Hi

I'm just shopping around for breakdown cover at the moment but there are so many companies and types of cover to choose from that I'm just going round in circles at the moment.

Any advice/recommendations?

Make sure you choose oen that will take the dogs in the event of a breakdown as many won't.

Good point hadn't even considered that with mine!  I will certainly be considering that in future and check out my existing policy x

Don't worry too much about price.  When you have found the company that you want even if they are more expensive you can generally get them to match the price offered by any other company you have a quote from.
I like the AA.  Some drivers will let you take the dog in the cab with you especially if you have a crate that will fit in there but even if you have to leave the dog in the car I don't think mine would be bothered as she travels well in her crate.  I think you pay more for a policy that always permits you to carry dogs in the cab but not sure.

Whichever company I choose, I am opting for cover that will recover the car to any location of my choosing (rather than to the nearest garage which some of the more 'basic' policies offer) so the dogs can travel in the car and wouldn't need to be in the cab.  On the one occasion when we have needed to have a car recovered in the past, OH and the dog stayed in the car which was loaded onto the truck and I travelled in the cab to give directions to our house.

>When you have found the company that you want even if they are more expensive you can generally get them to match the price offered by any other company you have a quote from.  I like the AA.

That's good to know, thanks :)

That's OK if you get a flat loader, rather than a tow truck.

If your car is an automatic then it will always be a "total lift" ie lifted onto a flat loader rather than a spectical lift where 2 wheels are lifted up.

Jill

We've been with the RAC for years because they were the only ones who would do family cover a few years ago. They aren't cheap but they cover me, OH, daughter and my parents under one policy(same address). I could probably change it now as my dad no longer drives but haven't looked at others yet. RAC have always been fine whenever we called them out.

I have always been impressed with the quick response from the RAC.  If you are a female on your own I believe you get priority with both the RAC and the AA, not sure you do with the lesser known ones.

I've been with the RAC for over 20 years. They've always turned up very quickly and been very efficient.

And I think it is the RAC who do the cover where the person who holds the cover can call them out if they are a passenger in someone else's car which breaks down - which was exceedingly useful when my son was able to call them out when he was a passenger in my daughter's car that needed to be towed home :)

That's right. With the RAC they respond to the member, not the vehicle.

The AA also responds to the member and not the vehicle or they have for me in the past.  Unfortunately like many things in life it depends upon whether the bloke that picks you up likes dogs or not, if he doesn't there's no way that you'll get your dog to be with you but if he does then you're fine.

My car broke down on the way home from Crufts this year and the AA man was there within 15 minutes, was really nice, and chatted for longer than he took to change the wheel etc.

I have just insured with AA family policy, covering all memebrs living at same address. For breakdown and relay, 4 people, cost £135. It is the individual that is covered so my sons would also be covered if they were in a friends car and they are not restricted to cars under 10 years old, as with many individual policies. As we all have a car, it works out at less than £40 per vehicle.

That's interesting as I have the same with the RAC (covers 5 people) but with home start too. Mine is a lot more than that so I may change over next year when its due - although there was something on TV about them recently - to do with the private equity buy out thing I think - so I wonder if their service will be as good?

Just checked on line and its £179 for up to 5 people at same address with RAC, (as driver or passenger)