'unfair' breakdown charge?

Nope.

Yeah, I don't it's unfair for you to ask to be refunded.

I will also bet money (£40 perhaps?) that there's something in the small print...

Not at all

No sounds a bit shit. Never even heard of this before though, is it common now? (Having breakdown “cover” but having to pay again before recovery? What if you’re unable to make payment over the phone for whatever reason?)

I’ve never had breakdown cover with an Excess.  I would be pissed off if I was charged the excess for a service I didn’t receive.   That said if I ran a breakdown service I’d probably find it frustrating when people call for things they could easily fix themselves or could safely drive to a local garage to get fixed.  I imagine their call management is frustrated by people who call them, then cancel once they are on the way.  Obviously no way they were on their way with a 4 hr wait though unless they only have one guy driving up from the midlands!

if I ran a breakdown service I’d probably find it frustrating when people call for things they could easily fix themselves

I can't quite do the maths, but about a third of callouts are for dead batteries and flat tyres.
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-news/consumer-news/89904/the-aa-s-craziest-callouts-of-2014

I'm guessing the t&cs are worded very loosely in terms of what constitutes a reasonable response time.

It looks as if they hadn't actually sent anyone out, if they were offering to come out the next morning? So charging you for a service that hasn't been provided does seem unreasonable.

I’ve never had breakdown cover with an Excess.

^^^That!

So you take cover out and still have to stump up another £40 before they'll turn out! I'd be bombing them off.

I've been with Britannia Rescue (now LV) for years now and they've been great. Never had to wait long as they use local rescue people rather than their own employees.

I'd be asking for it back and then going elsewhere. I had the run around from green flag last year, no excess but a 1 hour wait turned into 6 hours, and they strung me along continuously saying it would be the next half hour etc. Was particularly annoying as the car was off the road in a safe place and I was a mile and a half from home so could have walked home in 30 minutes.

Did get about 6 months premium back though so at least they accepted they were in the wrong.

I'll try for a refund of excess.

It was one of those that I nearly did just head to a garage after pulling up from motorway. But the loose part has scored the alloy already and was making an almighty racket.

What's the 'usual' breakdown wait?

I've not used a breakdown since 2000 when I had a double puncture... I'm not impressed.

Are National still seeming to be the best option?
Have you asked for your deposit to be refunded?

Runs away to check AA for an 'excess' charge - thats really poor !

Dunno, I've used Green Flag for years, the service has been a bit 50/50 TBH, one time they actually called me a liar when I'd canceled a call out (because it would have ended up being 3am or something daft) and they couldn't delay it so told me I should cancel and phone back in the morning. Phoned back in the morning, lo and behold they can't send anyone as apparently I'd refused assistance. Took most of the morning getting increasingly irate with their CS until they offered to sort it as "good will".

2nd time I just phoned them up, told them the car was abandoned in a hotel car park and keys were with reception while I went to work.

The trouble is they don't do "recovery" anymore, it's either a man in a van who'll try and diagnose the fault but not much else, then wait all day for the flatbed truck.

Still never had to pay an excess though.

If you've paid for something you haven't received, I'm not seeing how it's even a question.

By way of comparison, I've had cause to call out the AA a few times in recent years, mostly on lease cars where I've had a bottle of Badger's Finest in the boot rather than an actual spare wheel. The longest wait I've had is about 20 minutes.

If you’ve paid for something you haven’t received, I’m not seeing how it’s even a question.

I'd be of this opinion. Can't see how they can charge excess if they didn't attend.

It's also the first time I've heard of paying excess for breakdown insurance, unless it's part of your car insurance policy? In terms of waiting times, I'm with RAC, and having had a couple of breakdowns, I've discovered 6-7 hours seems about the norm. I'm more mindful to take snacks and warm clothes with me now...

I can’t quite do the maths, but about a third of callouts are for dead batteries and flat tyres.

Part of the terms of the lease scheme at my old company you weren't *allowed* to change a flat tyre.
These days i don't even have a spare, but i do swap 4 wheels twice a year winter/summer.

What’s the ‘usual’ breakdown wait?

Wife had one recently on company vehicle.  "With you in an hour" resulted in 3 or 4 calls to update the ETA and it was 3.5 hrs in total.  Its no wonder the wait was so long though, as having got her to the garage he hung around to see if they could fix it and then drove her home when they couldn't.  Great customer service, but not really an efficient use of resource.

I’ve not used a breakdown since 2000 when I had a double puncture… I’m not impressed.

I'd have thought after you drove over the stinger the police would recover the car 😉

What’s the ‘usual’ breakdown wait?

I'm with the AA. Had them out twice. First time was a rainy bank holiday Monday night so wasn't expecting much but they got to me in about 45 minutes. Second time, about an hour and a half.

I would be well miffed in your situation.

If you paid by cc for something you didn't receive you must be covered. I had no idea either re excess, although that's how our boiler insurance works so I guess breakdown policies copied the idea.

Are National still seeming to be the best option?

Not from a service point of view.

The issue being that many policies cover the person - therefore needing 5 policies, or cover the vehicle but still ask for drivers names and limit to 2... So for family of 5 and 3 vehicles, and bearing in mind I had not tested until today, it seemed a good choice.

AA or RAC or Greenflag come it at really significantly more money - I paid £89 for a year of breakdown cover, including western Europe. Next cost to cover all of us and all vehicles was around £300 iirc. Perhaps this is the reason.

It’s also the first time I’ve heard of paying excess for breakdown insurance

It is a way of keeping the policy cheaper - and having not claimed in 20 years as generally my cars are well maintained, I see it as a 'last resort'. Yesterday made me realise that they are not even that very well.

I’d have thought after you drove over the stinger the police would recover the car

The police must have left their spade in the outside lane of the raised M6 through Brum then.. 😲

AA and RAC are not cheap. I got them down to £300 for all four of us. My son uses them at least once a year.

AA's partners really let him down last year when in Belgium. Literally left him in the middle of no-where, car in one town him in another. AA stumped up £250 compensation.

Who owns the family vehicles Matt, are they registered to you/your wife? If so worth having a look at RBS. We pay for their premier account and get AA cover for all cars owned by the (joint) account holders. Also includes travel and mobile phone insurance, so pretty good value (I think about £15 per month)

What’s the ‘usual’ breakdown wait?

I once broke down outside Captains Road social work office in Edinburgh, I phoned RAC and as the call handler was concluding the call and telling me wait would be up to 60 mins, the RAC van appeared. The driver said it appeared on his screen as he was approaching the junction, he braked, turned left and parked up. Total response time was under 20 secs.

I was assured of a 60min or so wait. I paid my £40 excess.

So you shouldn't be charged as they didn't deliver that service.

It is a way of keeping the policy cheaper – and having not claimed in 20 years as generally my cars are well maintained, I see it as a ‘last resort’. Yesterday made me realise that they are not even that very well.

Until your wait/charge that sounded very attractive.
I view it as you as "last resort" and only used once in 20+yrs so I don't see why I'd pay more so other people can use it as a first resort. I've nothing against people having a first resort... just I don't want it so don't want to pay for it.

Who owns the family vehicles Matt, are they registered to you/your wife? I

Myself one, wife one, son one.

So, it seems that '60 minutes was not promised, that was an indication.' To be fair, that is what the chap said. However, to jump from 60 mins and 'everything is fine' to looking at a 'why don't you go home, we are going to be sometime late tonight' seems a huge jump. Apparently non refundable.... I have asked for a manager.

AA and RAC are not cheap. I got them down to £300 for all four of us. My son uses them at least once a year.

£6.25/month sounds pretty reasonable for a callout at least annually.

(What's he driving, an Allegro?)

So, it seems that ’60 minutes was not promised, that was an indication.’ To be fair, that is what the chap said. However, to jump from 60 mins and ‘everything is fine’ to looking at a ‘why don’t you go home, we are going to be sometime late tonight’ seems a huge jump. Apparently non refundable…. I have asked for a manager.

Legal stuff aside... I guess the £40 isn't putting enough people off the first resort and/or they aren't really trying and expect most people are like you and pay for years before ever having a claim so don't care if you renew or not?

Hard to say but it did sound attractive... I'd be happy to do £100 excess if it got me a 1hr in a proper emergency.

A surprise - a manager called back to apologise - they usually are out to folk within 60-90 minutes, she did not know why such a delay was suggested particularly as I was in Edinburgh, and has refunded excess.

they usually are out to folk within 60-90 minutes

So, within 90 minutes then. Unless she meant "between" then that 60 is just there to make the typical response time sound better than it is.

"Sale: up to 70% off!" could have everything at full price. Tricksy thing, language.

A surprise – a manager called back to apologise – they usually are out to folk within 60-90 minutes, she did not know why such a delay was suggested particularly as I was in Edinburgh, and has refunded excess.

Hmm. now I'm interested again

Don't forget that many of these are insurance products, so you've got the complaints procedure and the Financial Ombudsman Service behind it.

So go through complaints and take it to FOS and it'll cost the company about £600... so of course they'll end up refunding the excess of £40 before it reaches that point.