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Breakdown Cover DOES NOT Cover Accidents
Blog Date - 27 September 2012
I remember about 14 years ago I dropped my bike, my fault, and hurt my knee. I managed to ride the bike to where we were going but after I'd been there several hours it became clear I could not ride the bike any more, my knee was far too painful.
My friends and I were actually watching a hill climb race and St John's Ambulance were in attendance. They were very helpful and promised that if there were no serious injuries during the hill climb they'd take me to the local hospital on their way home. This meant I could get my knee looked at, but what was I to do with my bike? I contacted the AA as I was a member and they collected my bike and returned it home. The gf at the time opened the gate to allow the nice man to put the bike in the back yard. My knee was fractured and I did not ride for 3 months, dammit. But, but the bike got home safe and sound with the AA and I received no charge, it never even crossed my mind that there would be a charge. So I was somewhat curious when a friend recently told me quite a different story.
He was riding across Rannock Moor in the Scottish Highlands. It's always windy up there but this day was particularly windy with trees down and lorries blown over. My friend had the misfortune to be blown into the ditches that run beside the road, causing him only minor injuries but rendering the bike unrideable. He contacted the RAC of which he is a member and they informed him that as this was an accident not a breakdown they would recover but at GREAT cost.
I'm a member of the RAC, I alternate between the AA and RAC as each one tries to up their renewal prices and hope that I don't notice. I've looked at the Terms and Conditions online and as far as I can tell, yes, any accident that could be covered by insurance is chargeable and you're expected to claim that back through your insurance. Damn them to hell! So what about the AA. Pretty much the same really. I'm not a lawyer and trying to unravel the legalese is bewildering, but from what I can make out...
Breakdown Cover DOES NOT Cover Accidents
Now imagine I've dropped the bike in a car park and I've broken my clutch lever. Nothing serious, nothing at all. However the lack of clutch lever precludes any chance of riding back home. If I called the AA/RAC and told them I'd dropped my bike, that is an accident and being fully comp I should make a claim, a claim for a new clutch lever and of course the several hundred pounds the AA/RAC would charge to take me home.
So my £10 clutch lever means I could lose my no claims bonus and had a claim, making my insurance rise by a damn sight more than £10. The sensible thing would be to tell the AA/RAC that the lever simply broke, making this a breakdown which is of course covered. However, trying to describe bent forks or a shattered wheel as a "breakdown" is not going to cut the mustard. Does anyone out there know any better than I? Has anyone had similar experiences? I'm also curious if there is a recovery policy out there that will cover you if you have a minor spill?
Reader's Comments
Tom McQ said :-
Last year I was 350 miles from home in Alness, Scotland when I came off my newly purchased Fireblade and the AA (who I've been with since 12 BC) told me I wasn't covered due to it being an accident. Grrrrr. Couldn't believe they were content to leave me stranded so far from home in the middle of a freezing cold winter. They are now in the same category as Solicitors, Insurers, Bankers and Estate Agents.
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