RCR........MAGIC

[Timleech]

That is not a practical option though - the day may come when something happens which is beyond my skill set to be able to deal with, I am merely arguing for a fairer pricing structure that 'rewards' folk for talking basic jobs themselves, you can then make an informed choice about whether you call them out to change a wheel/fan belt etc yourself or you get the AA/RAC/Green Flag/RCR to do it and take a bit of a financial 'hit' at renewal time.

 

Aside from any limit on call outs or 'Fair usage' limits, which exist on some breakdown policies, there is no disincentive to just picking the phone up......

 

 

 

But it's not, we by example get a no call out discount on our 'Boiler break down' insurance.

 

Surely you do have the alternative of taking the 'chance' and swallowing a boatyard callout bill if you get stuck? That's a perfectly reasonable option.

 

I do agree that it seems on the face of it to be daft that there's no NCD offered, and surely it will come eventually especially if more & more people call them out because 'we've paid the premium so why get our hands dirty'.

 

Tim

[alan_fincher]

To be clear, RCR do offer a degree of "no claims discount" actually.

 

The problem is that it is not a lot, and I think they actually reduced it a bit. I think you can probably attract nearly as much discount by something like being an IWA member, as you can by being a loyal RCR customer for years, and never having once called them. (I'll admit I have not been and checked their very latest position on this).

 

I recall this was challenged, and the RCR MD gave a long reply on here, but still didn't accept the point that giving a bigger discount to people who went years without a call-out was actually fairer, and probably good business sense, in terms of retaining more of that business.

 

The statistic that said that the vast majority of members actually do call them out in any one year staggered me, but start to bring their costs into perspective. If someone is calling them out on a regular basis, and I am not, and paying nearly as much, something seems wrong in their pricing structure to me.

 

The "parts" thing seems a con to me - if you check the small print very much more is excluded than is included. (But I wonder how many people have checked the small print in detail - I think they are perhaps hoping they don't).

[Guest]

Surely you do have the alternative of taking the 'chance' and swallowing a boatyard callout bill if you get stuck? That's a perfectly reasonable option.

 

I mean it's not practical from the point of view of not relying on just that - what guarantee is there that a boat yard within any sort of reasonable distance will respond?? at least with RCR you are virtually guaranteed some one will respond.

 

We have dropped down to 'Retainer' cover this year to provide just such a 'guarantee' - the disincentive to us calling them out is the fixed charge we will need to pay if we call them out, hence the simple jobs will get done by me if I can.

[Athy]

We have gold cover from RCR. Our engine is a Gardner and thus does not go wrong, but the bits bolted to it sometimes do - in the five years that we have owned Trojan it has blown a starter motor and an alternator. The engineer (an RCR) empoyee who did the jobs was the same one both times and he was absolutely excellent - if he's reading this, one of our incidents was at Cropredy so he'll recognise himself and maybe blush a bit.

On another occasion, with another boat, a different and younger engineer came out when the engine would not start. He did get it started but sold me a quite expensive bottle of anti-diesel bug fluid which he said it needed. I'm not a techie so i don't know whether it needed it or not. But I do know that his answer to one of my non-techie questions about the fittings in the engine 'ole indirectly led to the boat sinking this year. So a lot depends on who you get.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Athy

[Guest]

To be clear, RCR do offer a degree of "no claims discount" actually.

 

The problem is that it is not a lot, and I think they actually reduced it a bit. I think you can probably attract nearly as much discount by something like being an IWA member, as you can by being a loyal RCR customer for years, and never having once called them. (I'll admit I have not been and checked their very latest position on this).

 

Strangely their web site makes no mention of it... or at least none that I could find -

 

However a 'google' around unearthed this mind-

 

http://www.rivercanalrescue.co.uk/newsletter/RCR_Newsletter_Jan2011.pdf

[alan_fincher]

You have just reminded me of another issue that has occurred in the past.

 

Renewals have failed to show enough no claims discount.

 

I'm pretty certain that I got told (something like) "because you have not yet completed the current year, we haven't included that year's discount in your renewal figure"!

 

A very definite message to check renewal papers carefully, rather than to pay up assuming they must be right.....

[Rod a mod from Tod]

I do it through my insurance broker - collidge and partners. The policy is actually with a company called amicus legal and its underwritten by DAS. I haven't used it thankfully - but theres a 24hr helpline and its seems a simple policy (only 4 A5 pages and not lots of small print).

 

drawback is its seems to be tied in to my marine insurance policy.

 

Thanks. I'll get a quote nearer the time.

[Giggetty]

I have never bothered with any breakdown insurance etc, but as I decided to go off cruising for all of the year from march 12th I thought I would join RCR " Just in case " as it were. The cost of 125 quid I thought was very good to turn up and try to get you going and understood there would be no charge for labour. In the past I have done the odd fix up myself but this year spent the money and crossed my fingers. On XMAS EVE afternoon I suffers a failure of gearbox drive plate just as I get OFF the river I calls em and they ask me a few questions, they answered the phone instantly when I rang, asked me if I needed any other assistance or provisions bringing etc ( amazing ) I declined as I didnt need anything. Yesterday was xmas day so we went off doing our thing. Today BOXING DAY a nice young RCR chap turns up from miles away with said drive plate and promptly fixes it, Job done.

I was then gobsmacked to find I only had 50 squid excess to pay as RCR stand both the labour AND the parts for this and many other items. What a fantastic service. Talk about money well spent !! I for one will be renewing my membership without question. What a bloody bargain. Thanks RCR.

 

And NO I have nothing to do with them business wise whatsoever, I am just one very chuffed customer

Last summer on the T & M near Stone our flexible coupling snapped. The RCR man, young Peter it was, came out within the hour and diagnosed the problem. The coupling went overnight to his home workshop for drilling out of a frozen bolt. It was refitted the next morning. This allowed us to limp back to Great Haywood Marina where the boat came out of water for replacement of the bent crankshaft new and engine mounts. Meantime we went home by RCR taxi, having lost only one day's leave. At all stages the service was swift and courteous, Stephanie in RCR head office keeping us informed at every step. All significant outlay was covered; we shall upgrade to Gold next year.

[jonathanA]

to me it seems that the overall view is that RCR do provide a good service on the whole, the issue remains about whether its value for money and about no claims discount/abuse of callouts.

 

I seem to recall when I was researching the options there was a limit of 4 call outs a year (Bronze cover at £130) or 7 for silver at £155.

 

So i guess that will limit the can't be bothered brigade and ultimately market forces will dictate , if enough people vote with their feet (or direct debits) then that might change the NCd policy.

 

for me the sixty quid policy I got covers me for 4 callouts a year. doesn't include parts but includes transport if the boat can't be fixed within 4 hours and seems at least as good if not better than the RCR silver cover for £100 less (a year) which I can use towards the cost of parts that would have been covered by RCR.

 

why would i (or anyone) buy retainer cover for £55 when for another fiver I can have a service thats at least equivalent to RCR silver minus the parts cover something RCR won't do according to other posts.

 

on second thoughts you all carry on paying RCR - don't want my premiums being pushed up by people who cant change fan belts... :-)

[Guest]

to me it seems that the overall view is that RCR do provide a good service on the whole, the issue remains about whether its value for money and about no claims discount/abuse of callouts.

 

I seem to recall when I was researching the options there was a limit of 4 call outs a year (Bronze cover at £130) or 7 for silver at £155.

 

So i guess that will limit the can't be bothered brigade and ultimately market forces will dictate , if enough people vote with their feet (or direct debits) then that might change the NCd policy.

 

for me the sixty quid policy I got covers me for 4 callouts a year. doesn't include parts but includes transport if the boat can't be fixed within 4 hours and seems at least as good if not better than the RCR silver cover for £100 less (a year) which I can use towards the cost of parts that would have been covered by RCR.

 

why would i (or anyone) buy retainer cover for £55 when for another fiver I can have a service thats at least equivalent to RCR silver minus the parts cover something RCR won't do according to other posts.

 

on second thoughts you all carry on paying RCR - don't want my premiums being pushed up by people who cant change fan belts... :-)

 

But as you have already said it is tied to being with a certain insurer and one I found to be very uncompetitive in terms of policy cost.... so that would have to be factored into the cost thus making it more than a fiver differential...

Edited December 28, 2011 by MJG

[jonathanA]

But as you have already said it is tied to being with a certain insurer and one I found to be very uncompetitive in terms of policy cost.... so that would have to be factored into the cost thus making it more than a fiver differential...

 

well no it doesn't for me as I am happy enough with my insurer, but I take your point.

 

As the policies run concurrently I will need to consider the total cost at renewal time, but I'd have to save a fair bit on the marine insurance to to make it worth while switching to RCR silver. - will be interesting to do the maths at renewal time and in fairness you have to consider how much the parts cover is worth too (could be very little on the other hand a new starter motor or gearbox....)

[steelaway]

on second thoughts you all carry on paying RCR - don't want my premiums being pushed up by people who cant change fan belts... :-)

 

 

 

 

 

I am still getting flak about this fan belt.

 

Maybe we should have a pole of member to see who can change a fan belt - especially when it entails removing the crank shaft pulley close to the bulk head.

 

Alex