Breakdown Assistance

TallGlass

I'm very disappointed with the poor service I received when my motorbike broke down the other night.

First, I broke down on my motorcycle on a motorway and walked off.

Rang for assistance all was fine.

Tow company rang me, speaking with him was stuck in Kildare, going to Dublin. Told him could he bring it too Dublin. Anyway. He said that's 80€. Cause it's not local.

Rang back again to assistance. Then it was literally no budging. It was black and white.

It was free to a garage, but the tow fella wanted to bring it to a yard and then on somewhere else tomorrow.

After about 5 phone calls and pure refusal to bring it back to my home under cover. I forked out 80€ to just be done with it.

I wanted it back to my home so I could try my spare keys in the bike before anything, secondly I am okay at mechanics so I would like to try triage and fix the problem first. Thirdly I didn't see the benefit of me been in Dublin while a bike shop had my bike in Kildare. Fourthly, if they couldn't fix it how would I get it back. Fifth, rocking up unexpectedly to a bike shop with a broken bike, no estimate no triage, how much was this going to cost!

Then the agents stuck to script. They could only tow it locally. It's in the Ts and C's, I'm fine with that however no one was telling me what bike shop it was going to, or why I couldn't bring it home. Further to that bringing it to a garage in Kildare would still leave me in Kildare. The agent said we can arrange a taxi, and give you 35 towards it to get back to Dublin. So I asked about a hotel, was told again 35 to stay in local hotel. So my stress levels where sky high, no one was listening or going on any logic.

I asked for a complaint number, which I still haven't got as I want to complain offically to Liberty insurance, MIBI and make the competition authority aware of this practice.

I didn't want the bike going to a garage or a yard end of. Even at that, it was a garage selected by you, with me footing the bill, so no competition on selecting a garage.

My wish was to bring the bike home so I could repair it myself. Which I successfully done tonight. So had I followed your instructions I would be more than likely forking out 100s in a repair bill as it was quite a fix.

But it does fall back on me and I will take the blame, the T&C for some reason in my mind read as, 'The nearest Garage or to your home address'. I specifically stuck with Liberty for this benifit and it was a literally before my bike broken down, rang Liberty, tow guy rang me and off home I went.

My policy is up end of Feb and I was quite happy until this and I will be pulling this policy and my car policy come renewal.

Again, I was in the wrong by a misunderstanding of the T&C's, however the sheer rigidness of the process. Considering I told the guy I have good mechanical knowledge if I get it home I can get it started and try another key. Logical stuff. But no if I wanted this it's 80€.

Also, it's all assumed in this they you literally have cash on you. I'd to stop at a shop and get cash to pay the guys. Not even a billing service offered. Nothing.

The service offered is nothing more than a sham of doing a Google search in the area you've broken down in and ringing a tow truck.

I also am posting this so that others who might not be aware are and can put in place proper breakdown cover. Cause it is literally, you break down and a garage is closer then your car is going there and not to your house.

TallGlass

Also can I just add, this cost 45€ in the end. One agent mentioned it as they would consider its a taxi journey me in tow truck. So I had to push for that.

This was never about the money BTW. I gave the extra 40 I save back to the tow lads. Cause they had to wait while I ironed all this crap out.

My problem was I wanted to repair the bike, I was the garage so to speak but I couldn't choose that option, without a fee. The entire thing was just lost on me. Also no one could answer, what happens if they bike shop can't fix it? Do we just keep towing it around till someone can fix it.

There is also no time to stop and think about things, is the bike worth repairing if you've the money to even repair it, is there storage costs in these yards or if you park outside repair garage, is the garage reliable and do good work have good reviews and prices. All factors you need to consider not something you'd do on the side of road.

Also where do these figures come from? 35€ for a taxi, 35€ for a hotel and 80€ 'continuation' of journey?

Liberty Insurance: Sean

TallGlass wrote: »

I'm very disappointed with the poor service I received when my motorbike broke down the other night.

First, I broke down on my motorcycle on a motorway and walked off.

Rang for assistance all was fine.

Tow company rang me, speaking with him was stuck in Kildare, going to Dublin. Told him could he bring it too Dublin. Anyway. He said that's 80€. Cause it's not local.

Rang back again to assistance. Then it was literally no budging. It was black and white.  

It was free to a garage, but the tow fella wanted to bring it to a yard and then on somewhere else tomorrow.

After about 5 phone calls and pure refusal to bring it back to my home under cover. I forked out 80€ to just be done with it.

I wanted it back to my home so I could try my spare keys in the bike before anything, secondly I am okay at mechanics so I would like to try triage and fix the problem first. Thirdly I didn't see the benefit of me been in Dublin while a bike shop had my bike in Kildare. Fourthly, if they couldn't fix it how would I get it back. Fifth, rocking up unexpectedly to a bike shop with a broken bike, no estimate no triage, how much was this going to cost!

Then the agents stuck to script. They could only tow it locally. It's in the Ts and C's, I'm fine with that however no one was telling me what bike shop it was going to, or why I couldn't bring it home. Further to that bringing it to a garage in Kildare would still leave me in Kildare. The agent said we can arrange a taxi, and give you 35 towards it to get back to Dublin. So I asked about a hotel, was told again 35 to stay in local hotel. So my stress levels where sky high, no one was listening or going on any logic.

I asked for a complaint number, which I still haven't got as I want to complain offically to Liberty insurance, MIBI and make the competition authority aware of this practice.

I didn't want the bike going to a garage or a yard end of. Even at that, it was a garage selected by you, with me footing the bill, so no competition on selecting a garage.

My wish was to bring the bike home so I could repair it myself. Which I successfully done tonight. So had I followed your instructions I would be more than likely forking out 100s in a repair bill as it was quite a fix.

But it does fall back on me and I will take the blame, the T&C for some reason in my mind read as, 'The nearest Garage or to your home address'. I specifically stuck with Liberty for this benifit and it was a literally before my bike broken down, rang Liberty, tow guy rang me and off home I went.

My policy is up end of Feb and I was quite happy until this and I will be pulling this policy and my car policy come renewal.

Again, I was in the wrong by a misunderstanding of the T&C's, however the sheer rigidness of the process. Considering I told the guy I have good mechanical knowledge if I get it home I can get it started and try another key. Logical stuff. But no if I wanted this it's 80€.

Also, it's all assumed in this they you literally have cash on you. I'd to stop at a shop and get cash to pay the guys. Not even a billing service offered. Nothing.

The service offered is nothing more than a sham of doing a Google search in the area you've broken down in and ringing a tow truck.

I also am posting this so that others who might not be aware are and can put in place proper breakdown cover. Cause it is literally, you break down and a garage is closer then your car is going there and not to your house.

Hi TallGlass

We are sorry to hear about your experience. We can confirm our Breakdown Assistance providers are aware of this and are looking into the matter for you. Our Breakdown Assistance providers will be in contact with you in due course to discuss this further.

Seán

TallGlass

Thanks Sean.

Appreciate that the call might have got a bit heated at stages and would like to apologies about that, mainly down to my concerns on the calls not been taken seriously and as you can imagine, I would be very much out of pocket had I followed on with the suggestion of a transfer to a garage or in this case yard overnight, as the motorcycle is now fixed.

bigar

I also had an issue with the Liberty Insurance Breakdown assistance.  Mine was that the people attending were not even familiar with how to fix a motorbike and just wanted to tow it.  I wanted them to look at it first as is stated in the Policy.
I spend best part of the day calling Liberty to receive the service as is shown in the policy but to no avail.  I had to ask a local mechanic to come and fix the motorbike at my own expense.

I used the Breakdown Assistance a few years ago as well and it was fine.  Seems they have changed mechanics and help is gone down the drain.

Time for Liberty Insurance to get their act together.

I did receive an apology from Liberty for how badly they handled this.