GEM and renewing breakdown cover

[midnightcatprowl]

I have for many years had breakdown cover with GEM Motoring Assist which is due for renewal in about three weeks. I have no particular argument with GEM. I've not needed to use its services for some years (and long may that continue!) but in the days when I was high mileage van driver doing a long delivery round among other things for my business I was grateful for their help from time to time.

I still drive a van - now used for voluntary activities - but have only done a fairly modest mileage over the last couple of years but I make sure it gets one or two decent runs during the week not just endless short runs and I also keep it properly serviced. Because of a role I've just taken on in one of those voluntary activities I know that my mileage is going to increase again by quite a lot in this coming year.

I've no problem with the GEM model of pay the rescuer and then reclaim, I've always found them very prompt to re-pay but looking at the renewal I do have a couple of issues to think over:

they are very good at sending someone to rescue you but there is never the slightest attempt at a roadside repair, once you've phoned Gem someone is going to turn up with a low loader and take you and your vehicle to your choice of home or intended destination regardless of distance. In some ways that's fine, in some ways it is irritating to discover at your garage that sometimes the problem was quite small and could perhaps have been dealt with at the roadside;

the cost of renewal has gone up again to £78 of which the insurance factor is £55.60 and the rest is membership of GEM. GEM used to be called 'The Guild of Experienced Motorists' and despite the name change it does still have an air of Senior Citizen membership. It does a lot of work re: road safety which I'm sure is good and proper but having once watched their video of what to do if you find an emergency vehicle behind you with sirens going on a narrow road or at a junction, all I can say is that it gave me a good laugh and I'd advise anyone against trying to follow the advice if you had a fire engine from the Bedford or Luton Fire Service behind you. You get a substantial magazine at intervals which tends to assume that the readers are very interested in vehicles in their own right rather than merely as a method of getting somewhere (I belong to the latter camp and anyway there are different criteria behind choosing a van and GEM provides a breakdown service for vans but doesn't publish articles waxing lyrical about them). There are also lots of offers for the 'comfy trousers with elasticated waist' type of garment (as someone said long ago in Motley Fool days) and although I am indeed a senior citizen myself there isn't the slightest risk that I'm going to buy any of them.

This isn't a how can I get breakdown cover cheapest post but money is tight this particular year and I could do with making economies if it is possible but I'd rather pay more and get 'good' service if I happen to need it. I'm wondering whether to stick with the GEM offer or if there is something else out there which might be better or cheaper or even perhaps both. I can live permanently without offers for comfy elasticated waist trousers and lengthy articles about x model of car.

All comments/suggestions/experiences gratefully considered.

[didds]

I don't have an answer myself as we've been with GEM for several years - we use the family cover which for 4 of us (me, wife, two sons) works out at £35 a year each (UK cover only of course) which is hard to beat collectively. However I identify with many of the points you make... if they dropped the silly magazine and old-fogeys-r-us stuff, and concentrated on a core business model of breakdown insurance they'd save us all some cash I am sure.

didds

[tea42]

Autoaid https://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk - brilliant and inexpensive

[bungeejumper]

According to Martin Lewis, you can get basic level AA cover for £39 a year, any driver for one particular vehicle. (Including tow-away as required.) But that doesn't cover home start or onward transport. And it isn't stated whether vans qualify. Still, maybe worth a look?

http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/uk ... GwodfiEEYA

PS: just seen, apparently there's a £14.33 cashback available. https://www.topcashback.co.uk/aa-uk-breakdown/?ihr=mse. DYOR, as they say.

BJ

[midnightcatprowl]

Autoaid https://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk - brilliant and inexpensive

Thanks Tea42 that looks pretty good and, though it took a lot of searching through the small print, they accept car derived vans so my Vauxhall Combo would it seems be eligible. I'll read the info again tomorrow just to check on everything.

[midnightcatprowl]

we've been with GEM for several years - we use the family cover which for 4 of us (me, wife, two sons) works out at £35 a year each (UK cover only of course) which is hard to beat collectively. However I identify with many of the points you make... if they dropped the silly magazine and old-fogeys-r-us stuff, and concentrated on a core business model of breakdown insurance they'd save us all some cash I am sure.

Yes I can see it would work out as an economic approach for family cover. For a one person one vehicle household GEM is starting to look a bit challenging on price particularly as I don't look forward to receiving and reading the magazine...

Lynn