Breakdown assistance

Dinky22

I have membership/breakdown assistance & home start with AA ending in 2 weeks approx. I then have my motor insurance with AA starting in June (5 months apart).I did not get my bill from AA for membership for Feb yet but it is getting quite expensive. I am thinking of shopping around for another insurance company to include breakdown assistance & home start for June but I cannot do this until June.I do not want to be without any breakdown assistance for 5 months (just in case!).Any suggestions of a cheaper breakdown assistance that is reliable to get me thru to June.My car is in good nick but would like to be covered in case of a problem.I saw an add for Blue Insurance Motor Breakdown that seemed reasonable but don't know anything about them.Would appreciate any suggestions-Thanks.

Neyite

Most of the insurers provide BA as part of their cover. Certainly, Hibernian, Axa, Allianz, Quinn (or whatever was formerly Quinn) One Direct, and a few others do include it.

They are very similar to AA. most of them are quite similar as its the one or two companies that provides the breakdown assistance for the insurers.

You would get:
Home start
Roadside repair or tow to your preferred local garage or nearest competent repairer, (whichever closer)
Continuation of journey - if you are mid trip, they get you either home or to your destination. (either train/bus/hire car, taxi or drop off by tow truck
Overnight storage. If you break down at night they will store your car securely and tow onwards to your garage or nearest competent repairer.

Dinky22

Thanks for your reply Neyite. I will certainly try them before June-but I wonder would there be a reasonable breakdown assistance ie cheaper than AA that I could take up from Feb as my insurance does now get renewed until June?

mgbgt1978

You could always price around now for a renewal quote (for your car insurance).
Include the AA in this search and if you can get insured for less elsewhere then simply cancel the existing policy, take a small hit on a % of the refund due back to you, and off you go.

Dinky22

Thanks for your reply mgbgt1978. It is an option.Did you see the add on internet for Blue insurance breakdown assistance-they just do breakdown & home start on its own-but I don't know if anybody has ever used them.I was thinking of trying them & then to do the pricing of the car insurance nearer to June.

chinwag

Afaik, AA claim that their breakdown service is superior to that provided on motor insurance policies. Think AA claim that they actually fix more cars on the roadside and get them going rather than towing car to a garage. Somehow, I suspect they might be more professional as they are a designated roadside assistance outfit and have been for years. But cost can be a deciding factor. Does anyone have any experiences and opinions on this?

CiniO

chinwag wrote: »

Afaik, AA claim that their breakdown service is superior to that provided on motor insurance policies. Think AA claim that they actually fix more cars on the roadside and get them going rather than towing car to a garage. Somehow, I suspect they might be more professional as they are a designated roadside assistance outfit and have been for years. But cost can be a deciding factor. Does anyone have any experiences and opinions on this?

Over last 10 years, I didn't have a need for roadside assistance.
Obviously things happen, and it might be anytime when I'll need one.

But considering the fact that nowadays we've got internet access virtually anywhere, I think it would come much cheaper to actually find help over internet (maybe from some local garage) and pay full rate for towing, bnb, alternative transport, etc, then paying assistance insurance for 10 years.

cplwhisper

Dinky22 - PM me in relation to your scenario

Patrick2010

With 123.ie and have used their breakdown assistance twice, came out within 30 minutes and got me going. Am in Dublin so no idea what they'd be like outside there. Can't understand why anyone would join AA when almost every insurer offers BA.

Neyite

chinwag wrote: »

Afaik, AA claim that their breakdown service is superior to that provided on motor insurance policies. Think AA claim that they actually fix more cars on the roadside and get them going rather than towing car to a garage. Somehow, I suspect they might be more professional as they are a designated roadside assistance outfit and have been for years. But cost can be a deciding factor. Does anyone have any experiences and opinions on this?

Considering that a lot of towing/repair services are agents for the AA and the insurance companies the technical knowledge at the roadside are the same. Especially in rural areas, the same garage will cover callouts for both of those.

I think there are about 3 companies in Ireland who handle the motor rescue for insurance companies and they in turn subcontract to the garage in various areas, then you have towing services for the Gardai, the AA, and other ones, so you can see where a garage might be contracted to one of the insurance motor rescue and AA or the Gardai as one contract alone would be insufficient to cover running costs of a 24hr mechanic service and depreciation of tow truck, especially outside built up areas.

kuro2k

Dinky22 wrote: »

I have membership/breakdown assistance & home start with AA ending in 2 weeks approx. I then have my motor insurance with AA starting in June (5 months apart).I did not get my bill from AA for membership for Feb yet but it is getting quite expensive. I am thinking of shopping around for another insurance company to include breakdown assistance & home start for June but I cannot do this until June.I do not want to be without any breakdown assistance for 5 months (just in case!).Any suggestions of a cheaper breakdown assistance that is reliable to get me thru to June.My car is in good nick but would like to be covered in case of a problem.I saw an add for Blue Insurance Motor Breakdown that seemed reasonable but don't know anything about them.Would appreciate any suggestions-Thanks.

How much is the AA cover costing you?

It is possible to get breakdown cover with ADAC (german version of AA)

http://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/adac_membership/default.aspx?quer=mitgliedschaft_leistungen/mitgliedschaftstarife/membership/default.asp

ADAC single Plus membership gives you Ireland and European breakdown cover and covers the driver, irrespective of the car you are in.... cost is 79.50 EUR a year.

You will have to call them to arrange the cover (website does not accept non german addresses), they have english speakers available..

What they cover..

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.ie&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/leistungen/default.aspx&usg=ALkJrhgpQRz3L5QEIRyDx1Iq1CmkXb3f5Q

http://www.aaireland.ie/AA/AA-Membership.aspx

.

cplwhisper

hope that my info helps ya Dinky

Dinky22

Many thanks cplwhisper you have been a GREAT help. I have sent you a pm. Dinky22

Dinky22

Thanks everybody for your replies but as per my previous post I am now sorted.

Mar4ix

since 1997 (when i got driver license), never need BA , even flat tyre :P , just couple times top up air. was driving most of time bangers, usually after my inspection and necessary repairs though. Maybe luck ??
once my wife had to call recovery services to get car to home , while she was with my car, but i fixed within few days .