Motorway car recovery
I work for Highways England as a Traffic Officer and the M25/ M11/ A1(M) is part of my patrol route. Following an incident last week a little reminder to people to check what recovery coverage they have when provided through the insurance.
I had to attend a broken down vehicle on the M25 at 9.30 pm as the young lady was getting a little flustered when trying to arrange a collection of her car following a puncture. Upon arrival, we ascertained that the car (Seat) did not have a spare wheel, but one of the puncture repair cans which squirts a liquid into the tyre seals the hole and inflates the tyre. Fine if the hole is small but this was a gash.
I was asked to contact her insurers, who provide the recovery as part of her premium, on her behalf as she did not know what to do. The number she gave was to the windscreen repair department. Luckily, we carry telephone numbers of all insurance companies and I managed to get through.
Now, this is where people need to make note.
She wanted to get to Stanstead to collect her mother. The cover she had would only recover her vehicle to a location of her choice within a 10 mile radius from where she was and that's it. No tyre change, take to an address of her choice etc.
I agreed with the recovery agent when he turned up to take her to Bullsmoor Lane. She would have to make arrangements for a friend to collect and take her to Stansted and also need to make alternative arrangements to either get her tyre replaced (huge cost as out of hours) or recover her car to Egham where she lived.
So, please do check the level of cover you will get in the event of a breakdown and also put the correct telephone number in your contacts!
And make sure you have enough fuel to complete your journey, many do not and I have to tow them off the motorway, after stopping ALL of the traffic.
I had to attend a broken down vehicle on the M25 at 9.30 pm as the young lady was getting a little flustered when trying to arrange a collection of her car following a puncture. Upon arrival, we ascertained that the car (Seat) did not have a spare wheel, but one of the puncture repair cans which squirts a liquid into the tyre seals the hole and inflates the tyre. Fine if the hole is small but this was a gash.
I was asked to contact her insurers, who provide the recovery as part of her premium, on her behalf as she did not know what to do. The number she gave was to the windscreen repair department. Luckily, we carry telephone numbers of all insurance companies and I managed to get through.
Now, this is where people need to make note.
She wanted to get to Stanstead to collect her mother. The cover she had would only recover her vehicle to a location of her choice within a 10 mile radius from where she was and that's it. No tyre change, take to an address of her choice etc.
I agreed with the recovery agent when he turned up to take her to Bullsmoor Lane. She would have to make arrangements for a friend to collect and take her to Stansted and also need to make alternative arrangements to either get her tyre replaced (huge cost as out of hours) or recover her car to Egham where she lived.
So, please do check the level of cover you will get in the event of a breakdown and also put the correct telephone number in your contacts!
And make sure you have enough fuel to complete your journey, many do not and I have to tow them off the motorway, after stopping ALL of the traffic.
