Breakdown cover

[ukpartydj]

Looking at changing from green flag as I was on a joint breakdown cover however I need individual cover and noticed compare the market have what appears to be the same cover at £30 where I'm paying around £80 with a joint deal or it'd be £120 by myself! In 8 years I've had to call them out 3 times and twice they've just popped the van on the low loader and driven me, the other time they just changed the spare wheel as I didn't have a wrench to get it, now I do and a good trolley jack :) lesson learnt!

Anybody else got one of these cheaper breakdown services / any experiences? Seems too good to be true...

17693

[yourdj]

Looking at changing from green flag as I was on a joint breakdown cover however I need individual cover and noticed compare the market have what appears to be the same cover at £30 where I'm paying around £80 with a joint deal or it'd be £120 by myself! In 8 years I've had to call them out 3 times and twice they've just popped the van on the low loader and driven me, the other time they just changed the spare wheel as I didn't have a wrench to get it, now I do and a good trolley jack :) lesson learnt!

Anybody else got one of these cheaper breakdown services / any experiences? Seems too good to be true...

17693

I always go AA or RAC as they have the largest number of vehicles and the best rep. :)

[ppentertainments]

I always go with RAC as they were the only ones that confirmed it was ok to use their services within the needs of my business.

Think it highly unlikely any company would refuse to rescue you, but the service fro, the RAC (apart from one long wait) has been great, including recovering my vehicle so I could get to a booking, then picking me and the van up at the end of the nigh too bring me home.

[CRAZY K]

I always go with RAC as they were the only ones that confirmed it was ok to use their services within the needs of my business.

Think it highly unlikely any company would refuse to rescue you, but the service fro, the RAC (apart from one long wait) has been great, including recovering my vehicle so I could get to a booking, then picking me and the van up at the end of the nigh too bring me home.

Thats good service!!!!

I always go with a big name--Aviva ( aka Norwich Union) who own the RAC I believe:D

Had my first call out in November in Corabar Land ( Barnet ):D

Changed a wheel in about an hour from initial call to job done---I think thats pretty good on a Saturday night.

Mind you Andy my son has called out smaller names covered in his Commercial Vehicle Insurance and got good service.

[TONYTIGER]

RAC is free with my bank ( Barclays ) and has been for 30 years includes the relay service very satisfied.

[CRAZY K]

RAC is free with my bank ( Barclays ) and has been for 30 years includes the relay service very satisfied.

I would be a bit careful about Barclays scheme if you have a VAN.

Maybe RAC direct is ok--what the public dont know is Barclays have THEIR OWN SCHEME POLICY WORDING which may well differ from RAC directly( I havent checked) and dont forget Barclays are creaming off huge profits from these arrangements so its likely to be different and NOT IN YOUR FAVOUR EITHER.

My son was missold this a few years ago in a Branch of Barclays. He runs a big Rodeo Bull set up with a van.

As I was in the Insurance business for all my working life I was interested.

Soooo after a lengthy investigation speaking to unqualified idiots in Barclays SO CALLED Insurance department, (I held the required Professional Qualifications for both General and Life and Pensions business) I got to the bottom of it--

You would be covered if you had a van that was used for Social Domestic and Pleasure use, but of course nudge nudge wink wink --according to the unqualified person I spoke to you could always say that very heavily laden van low on the shock absorbers was actually out on a trip to the seaside with the family when you broke down on the M6 at 2am.

Dream on :rolleyes: You might get away with it--you might not--why take the risk to save a few pounds:daft:

Soo I said how many people buy a van for Family trips==a tool of trade isnt it--hmm apparently Barclays knew of someone --probably ONE OR TWO.

Eventually we got our money back and insured ourselves properly.

You need to check the wording very carefully of these "free for nothing" benefits--

Go carefully!

Maybe its all ok now with Barclays if you have a van used for business?

[ppentertainments]

I would be a bit careful about Barclays scheme if you have a VAN.


Very true, I contacted the RAC when I was thinking about using the cover with my bank and they basically said the cover was very minimal and would unlikely cover 'business use' especially in a van

[ukpartydj]

It seems like they are all pretty vague with their cover.
What I'd like is one that says: If your vehicle breaks down and cannot be repaired right away we'll provide another like for like vehicle right away.

Who offers this?? They all say we'll provide you with "a vehicle" and a few reviews I've read about RAC say that they are not like for like vehicles unless you're broken down vehicle was a small car with manual transmission.

[yourdj]

Very true, I contacted the RAC when I was thinking about using the cover with my bank and they basically said the cover was very minimal and would unlikely cover 'business use' especially in a van

Another reason to use a car. ;)

I had one tow a van from 3/4 metre high water (I thought I could aquaplane it) under a bridge at 1am.

They were fine with it being a van. :)

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

Anybody else got one of these cheaper breakdown services / any experiences? Seems too good to be true...


I've used 2Gether for the van for the last couple of years, but haven't called them out.

I have RAC for my car as it came with it.

Some companies don't cover people working in entertainment, so find out first would be my advice.

[ukpartydj]

Another reason to use a car. ;)

All very well but they can just give you a small car which your gear may not fit into. I guess you could always scale down for the one gig!


I've used 2Gether for the van for the last couple of years, but haven't called them out.

I have RAC for my car as it came with it.

Some companies don't cover people working in entertainment, so find out first would be my advice.

Yes I've seen lots of great reviews for them online but none of them have ever used the service, in fact even the negative ones were more related to how they charged £25 admin for changing car or something. Why write a review on a service you've never used? baffles me!

[TONYTIGER]

I would be a bit careful about Barclays scheme if you have a VAN.

Maybe RAC direct is ok--what the public dont know is Barclays have THEIR OWN SCHEME POLICY WORDING which may well differ from RAC directly( I havent checked) and dont forget Barclays are creaming off huge profits from these arrangements so its likely to be different and NOT IN YOUR FAVOUR EITHER.

My son was missold this a few years ago in a Branch of Barclays. He runs a big Rodeo Bull set up with a van.

As I was in the Insurance business for all my working life I was interested.

Soooo after a lengthy investigation speaking to unqualified idiots in Barclays SO CALLED Insurance department, (I held the required Professional Qualifications for both General and Life and Pensions business) I got to the bottom of it--

You would be covered if you had a van that was used for Social Domestic and Pleasure use, but of course nudge nudge wink wink --according to the unqualified person I spoke to you could always say that very heavily laden van low on the shock absorbers was actually out on a trip to the seaside with the family when you broke down on the M6 at 2am.

Dream on :rolleyes: You might get away with it--you might not--why take the risk to save a few pounds:daft:

Soo I said how many people buy a van for Family trips==a tool of trade isnt it--hmm apparently Barclays knew of someone --probably ONE OR TWO.

Eventually we got our money back and insured ourselves properly.

You need to check the wording very carefully of these "free for nothing" benefits--

Go carefully!

Maybe its all ok now with Barclays if you have a van used for business?

Never been a problem,must have used it 20 times even for home start,maybe im lucky.

[yourdj]

All very well but they can just give you a small car which your gear may not fit into. I guess you could always scale down for the one gig!

I would not use a breakdown company for alternative DJ transport. I just get breakdown cover on the road. :)
Apart from having 2 zafiras and a neighbour with an estate:

I would call a proper commercial van leasing company and have them drop one at the house/pick it up.
There is also a van place a 15 min walk down the road so thats option c.

Also a lot of contacts in the HDA (http://dj-alliance.co.uk) for equipment leasing/borrowing/roady with a van as there is always someone free. :)

[CRAZY K]

Never been a problem,must have used it 20 times even for home start,maybe im lucky.

Is that a Van or Car Tony?

20 breakdowns, is that a world record?:D:D:D

[TONYTIGER]

Is that a Van or Car Tony?

20 breakdowns, is that a world record?:D:D:D

Thats 3 vans over 30 years+ so pretty good value ,but just little things like flat battery.

[ukpartydj]

Thats 3 vans over 30 years+ so pretty good value ,but just little things like flat battery.

Fair enough, I'd have just sorted the battery myself. Maybe worth buying a jumpstarter for £30 so you don't have to wait for them / can buy a cheaper battery.

I suppose I could have racked up some callouts if it wasn't to having a little knowledge. Oh and never go to halfords they are the pc world of the motoring industry... :Censored::Censored::Censored::Censored: everything up and charge you double.

Maybe I will go with the cheaper one... Thinking about it all I'd really need it for is to desperately get to a gig if nobody could help and I'm sure any idiot with a low loader can do that!