lofos, its more than likely going to be DURING the ride with us so you won't be alone in trying to solve the problem. I have a puncture repair kit under my seat (which Exupnut has already broken in to...) and I'm sure one or two of us will have some basic tools as well. May be worth storing a few bits and pieces under your seat just in case?

Realistically the main reason for breaking down is a puncture. If you have a repair kit your fine. If its anything else then there would probably be symptoms before hand

You have more confidence in me than I do.  I am the main cause of breakdown 

[dickturpin]

Go through one of the cashback sites if you do take out cover (Quidco or Topcashback). That'll reduce the financial strain a little! I alternate between AA and RAC to get new member discounts.

[AyJay]

The AA are now an evil company with zero idea of providing a breakdown service. I despise them. They are now a finance company and their breakdown services are something like only 10% of their business.


Last year, I had a puncture and they attended after 2 hours of waiting. The cretin said 'Gunk' tyre filler would be fine. I pointed out the nail in tyre and how easy it was to take out of the tyre. The cretin laughed and said it would be fine. Why I thought I'd believe him, I just don't know, but half a mile up the road, the nail flew out of the tyre along with the gunk, I wobbled to the hard shoulder, hit a lump of wood, dented the rear wheel and nearly went under a lorry. I then had another 2 hour wait by the road.


I should have sued the AA, but after a vicious email, they offered £100 to repair the wheel which I took far too quickly.


Fact is, when insurance companies offer 'free breakdown', what they are doing is hiding the quality of service from you. 'Oh it's free' they say, but it still costs money, it still bumps up your premium and the problem is YOU as a consumer have no say whatsoever in the quality of service you get. You get whichever service is available at the time, and the cover is nowhere near as comprehensive as you might need.


I will never ever accept free breakdown cover with insurance again. It is nothing more than a confidence trick.

[Fazerider]

The Fazer is the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. So far it has stranded me at the roadside just once in my time with it (owned it from new), so breakdown insurance schemes look like a total waste of money.
I keep a few numbers for bike-friendly rescue services near my most used routes in my phone, a puncture repair kit under the seat  and my cash in my wallet... in preference to handing it over to shysters like the AA.

[Dave48]

Might be worth checking out Carole Nash-6 wheel policy (car & bike). Some people reckon theyre expensive but look whats included in the cover. As said AA/RAC not as good as they were & expensive. A lot of breakdowns caused by owners neglecting basic checks-Fazers pretty reliable BUT as they get older risk of component failure increases-not always foreseeable. Great peace of mind to have "Get You Home" cover. They even provide "Homestart" type cover.

[karlo]

http://www.motoringassist.com/   Nuff Said 

[jason1]

Im looking for cover myself as recently found out that my breakdown cover through my bank didnt cover bikes ggrrr esp as i was sat at the side of the road after my front tyre valve gave out at 60mph down a country lane   . Phoned them and said not covered then put the phone down on me . Phoned local company and wanted £180 just to take me 15 miles home . Dont think so .
Luckily there was a pub 100yds down road so pushed bike up to pub    and spoke with landlady , who let me keep bike in shed over nite . Plus gave me a free tab while i waited for the wife to pick me up . Took wheel off and repaired the next day. Went bck to pub fitted wheel enjoyed nice shandy in the garden , all sorted . This pub is now a regular ride out stop and great people all round there , shows there are humans out there .
Still looking for decent recovery company tho , AA AND RAC are def out reading posts .

[Punkstig]

Rac is included with my Barclays Bank account along with sheds loads of other stuff I don't use but its there anyway (travel insurance, special airport lounge? Etc etc) I've used the Rac through this a few times and they take you anywhere you want in the country at no extra charge!

[keithfzs1000]

either upgrade your bank account (if poss) to include it as a benefit usually £12 a month but includes other stuff like phone ins travel ins legal help etc or get it with your bike ins, doesnt matter who as all have horror stories and all have great service stories

[limax2]

Ten years ago I learned that breakdown recovery is not the same as accident recovery with the dreaded AA. After an accident in which I was incapacitated and without any discussion they transported my bike 300 miles from Scotland to North of England and then sent me a bill in excess of £400. I was insured with Norwich Union (now called Aviva) and amazingly they paid the bill without any argument. I've stuck with Aviva ever since and pay an extra £37 for the recovery service with them which is provided by R.A.C.. I used it for the first time last week when the rear tyre failed in a big way and couldn’t be repaired. This was in the central area of France 15 miles from the nearest small town and they had a recovery vehicle to me in 35 minutes. Really helpful in getting me fixed up with new tyre and on my way.
 Incidentally I already had the tyre seal stuff in, which may have stopped a very rapid deflation, and the plug thing I tried fired out after about 100 yards.
 

[andybesy]

You can wangle the cover where they'll get you home (as opposed to just nearest garage) for about £35.

That's standard renewal price of about £150, less 50% for new member signing up on-line, less £45 cash back from ordering via Quidco (cash back can take a few months to show up).

For that price I like to know I've got it as an option, although I'd like to think I could sort a puncture out myself.

I fully expect to have to switch between AA and RAC every near in order to get a good price, just like I seem to have to change insurance company every year, and energy company, etc. Silly really.

And they may be good or may be crap depending who you get on the day, but for £35 it's a tool worth having at your disposal.

As others have said, while there's nothing wrong with having free breakdown cover with your bank account or insurance policy, just make sure you're clear on what's included. Typically it's the basic cover where they'll recover you at most 10 miles to the nearest garage, not get you home, which to my mind is not a lot of use. You want the get you home stuff, otherwise you might as well sort recovery to local garage yourself.

Similarly I've recently done 2200 miles to Italy and back without any breakdown cover, because for £100 they would only recover you to the nearest garage, and even the fancy good cover left it at their discretion if they would recover you home or to your destination (my hotel? the top of an italian alp?). So I chanced it and was fine, but had a credit card on hand in case.

Andy

[Grahamm]

I get RAC cover with my policy through Bennetts which actually works out cheaper than getting it separately.

I've only used it a couple of times, firstly when I was new to biking and flattened the battery, they came out, jump-started it, then stayed for 20 minutes whilst we let it run to charge.

The second time was when there was a fault in the Kill Switch and the engine died coming back to Portsmouth on the A27 at Ringwood. As it was a Sunday, they loaded it on a van, drove me home, then picked me up on Tuesday (the dealers were closed on Monday) and took me to Southampton to get it fixed.

So that was well worth the money IMO

What you have to watch for are, as Steeeve66 mentions, cheap policies that only take you to the "nearest garage" and then leave you standing at a bus stop or having to pay for a taxi or train which can be bloody expensive. Check the details before you sign as it may be a false economy!

[Hedgetrimmer]

I once had a rear wheel bearing collapse on my gen 1 no.3, as I approached the Dartford tunnel on way home after a good ride out. Called up my breakdown number - again, bought on the insurance policy - and got recovered to home (Broxbourne) with no hassles. Yes, I had about an hour and a half wait for them to show, but got the bike back alright. Also, had the AA recover me to home from motorway hard shoulder when the chain on my Kwak Turbo let go (although I almost got charged for being AWOL as I was in the RAF and my boss told me in no uncertain terms I should have got recovered to the camp!) So they're not all bad. But as I said, I would not use them for anything more than get-you-home (don't even let them repair a puncture, as their plugs aren't permanent and will mean junking an otherwise perfectly good tyre). As has been pointed out, make sure you know absolutely what you're getting before you pay up.
 

[Arfa]

Similar to others, I upgraded my bank account (Smile, Co-Op) to get RAC cover and phone/gadget cover etc. Works well for us, as it's a joint account (me and wife) so covers us both in car and bike, unlike the cheap cover I had thrown in with insurance. Phone cover was good too, smashed screen on HTC One X, got new phone for £25 excess!

Had to use the RAC this week, nasty puncture, big chunk of glass, big hole. Too big for my rubber repair strands. Took them 1:15 to turn up, but did a temp fix with big rubber bung and rubber goo. Tyre was due for replacement anyway, probably why the glass killed it. Either way, it got me to local garage. Chap turned out to be a biker himself and chatted for a while about previous punctures he had repaired.

Yes, do check clauses relating to accident recover, many don't include this and will charge.

[taksi]

I have breakdown cover including homestart with MCE fully comp. They even include limited European cover (30 days) as well. Covered on other bikes as well. All this for £146, though I am an old scroat! Still like to make progress on my gen2 fz1 fazer though!
 
 
Taksi

[pete786.u]

Don`t talk to me about the AA, got breakdown, recovery and complimentary home start. I got my renewal notification for about £130. I had to get in touch with them as I have a different debit card as the bank detected some attempted fraudulant activity on my old one. When it comes to pay the AA took over £190 out of  my bank account, so I got in touch with them and the cheeky foccers said it was more because it was a new card I`d used.Finally got it down to about £60 but they have taken the complimentary home start off of me and given me complimentery relay instead. So this year I have had four different membership cards sent to me all with different cover on them.

[locksmith]

You have to haggle every renewal with the AA. Look up online at the new customer price and they will match that with no issues.
The AA do have specialist bike units as there's one that lives near me and parks the van outside his house.

As mentioned before accident recovery is NOT breakdown recovery. Your insurance company will recover after an accident, usually quicker than the AA would anyway I'd have thought! And you need relay if you want to go further than the nearest garage.

[fireblake]

I use Auto Aid which is £39 a year and covers my bike,  my car and the wife's car. The draw back is that I have to pay for everything and then claim the money back. I've never tried it but the reviews are very positive

[demic77]

The VW lot seem to like ADAC, seriously thinking of using them for year round Euro cover rather than paying ££ for each trip across the water.