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Old 16 July 2015, 19:31   #1
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Breakdown Cover (inc Trailer Cover)

So my annual renewal is due for renewal. I'm currently with the AA, in the belief that they give me trailer cover. I know they've been $cr£wing me for a while now. This years premium (for the delight of being a gold card holder!) will be £293.12 -- I could buy a car for that! In fact I bought a boat and engine 2 weeks ago for less than that!!

Granted its a fairly flashy level of cover:
- Roadside Assistance
- Home Start
- Relay to anywhere in the UK
- Stay Mobile (they help with onward transport if the car can't be fixed)

Plus becuase I'm a gold card holder ! :
A phone ap (which I think just acts as a digital card!)
2 days of European cover (never take my car to Europe!)
Junior Cover (my 4 year old is covered if he breaksdown in Granny's car)
Key Insurance
Various bits of accident management, legal advice etc that my insurer is responsible for anyway!

So I need my car for work etc. Breaking down is not really an option so I need Roadside + Homestart + Relay. Relay only gets you there not back. If I breakdown paying for a hire car will not be a major problem (I'd rather have the £59 of stay mobile fees for the last 9 years!) but I was hoping (perhaps niavely) that if I needed a hire car they'd make it easier to happen?

Clearly I tow (nothing huge) from time to time. Mostly if that had to take me home rather than to my destination then it will mess up plans for the weekend but no-one dies and I'm not loosing £1000s.

So who should I be going with? Finding someone who definately recover a broken trailer is not easy. Green Flag do. Green Flag + Caravan Club will take the Caravan on to destination and bring it back... Plus they misfuel cover (done it once a long time ago!) Caravan Club also has np size limits but that doesn't affect me as my trailers are skinny.

Anyone got any experiences of any others who play nice with broken trailers?

Anyone got any thoughts on things like car hire / onward travel etc.

Do they all hike the price the following year. (that seriously gets on my t1t$)
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Old 16 July 2015, 19:58   #2
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Just renewed with the AA. Contacted them on the phone with the cheaper quote from Green Flag (introductory offer) and they dropped their quote substantially to nearly match (within £25) provided I signed up for two years at that price !

Worked for me.

Been with the AA 8 years and they've recovered my boat trailer once and car/boat/family once and didn't charge me at all last year due to a 4 hour delay collecting us on our way home when the gearbox expired.
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Old 16 July 2015, 20:07   #3
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You will not beat these on price, will cover you in any scenario from £33.00 full UK, Have used them myself for a few years now, only had to be recovered once but the service was 2nd to non.

MOTOR BREAKDOWN RECOVERY| ROADSIDE | RECOVERY | CHEAP |EUROPEAN
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Old 16 July 2015, 20:43   #4
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Sounds familiar. We've just received our Gold membership renewal notice too. This year the AA are asking for £183.50. That's for joint cover, Roadside and Relay. 28 years loyalty for some flashy looking gold card?

We rarely call them out. Last time I called was 2-3 years ago when the oil pressure light came on my V6 Amtrak locomotive and it beeped (also known by Audi fans as the three chimes of doom). I was towing too, so pulled in to the side of the road. AA were quoting 4 hours minimum as it was a Saturday and I wasn't classed as a priority. I waited an hour and a half then cancelled the call as I reckoned it was an oil sensor. I've serviced my cars for years, so knew the engine oil level was fine. A trick if anyone finds themselves in a similar position is to check the camshaft under the oil filler cap which should be wet with oil if you briefly turn-over the ignition. If it really is low oil pressure - you could seize the engine, so not completely fail-safe.

We challenged the premium last year when the renewal came in and they reduced the price and added Relay free-of-charge. This was meant to be for the life of the policy, but I see they've added it again as an additional cost. We called and threatened to switch provider as our loyalty has seen prices increase and the incentives go to entice new members.

I'm planning to shop around and see what's available. I did a little research and the AA does cover the car and trailer if I'm towing, so that's worthwhile and something I'd want to know is still covered if switching.

I live in rural Aberdeenshire so seeing a Green Flag van here would be a bit of a novelty. I also travel to the west coast of Scotland, so on the rare occasion I've had to call them out, it's not always the AA, but an affiliated garage. Can't complain, they've always been very good. Think the RAC have less coverage in terms of technicians, but I like the AA so fairly sure I can strike a deal.

My advice is to do your research. These premiums are not set in stone and can be negotiated down.
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Old 16 July 2015, 20:46   #5
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You will not beat these on price, will cover you in any scenario from £33.00 full UK, Have used them myself for a few years now, only had to be recovered once but the service was 2nd to non.

MOTOR BREAKDOWN RECOVERY| ROADSIDE | RECOVERY | CHEAP |EUROPEAN
Was that a trailer recovery? Looking for their T&Cs and struggling to find...
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Old 16 July 2015, 21:00   #6
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The irony!
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Old 16 July 2015, 21:06   #7
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You will not beat these on price, will cover you in any scenario from £33.00 full UK, Have used them myself for a few years now, only had to be recovered once but the service was 2nd to non.

MOTOR BREAKDOWN RECOVERY| ROADSIDE | RECOVERY | CHEAP |EUROPEAN
Trailer faults not covered (will recover trailer with broken car but not the other way round.

List of exclusions on the car faults seems longer than normal too - flat battery, faulty wipers etc. Chargable for attendance. Keys locked in.
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Old 16 July 2015, 21:19   #8
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Spartacus, I have called out greenflag in Braemar, you get a local garage who were there quickly, actually knew what they were doing and were able to suggest options for longer term fixes beyond rebooting the ecu! I didn't have hire car provision and that would have been a major headache in the middle of nowhere on a holiday weekend.

Best ever service was from Rac who were there to a dead hire car in four minutes, but that was just luck.
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Old 16 July 2015, 21:19   #9
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Last time I called was 2-3 years ago when the oil pressure light came on my V6 Amtrak locomotive and it beeped (also known by Audi fans as the three chimes of doom).
7 years ago only time I've ever had AA out in 9 years for a failed ECU which put me in limp home mode at 20MPH on motorway. Attended did nothing car had switched out of limp home. Followed me home.

Quote:
I'm planning to shop around and see what's available. I did a little research and the AA does cover the car and trailer if I'm towing, so that's worthwhile and something I'd want to know is still covered if switching.
Lots will recover your trailer with the broken car - thats easy. Few will recover a broken trailer with a fine car.
Quote:
I live in rural Aberdeenshire so seeing a Green Flag van here would be a bit of a novelty.
Don't know what GF do up there. But they have a network of local affiliates like your AA man was. They do have some of their own vans (I don't know if they actually operate them or if the dealers do but livery them up exclusively?)
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Old 16 July 2015, 21:30   #10
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Spartacus, I have called out greenflag in Braemar, you get a local garage who were there quickly, actually knew what they were doing and were able to suggest options for longer term fixes beyond rebooting the ecu!
My experience of the local garage men is they are generally better. In the olden days of driving fiat pandas and such like I used them a few times (not millions!) and they've always been more likely to find a way to botch a fix together than I've seen with others using a AA truck.

Quote:
I didn't have hire car provision and that would have been a major headache in the middle of nowhere on a holiday weekend.
So thats one of the optional extras I don't know if I need. So lets say your GF man couldn't do anything and your ECU was properly fried what were your options - trucked home? If you'd had car hire cover what would it have got you? would the car hire place be open? Would they have a car? How do you get your broken car back when its fixed...? In the days when I was broke at the end of the month and a car died at the wrong time I'd have really appreciated the hotel fees, train fees or hire car option. Nowadays while I aint exactly rich, if I need to find a few quid for a hire car or hotel etc at the very least there will be credit left on the credit card that can pick it up. Just not sure it fixes the problem...
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Old 16 July 2015, 22:15   #11
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Breakdown Cover (inc Trailer Cover)

You pays your money and you takes your choice.

Had to be recovered last Friday in the motorhome, ended up on back of a wagon recovered back to West Bromwich, all in all took a bloody long time 6.5 hours from the time I phoned to the time I got back in the house, mh was left at the garage for repair.

RAC
Renewal beginning of August £220. Worth every penny
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Old 17 July 2015, 16:43   #12
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Even worse with a fleet car up front. They won't touch the trailer as its a fleet cover on the car. Spoke to the AA after they refused to help when on the hard shoulder of teh A30 went like this.

me - will you cover the trailer?
AA - you need a car cover and we can add a trailer policy to it.
Me - ok yes please
AA - Whats your number plate
Me - number plate
AA - that car is covered sir
Me - yes I know but I need trailer cover
AA - you can only have trailer cover if you hold a policy
Me - but you've just told me I have a policy
AA - we can add a trailer policy to a car cover
Me - ok yes please
AA - Whats your number plate
Me - number plate
AA - that car is covered sir
Me - yes I know but I need trailer cover
AA - you can only have trailer cover if you hold a policy


Green flag on the other hand do cover the trailer if that fails and not just the car. Around here it's local garages under the green flag banner. Funny thing is they also cover Britannia and when busy the RAC and AA
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Old 17 July 2015, 19:35   #13
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Reckon my missus should be a professional negotiator. Called the AA today, so Relay back on the policy for a year + Breakdown cover for the pair of us. £101 all in. Be warned if you call, as they have recordings from last year, so no porky-pies regards what was said.

Back to the trailer. Prevention is better than cure in my book. I jack up the trailer at the start of the season and check the bearings. It's a misconception that you need to replace the bearings every year, especially if you pack it well with a decent marine grease. I don't carry spare bearings unless I'm doing a major road trip. Fitting one-use Alko lock-nuts is fiddly even on the drive, as they need pinched once the bearing has been adjusted on my unbraked trailer.

The only tools I carry for the trailer are a decent 17mm socket on a extendable bar, and a 1.5 tonne trolley jack. Yes, I carry a trolley jack in the boot. Not forgetting the spare wheel and plenty disposable gloves.
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Old 19 July 2015, 09:48   #14
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Green flag for me every time. Over the years I've had long trailers recovered, cars, vans, never had a problem & never paid more than £120. When I queried if the length of the trailer would be a problem, I was told that if I can legally tow it with the vehicle I'm covering, they'll cover it.
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Old 20 July 2015, 08:12   #15
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As it happens I had a recovery at the weekend (AA) with a Sales Car that decided to throw a Clutch
On the journey to the Garage I asked a lot of questions in regard of towing..trailers...boats...relay ect,and soon realised its all down to (with the AA anyway) the level/extent of cover you have.
I was assured with ours (which is top of the scale) and comes as an extra through our Bank account,there would be no problem....either recovering and or completing your journey...either with the car..or Hire vehicle Boat Trailer and all!!..and yes the trailer is covered too
Most reassuring when you trailer the length and breadth of the country as we often do!
So advice is CHECK...and amend any shortfalls you feel you may need.
Like some have said..especially with Trailers..maintanece is the Best insurance policy,but thing do break down and it's good to have a back up!
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Old 20 July 2015, 08:33   #16
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Our AA cover comes with our current account with our bank as well and I was told exactly the same as you Maxi which is good to know :thumbup:although when my transom saddle broke on our first holiday up in Scotland I rang up the AA and asked for assistance as the outboard could have fallen off while towing and I was told that they wouldn't cover me for that because car and trailer is covered but not the boat recently I asked a AA man about this and he said that if I would have actually been on the hard shoulder of a motorway or duel carriageway they would have done it but unfortunately for me I was in the boatyard
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Old 20 July 2015, 08:56   #17
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I have been with AA for years. Last year I decided to email them with a specific question 'is my trailer covered' and I got by return an answer advising that it was covered.


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net
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Old 20 July 2015, 09:42   #18
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I pay £12/month on a joint account with natwest.
Both of us get:
worldwide holiday insurance
phone insurance
green flag (including trailers & boats!) on any vehicles registered to the home address. (possibly limited to two? but then I haven't had to tell them what my vehicles are...)
taste card
and some other stuff.

There are other premium bank accounts out there that offer similar. I do it this way as £12/ month is the price of phone insurance for one person anyway and I use all the benefits.
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Old 20 July 2015, 10:23   #19
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Maximus and Kerny, which bank are you with? Might have to look into this as my AA membership is up for renewal shortly.
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Old 20 July 2015, 11:13   #20
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Maximus and Kerny, which bank are you with? Might have to look into this as my AA membership is up for renewal shortly.
Lloyd's We get the top AA cover, mobile insurance ,travel insurance etc.
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