We have all become accustomed to paying the ticket price on items purchased in a shop and not daring to ask for a lower price. Obviously, there would be chaos in supermarkets up and down the land, if we all tried to ask for lower prices at the till, but the art of negotiating for the goods and services we purchase has almost died out.
Some of us don’t have the time to argue and many of us may be too embarrassed or just fear having our offer rejected, and there’s certainly little chance to ask for a discount at an online retailer. Yet, while there is plenty of encouragement to find the cheapest deals, the prices are set by the sellers. How much of a better deal could you get if you just asked for a lower price?
This is particularly pertinent to the charging for car breakdown cover. Providers rely on customer inertia NOT to take action when the renewal notice drops on the mat, even if the premium is significantly greater than the previous year.
Research suggests that as many as 78% of UK car owners have some form of breakdown cover1, but with the current squeeze on household incomes, it may seem an attractive idea to cut out peripheral costs such as breakdown cover and ‘go it alone’ out on the roads.
However, it can cost as much as £150-£300 to recover a broken-down car from a motorway or A-road2, and paired with the additional peace of mind brought about by having breakdown cover, you may wish to explore how you can continue to enjoy the benefits, but at a reduced price.
Time for a little negotiation
It pays to do your homework, when it comes to renewal time. When you receive your quote through, take a quick look online to see the costs of similar cover with rival firms, and then simply give your existing breakdown cover supplier a call, and ask them to justify the price, explaining that you have seen similar cover for less online – can they price-match or beat the quotes from competitors?
Chances are, you could be surprised at the results, as the breakdown cover supplier seeks to do what they can to retain you as a customer rather than to let you go to a competing firm. With household budgets under pressure from all angles, it makes sense to do just a few minutes legwork to see what you could save – to not only enjoy the continued peace of mind from having breakdown cover, but peace of mind that you’ve got it for a great price too.
Sources
- RAC (2019) British drivers unprepared for winter weather breakdowns. Available at: https://tinyurl.com/mrxfahpj (Accessed 19 Oct 2023)
- AutoExpress (2020) Drivers pay £25m for recovery on motorways and A-roads. Available at: https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/353342/drivers-pay-ps25m-recovery-motorways-and-roads#:~:text=Drivers%20of%20these%20pay%20%C2%A3,on%20or%20off%20the%20road (Accessed 19 Oct 2023)
All the information in this article is correct as of the publish date 26th October 2023. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors. The information provided in this article, including text, graphics and images does not, and is not intended to, substitute advice; instead, all information, content and materials available in this article are for general informational purposes only. Information in this article may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information.
