Breakdown Direct Breakdown Cover

My policy with another supplier was due to terminate and I found a cheaper policy with Cover My Breakdown. Having recently got caught by parking on a roadside verge and not being able to get off, I thought I'd check. And no - if you're caught on a verge, in mud or snow - Cover My Breakdown won't cover your recovery. I guess they are at least true to their name - they will cover your mechanical breakdown. Not sure what else though.

I purchased cover for a short trip to Europe with a hired car - the webpage clearly states that hired cars are included, and they also do not appear in the 'excluded' section of the policy.

When the car broke down, the guy on the phone insisted that hired cars are not covered, quoting page 10 of the policy. Mine finished on page 8...

After I insisted and 'he talked to his manager' he gave in (10 minutes international mobile phone call...) and said the local recovery service would call within the next 10 minutes.

After 35 minutes of no calls I called them again and was told that the recovery call had never gone out in the first place.

Avoid!

If you are at all likely to buy a new car with breakdown cover during the period of the cover be aware that unlike some other breakdown cover providers they will not suspend the cover during the period of the cover from the new car manufacturer.

We broke down 2 days into our holiday in the middle of nowhere!! Breakdown direct sent a breakdown company who took our car but it couldn't be fixed as most of France closes down in August!! Breakdown direct tried to find hire car but as there are 6 of us that was impossible so they arranged for train to Paris (we were stopping at disney on way home) and then eurostar when it was time to come home. They then paid for a taxi from St Pancras to our home. 2 weeks later our car was shipped home.

Breakdown direct were fantastic from the very first phone call, they had a translater who spoke to mechanic and they ring or text you with updates.

The best £25 we have ever spent and I have already booked with them for this year.

Our car broke down on a winter holiday in the Alps. Breakdown Direct told us it would be **THREE DAYS** until we would be attended to!

They were very interested in when we were due to drive home and not interested in the fact that we needed our car during our holiday.

I was told by customer services, "there is always public transport".

They later accepted that they were not able to provide the cover they promised, and repaid my premium.

Worthless cover. Do not rely on them.

After a breakdown before arriving at accommodation in France we had a serious problem with our car. we rang breakdown direct who told us that they wouldnt help us because our cover does not start until 24 hours after your policy commences because of a cooling off period! ok i could understand 24hours after buying the policy but not 24hours after it commences.

we ended up agreeing to pay for the recovery and the recovery man was very helpful and arranged a hire car for us.. we ended up paying for the hire car for the week ourselves and also we had to get the part from a company in England as the french part didnt fit our car,and get it couriered over ourselves.

breakdown direct are totally useless and were no help at all and happy to leave a family including children stranded on the roadside in a foreign country.DONT USE THIS COMPANY EVER!!!

An engine warning light came on when i was in italy during a camping holiday. They advised me not to travel any further or my cover would become void. They passed me on to an italian recovery company. It was night time and raining. They said they would not pay for hotel only drop me to a camp site in the rain at 11pm. There was no mechanic to immediately look at my car. They said my car would be towed to a workshop and the mechanic would look at it in 48 hours time.

Fortunately, after a 2 hour wait the warning light disappeared. I rang them back and they said they wanted a mechanic to confirm that the light had gone out. The mechanic did not arrive and they told me to proceed and the light showing would not be held against me.

Only a towing service is provided and no road side recovery. Ps the light was just a exhaust emmission warning light. They could have googled what the light was for instead of causing me all this worry

Breakdown direct - very pleasant experience - competitive price, I had an accident in France, next day they provided courtesy car and refunded flight ticket. Prompt response, staff speaks different languages, able to assist and they call on a daily basis for updates. Highly recommended!!!!

I took out one week's breakdown cover for motoring in France, not really expecting to need it. I was quoted £59 by the AA and £25.95 by Breakdown Direct (for 12 days cover as my holiday was eight days). A couple of days into the holiday, I damaged a tyre hitting a kerb. The car could still be driven, but the tyre looked as if it could burst at any time. I wasn't sure if I was covered, as technically I hadn't broken down (I drove the car back to where we were staying), but Breakdown Direct sent a mechanic out without any quibble. I rang on the Sunday evening of a Bank Holiday weekend, and they sent somebody out the following morning (the Bank Holiday monday). He arrived within 15 minutes of the morning call and did the job. All I had to do was sign a form.

First ever breakdown abroad, reasuring to find multi-lingual operators willing to assist. A bad happening which turned out not so bad because of the very good assistance received from all concerned. Will recommend without problem.