QDOS Breakdown Reviews 101

It took at least 10 minutes for my breakdown call to be answered.
I answered a series of questions as to why I was requesting breakdown assistance.
I was then put on hold.
I was then informed that no assistance would be coming as I had stated that my car was mobile even though there was smoke steaming off the engine and the engine was making a terrible noise.
If I had continued my journey on the motorway, I dread to think the outcome for me and my young family.
I regret taking out my breakdown cover with QDOS. It was such a stressful and upsetting experience.

Pay Cheap... Pay Twice

I'll be brief.

Engine started making a strange noise. Smoke started coming from the engine. Pulled up. Rang for assistance.

No assistance forth coming.

Was asked if the car was mobile. I said, "Yes."

Told I could not ask for assistance as the car was mobile.

All of this happened with my wife and three children in the car...

Fiddly to contact when broken down. Do as follows…
-Call their number
-press option 1 (breakdown claims)
-press option 1 (new breakdown claims)
-talk to person.
Have called them out once before and got in a panic as it took a while to reach the correct department on the phone. Once I got through, recovery was organised and the recovery person was lovely and got me on my way home.

Straightforward process, came to my rescue in a timely manner

I have been a customer of their breakdown service for many years after a good experience a decade ago. In the intervening years I’ve not had cause to need them
In an emergency and they’ve totally changed. There’s no customer focus, you have to try to argue your case to get the cover you’ve paid for and even then the cover is abysmal. On holiday in Wales 200 miles from home I broke down and said ‘it’s like the fob isn’t talking to the car’ (I’m no mechanic just trying to describe the issue). They told me I’m not covered for fobs and literally fobbed me off (!) Another breakdown company I called suggested I called them back because it sounds like a battery problem. I did call back and was told that as an act of generosity (!) they’d offer to tow my car to a garage. It was long Easter bank holiday weekend. No local garages were open so I ended up giving up on QDOS and finding a local recovery service who came and replaced my battery.0/10 QDOS. Later in October I broke down again (obviously not the new battery) and my car was serviced and MOTd in August. QDOS do not make you feel at all relaxed, it adversarial and you go through questions and then they announce ‘your claim has been accepted’ not like the ‘don’t worry, we’re your breakdown support, we’ll help’ as of old. But … you’re told you can choose EITHER someone to come to the roadside to try and fix your car but that if that’s not possible they have discharged their responsibilities (and you’d still be stuck at the roadside) OR you can choose to be towed to a garage within 7.5 miles. What a ‘choice’! Oh and they don’t help you find the garage, you have to call around yourself. Well this wasn’t easy, I don’t know the area, most were booked up and busy. You don’t feel supported in the slightest. I had also taken out cover to include a replacement car if mine is out of action (my car is crucial to me). However as I was less than 50 miles from home this isn’t covered. It’s no help at all. This is supposed to be their ‘top level’ cover too, for roadside, home uk and EU!!!! I feel deeply let down and would recommend to avoid.

More vans on the road a drop of servce for customers.

the policy restriction of recovering to a grargare ONLY within 7.5 miles of the breakdown was not clear to us and is very limiting, and would have meant a random non-car brand garage which would have required a further recovery operation. However the call centre staff, after a plea for help, were very flexible and ended up going well beyond what we hoped and needed to get us and our car home.

There’s no option for zero!
I’ve been a member of breakdown assist for years and never had any issues. Always quick to arrive and either fix or recover you home or a garage.
What on earth has happened to them is beyond me. An absolute disgrace of a company these days.
I broke down on a quiet, dark but main road on the outskirts of fakenham Norfolk. We managed to crawl the camper to a gateway in pitch black.
I called breakdown assist and after an age a woman who I could barely understand answered. I told them the issue and where we were, I was with my wife and dog who is on medication.
I waited for them to call back saying the can get me recovered but an hour later she called back to say that no one was available to help, either for repair or recovery and I had to either leave the camper where it was and get a cab home or stay with it until the morning where they might be able to get someone to me.
I went mad, explained my policy states recovery, onwards travel, hotel overnight or hire car and gave them a chance to get me some help one way or another.
Another hour later I was told I had two choices, if they can get someone out to me it’ll be to see if it can be fixed and if not that’ll be the end of my claim or leave it and go home and come back in the morning!!
I couldn’t believe it! They didn’t care, didn’t make any effort to get me recovered just said no one was available in my area so that was the end of it!
After arguing again I was then emailed about an hour later to say I had to get home myself, I could claim back £25 per person on my policy against either recovery or taxi home but then there was an excess of £35 to pay so £15 in total to me!!
What an absolute joke.
We decided we couldn’t leave our vw camper overnight to get stripped so I searched google and with the first call I got a recovery booked and it arrived in 40 mins!
I was taken home with wife and dog within an hour of him arriving.
Breakdown assist are an absolute joke. It sounds like it’s subbed out to South African call centres or use broken English staff who just follow instructions to pay out the least possible and do not want to get out recovered or fixed.
How these are still trading is beyond me.
I’ve reported them to the financial ombudsman but I doubt anything will be done as their response is in the tiny, tiny small print of the agreement.
I will not be renewing with these cowboys again and will just hope they go bust quickly!
Horrible company, horrible staff and terrible attitudes. If you’re thinking you’re covered with these, especially if like me included my wife on the policy so she’ll be safe should the worse happen then think again! You’re not, they will leave you in a dark busy road in the middle of nowhere with no coat, no drinks nothing and will not give a damn about it or you only how little they can payout and how long they can string you along for! RIP OFF company.

I have only been with this company a few months and had to call them last week when my car went into limp mode and driving very slowly. I was asked by the operator if my car could move forwards or backwards I said yes but with difficulty . I was told they couldn't help me as my car wasn't immobilised and that I shouldn't drive it in limp mode. He said he could give me phone numbers of garages to phone but I would be liable for costs. I was alone and a 50 minute drive from home . Will be going with a more reputable company when my year is up .

I've been with qdos for several years and always had the full package ie home start relay onward travel etc. and never had to use them until recently when my car wouldn't start, rang qdos and after an integration I was told I was insured, my choice was I could be towed to a garage and left there or I could have a mechanic come out to me but if he couldn't fix my car that's where the insurance stops and I would be left. I was 60 mile away from home with my disabled wife at about 6pm sum choice what the hell was I paying for. Luckily my battery was Caputo and after a jump start the car started and I was able to get home and buy a new battery. I joined green flag whilst I was waiting for the engineer. Will I be renewing... Definitely not.

Timely recovery. Arrived when they said they would. Helpful, pleasant driver that made us feel he knew what he was doing!!

Smooth process from start to finish, first time using their product, and can recommend.

I have had cover for many years until I recently made a claim.
I looked at the terms and conditions and found they had changed and I wasn't covered for most of my vehicles, so I have taken out cover with the AA.
Won't be renewing with you as the cover is worthless.

Help!!!!
I had an accident in October. The car was picked up in November, and it's now July, the company hasn't paid me and isn't responding to emails. A woman answers the phone and can't help.
I feel robbed!!!!!!!!!

We broke down due to a flat tyre. As the BMW is equipped with run-flat tyres, there was no spare wheel available.

Initially, I attempted to contact QDOS directly, but the call kept cutting off. After approximately 15 minutes, I was eventually connected to a third-party company acting on behalf of QDOS. Despite providing all the necessary details, I was told they would not attend, claiming I was not covered—this is incorrect, as my policy with QDOS is fully comprehensive.

We are a recovery agent based in Scotland, AVOID AVOID AVOID. They do not PAY for jobs completed. We have contacted them over 6 months with no joy. Full of excuses. The WORST company we have ever dealt with. 1 star is too much.

Paid family premium for all for complete uk recovery. Everything included. My wife got a puncture but the car doesn't have a spare wheel. She tried to use the emergency can without success. QDOS refused to come out. Said its not covered. Had to pay £300 for emergency tyre replacement. Took 6 hours. BE WARY OF WHAT YOU THINK YOUVE PAID FOR AND STEER CLEAR OF COWBOYS.

Absolutely shocking company! The third party paid out at the begining of Dec 24 . Yet this company have still not paid the balance to our finance company. I am phoning every week and getting nowhere! They paid us the excess on the claim on 23rd of Dec after an email of complaint but for some reason are not paying the balance they have of over £3000 to our finance company. I have emails that they have the funds but no reason as to why they won’t pay it 😡

Waiting for payment from Qdos which they Callum told me was cleared on 27/1/25. Called customer services and Emailed mark reynods financial director, but I’ve had no response. Now contacting ombudsman for advise..

I can't really judge them on how helpful they are with breakdown as I had policy with them ages ago, but today wanted to close my account to delete my data and they were fairly quick with responding to my emails. Despite not being paying customer anymore customer service was attentive and my request has been processed within a day.