When Did This Roadside Rescue Excess Nonsense Appear?

[david small]

About to renew my breakdown cover and I now see RAC and Blue Flag are charging £40 excess when called out before they assist me. The whole point of a breakdown cover was to help when needed. Not to charge extra for doing what you paid for in the first place. Yet another example of bleed the motorist?

[Canary42]

News to me - I never had to pay anything when Green Flag rescued me.  

[nicebloke1]

Because they've lost thousands of members. They have been offering new engineers who join them a 2000k one off payment. Even the engineers are leaving because they are taking all the flack for long response times.

[jno]

are you sure it's compulsory? I thought it was just an optional way of reducing your premiums.

[barry1010]

How old is your car?  Some companies slap a call out excess for older cars

[tomus42]

As per jno, surely it's like any insurance where you would have agreed an excess in advance?

[barry1010]

I did a search breakdown cover last week and a few companies had a compulsory excess fee for call outs. 

[barry1010]

Just had another look at the quotes

 

RAC £75 pa with £40 compulsory excess per call out.

Ping £26.92 pa with £30 per cal out.

[nicebloke1]

AA and a RAC have never charged, so if they are doing it now then its only recent that they've started.

[barry1010]

My car is 14 years old but I don't know if that is relevant 

[Gizmonster]

Some of them even limit the number of call outs per year.  I've seen policies offered where you're only allowed 1 call out per year!!

Have a look here:

https://www.confused.com/breakdown-cover

You can filter out the ones with an excess and select a policy with unlimited call outs.

I'm sure mine was around £35 per year with no excess and unlimited call outs.

[barry1010]

Ping also quoted me £38 a year, limited to one call out.  Ridiculous 

[barry1010]

I've been with Emergency Assist for a few years.  Home start, recovery, everything £40 a year 

[nicebloke1]

Shareholders come first customers come last.

[gulliver1]

Mr NiceBloke 21.32.  Must be affiliated to the Con Party then.

[nicebloke1]

^^ I bet at least one of the cons have got their fingers in the pie somewhere along the line.:0))

[gingejbee]

No excess or call-out charge with these people and Which? Recommended Provider for 5 years...and really inexpensive!

 

https://www.startrescue.co.uk/

[gingejbee]

...oh, and unlimited call-outs!

[Buenchico]

From the RAC website:

"Q. Do you pay excess on breakdown cover?

Unlike insurance, you don’t have to pay excess on most breakdown cover. Your membership covers you for 24/7 access to roadside assistance and includes free fitting and labour if you need repairs at the roadside"

Source:
https://www.rac.co.uk/breakdown-cover

I'm with the RAC simply because their cover is included in my car insurance premium.  In the past though, I've used Autonational Rescue, which I was generally satisfied with:
https://www.autonational.co.uk/

[ToraToraTora]

As with all insurance the price has to pay for the morons. It is the way of things. It continually amazes me how cheap it is.

[ToraToraTora]

When poor people have personal private transpost, one must accept commensurate costs. I must admit that it does disturb me that that those same people moan so much.