Breakdown cover

[FrintonMike]

Just had my AA renewal and as I have had cover with them for 30 years they say that I am entitled to Gold cover which gives extra cover over and above normal cover. The snag is the cost is £275.00 for the year and the extra cover I do not need.
Last year I threatened to go to Green Flag and the AA gave me cover for £10 more than Green Flag and gave me Home Emergency insurance free and although I have cover with British Gas I accepted rather than muck about changing. This year Home Emergency cover is £85.
Needless to say I have cancelled the Home Emergency cover.
Green Flag/ Mayday through the Caravan Club is £135 for what seems to be the same cover as the AA but before changing has anyone experience of the Mayday cover or service ?

 

[dougie201]

Hi Frinton Mike.

We have cover with Greenflag mayday through the caravan club, we only paid £89 for the year and that includes home start and they will take you to your destination if they cant get you going. They will also bring you home at the end of your holiday if your tow car still has'nt been repaired. We have had to use them once on a home start and they were with us within 40 mins. Can't fault them.
I would recommend mayday only with the service i have recieved from greenflag, others may fault them.

Dougie....

 

[Martin24]

Swmbo had AA for years and is now on green flag with me, less than half the price for the same cover with both cars and both of us.

 

[Mel]

Both me and OH on Green flag mayday from CC. fraction of what you are quoting for both of us. best thing is that they will recover the van even if the car has not broken down, but the van has.
mel

 

[Raywood]

We have had Green Flag cover £89 for some years, if you speak to them very helpful and knowledgable staff. Only used cover twice but in both cases service was faultless and they check to make sure you were happy with the service..

 

[Surfer]

Not sure why you are paying £135 for Green Flag through CC. Normally we pay £89 but as we opted for the extra to drive the combination home it in case I was unable to do so came to £104 or there abouts.

 

[FrintonMike]

Surfer, The cost of Mayday/Green Flag cover is £138.50 and not £135 as I first said.
This is made up of £89.00 for Premium UK cover, £21.50 to cover my wifes car and £28.00 to give us cover whilst driving my son or daughters car.
Still a lot cheaper than the AA so I will be changing from 01/09/12 when it is due as I can see no reason not to change

 

[Red_Mick]

We used the Green Flag last weekend, three times in two days!!! Battery problems, which, unfortunately, they couldn't diagnose.

The last one, when I broke down on the way to the storage with the 'van, sent me to Halford's, where they had a specialist device to check the battery. This confirmed that it wasn't any of the other possibilities suggested. One wonders why they don't have diagnostic equipment on board, this would have saved two callouts, as I would have been sure of a replacement battery giving a cure, which it has done.
I have followed this thread, as I'm thinking of gettin the Mayday cover. ( I have standard cover, my wife and/or I in any vehicle, including recovery to home, for £75)

One scenario I haven't seen mentioned: If you are off site in the car and break down, will they take you to your van and take the outfit home??? I had an experience with the AA a while ago, a home recovery required, but they weren't allowed to take us back to our hotel to pick up our luggage, as that would mean two 'lifts'

 

[Dustydog]

Just renewed my Green Flag via CC for £89.00. I'm changing the payment method to direct debit as they will then give us £5.00 of M&S vouchers.
I seem to recall from previous posts there was some uncertainty about the length / weight of caravan the AA & RAC could handle

In addition to Mel's point Green Flag will deliver you and your car to wherever you want. Next day or whenever they will return at your request and take you to your garage.
If they don't attend the breakdown scene in less than 60 minutes they will give you £10.00. They guarantee to send a vehicle out that can handle both your car and caravan, not just a patrol vehicle.

 

[kennygee]

I can definitely recommend Green Flag. I once broke down 100 miles from home and was given the option of getting my car sorted at their garage or taken home. I opted for the second. My caravan is stored about 6 miles from my home but the breakdown chap took my van into storage and then took my car to my house. First class service.

 

[FrintonMike]

I phoned Green Flag/Mayday today to join and had a pleasant surprise as the cover was £117.00 and not £138.50 as I thought, as if I have the £28.00 personal cover for my wife and myself to drive any car I do not need to pay the £21.50 to cover my wifes car.
I have saved £158.00 over the AA cover. When I phoned them to say I had changed they said they would match the Green Flag price. I told them they did the same last year and asked why they did not give the lowest quote when sending the renewal as I did not want to go to the trouble of getting other quotes and then phoning them each year . They had no answer to that so have lost a customer of 30 years.
I hope I do not have to find out if Green Flag/ Mayday live up to the good reports that I have been given

 

[colinw1]

We were with the AA - When we phoned them to cover us for France one year, they wouldn't cover us.. seemingly our vans length put THEIR outfit length longer than an average artic.. If they had to recover us back to the UK...

We rang around - red flag wanted an arm and leg.. so onto our insuance co (dont condem me) Direct line... They said yes, and as for recovery, they told us they'd send 2 drivers, get close to the docks at Calais and the second driver would hire something to bring the caravan over with.. then take it back when everything was in Dover.
As it is -we didn't need cover for breakdowns - but would have been better if we'd had holiday ins, as the mother in law died and we had to leg it back sooner, a £50 fee for returning early on the ferry - then a £60 fine from a service area for staying longer then should have.

As our AA cover is now up - I'll give green flag a go - see what they have to say... were staying in blighty this year but I'll ask about euro cover just the same.

EDIT
Just got an online qoute for our shogun - on recovery plus - £95. which is £30 cheaper than the AA was

 

[DianneT]

Surprised no one has looked at ADAC the German organization we have been with for 4 years and used twice with excellent service once for car, once for caravan. Cover for 1 person is 79.50 Euro's or 2 persons for 98.70 Euro's Cover is for all of Europe including UK for 12 months. So no other cover needed. They cover any caravan up to 10 metres long singl or twin axle All staff speak excellent English. If you use themin the UK AA will attend under ADAC terms. See more here

 

[ValA.]

Like a lot of other caravanners, we have now gone with ADAC too - really good value at today's exchange rate, less then £80.00 for annual British and European cover for any length period in Europe! We haven't had to use them - and obviously any organisation is only as good as you get when you need them! However, that's the same with any breakdown organisation - even the Caravan Club famed Red Pennant got it wrong when they refused to 'repatriate' a caravan stranded on a campsite in Scotland when the car towing it was burned out in a fire, and the police towed it away for safety reasons! The Caravan Club did offer an apology, but that's no help when things go so badly wrong.

 

[colinw1]

Hmmmmm

Just rang Green Flag - While they would do breakdown cover for us SOLO - they wont recover us if towing. Our van is too long!!!

 

[FrintonMike]

Colin, Green Flag/ Mayday is a scheme for Caravan Club members and they do not even ask for details of the caravan as they cover any caravan. This is different to the normal Green Flag cover.

If you are a Caravan Club member the Green Flag/ Mayday number is 0845 835 0922. If you are not a Caravan Club member it may be worth while joining just for the breakdown cover

 

[SteveW77]

The Caravan & Camping Club RAC Arrival scheme also covers caravans of any length.

Steve W