Today we shall be doing Green flag reviews. Is Green flag a legit organization or just another breakdown cover scam? What is green flag? How can I enroll in the Green flag? Is it expensive to partner with the company? Does the Green flag operate in the United States? These and many more questions are often asked about the Green flag.
Having learned a lot about the Green flag through firsthand experience, I thought it would be nice to share my thought about the company by providing answers to the numerous questions about the green flag. I hope my review is helpful in your quest to learn about the company. Is the green flag legit or a scam? Read the sections below to find out.
Overview
What is now known today as the green flag started as National Breakdown Recovery Club in 1971 when two British friends named Bob Slicer and Jeffery Pittock decided to render car repair services to members of the public. The company was created as an alternative to well-established auto companies like AA and RAC.
To repair cars, they used garages and public places to fix cars. The company soon began to expand by forging a working relationship with local mechanics. At the onset, the company first operated in Low Moor, Bradford, where they rendered all sorts of car and motorbike repair services. But after series of advancements, the Green flag is now headquartered in Leeds and Glasgow.
Green flag made excellent advancement over the years due to genuine model of business it employed. The company operated a model that was quite different from what was obtainable with the more established companies like AA and RAC.
The knowledge of the local mechanics they partnered with made the company enjoyed swift growth. Green flag first began with two friends who provided services within a small area in Bradford at a yearly cost of £1.50. The friends continued to work hard and expanded their company by recruiting roadside mechanics.
Within 5 years of inception, green flag became the largest breakdown recovery company in the United Kingdom with over 150,000 registered members. In 1984, the National Breakdown Recovery Company was sold to another auto giant known as National Car Parks (NCP).
In 1994, NCP renamed NBRC to Green flag as it is known today. When asked the reason for the change in name, the CEO of the company Ernest Smith replied saying Green signifies health in Europe. The company has enjoyed positive reviews from members since they began and it has branched out to other countries.
In 1992, Green flag extended to the United States with it headquarter currently located in Dallas, Texas. Breaking into the US market was tough at first with locals preferring various car repair services that were already in place. But as time went by, people began to see the unique offers green flag brings to the table.
More About Green Flag
The company is now a household name in the United States with thousands of members preferring green flags to other car repair services in the US.
But as it is with most successful companies, the green flag has endured its share of challenges. In 2011, the company disengaged the services of more than 100 firms after a critical review to balance its books. As of 2014, five companies have the majority of Green Flag’s network.
Having read my green flag reviews, I’m certain you now have an insight of what the company represents. Green flag is not another breakdown cover. The company has been in existence for decades and it currently enjoys the membership of more than 4 million people.
Is Green flag the best breakdown recovery company out there? Is the company better than AA and RAC? What the factors to lookout for before deciding which company to register with? Answers to these questions are provided in subsequent sections but before that, let’s take a look at the various services green flag offers.
Services
Green Flag offer a range of breakdown products, from basic roadside assistance to full European cover with recovery, covering cars, motorbikes, trailers and small vans.
During a recent interview with a popular European magazine, Green flag CEO boats the company has a response time of about 40 minutes and current has over four million people registered to its book. The company’s products are underwritten by United Kingdom Insurance Limited.
Having learnt about green flag and its various services, I assume you now know green flag is not a scam and operates a legitimate auto business. Now let’s compare green flag with similar companies and learn what the companies thick and thin.
Is Green Flagg better than AA and RAC?
This section contains vital details that would help you make an informed decision about which breakdown recovery company to pitch your tent with. Is the Green flag better than AA? Is RAC a better breakdown cover than the Green flag? We would allow you to make the call.
We have canvassed opinions from members of these companies who have provided us with key policy details regarding the Green flag and other companies. Through the information we received, we shall be providing you with helpful information about the Green flag and others.
How to Choose a Breakdown cover
Before choosing a breakdown cover, there are a handful of questions you need to ask yourself. Is the car a personal car? Is it a family car? How you use your car plays a larger role in the type of cover to choose. Below are some important questions you need to answer before deciding on the breakdown cover to choose.
- The number of cars you own is very important in selecting a breakdown cover, how many cars do you own?
- What number people living in your household drive car?
- What is your usual distance? Do you cover long distance or short distance on a daily basis?
- Do you have a budget? How much can you afford for a breakdown cover?
- Members of the companies are required to pay monthly or yearly. What suites? Do you prefer to pay monthly or yearly?
- Do you ever travel abroad with your car to other countries in Europe or do you only drive in the UK?
- If you take your vehicle to Europe how often do you go?
- What type of car do you drive? Do you drive a bike or a train?
- How long have you owned your vehicles?
- If you broke down a long way from home would you like the option to continue your journey or stay locally while your vehicle is fixed?
- Do you have a preference out of the top 3 breakdown companies, Green Flag, AA or RAC?
These questions are very important to finding a cover company that suits you.
Choosing Between Personal Or Vehicle Cover
How much do you know about personal and vehicle cover? This section walks you through these two types of cover so that you make an informed decision when choosing a breakdown cover.
Personal Cover – Personal cover is a type of insurance policy that covers the person driving an automobile and not the vehicle. This type of cover, gives you the flexibility to drive any kind of vehicle you desire. With personal cover, you can drive motorbikes, cars, vans, trailers and what have you?
Green flag and other breakdown recovery companies have unique policies regarding personal cover. To learn more about personal cover on green flag, visit www.greenflag.com
If you drive or travel in more than one car or other vehicle on a regular basis that does not have UK breakdown cover then a personal based policy maybe your best option
Vehicle Cover – This type of cover is the direct opposite of the one described above. Vehicle cover insures the vehicle regardless of the person driving it. This is usually cheaper than the personal cover.
Green flags have policies that are slightly better for vehicle cover when compared to AA and RAC, especially for new cars. If you have just one car and have a family, then vehicle insurance is probably best for you.
Features of Breakdown Cover
Roadside assistance is the basic feature of recovery companies. All auto recovery company in the United Kingdom has got this option, but there are a number of other options you can select in addition to roadside assistance when selecting a plan. Major features of breakdown cover are listed below;
Roadside Assistance
Roadside assistance is the major reason these companies exist. All breakdown cover has roadside assistance as its primary feature. I think the name roadside assistance is self-explanatory.
Take for instance, you are driving to an event and your car breaks down, what next do you do? You look for means to fix your car by the roadside. This is where companies like green flag come in handy.
If you a member of any of the breakdown cover companies, all you have to do is put a call through and in few minutes, you have an expert mechanic come fix your car.
The price for this feature varies with companies and the type of plan you subscribe to but usually, it starts at about £20 per year.
Also, read – How to make money from savings in 2022 | True Advice
Recovery
Recovery is a beautiful option to select when buying a breakdown plan. When your car breaks down along the way and you contact your company to come fix the car. The normal thing to do is to pull your car to a garage within the locality where your car broke down and work on it.
But if your plan includes a recovery option, the company got to transport your vehicle to any location of your choice, usually your garage.
So instead of staying stranded at the location where your car broke down, the company transports you and probably your passengers, (if you have any) to your preferred destination.
The price for the recovery option varies with different companies but I think it is affordable and I encourage people to go with this option.
Home Start
This option gives you home cover. It usually extends from your home to the 1st quarter of mile surrounding your home. Take for example during winter you need to get to work in the morning and your car starts acting up. You can only call green flag or other breakdown companies if you have the home start option.
Onward Travel
The onward travel feature comes at a price but I think it is worth it. This option is usually applicable to people who embark on long distances. For instance, you are traveling to another state in your car and you experience the ugly experience of a breakdown.
The Onward Travel option would ensure you complete your travel. This option either hires a car to take you to your destination while the company fix your car or lodge you in a hotel to continue your journey later when your car is fixed.
Choosing a Breakdown company
After considering which cover you would like to subscribe to, personal cover or vehicle cover, your next line of action is to choose the breakdown service provider that best suits you. To choose a company, please answer the following questions;
- What makes each company unique?
- How fast does the company respond to calls? I leaned green flag has an impressive response rate
- Is the limit to the number of calls one could make in a year? If so, what is the maximum number of calls out?
- Does the provider offer no claims discount and, if so, does this make it cheaper than switching to a different provider once your yearly membership expires?
- Are any add-on benefits to the basic package?
- Are there payment options? Can I pay monthly, quarterly, or annually? Does the company accept payment by debit or credit card? Do they accept payment by PayPal?
- Are there restrictions to your vehicles in terms of age or usage?
- Would the policy cover me when I tow larger vehicles like trailers?
When you make a research about these companies with regards to the questions above, you are certain to make a good call about which breakdown recovery company to join.
Conclusion
Green flag is a legitimate British company that offers breakdown recovery services. The company has since extended to other European countries as well as the United States. I hope you find my green flag review helpful? For questions or contributions, please use the comment box below.
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