# European breakdown cover



## tobeornot2be (Aug 4, 2015)

Hi all i have European breakdown cover but for only two months and was wondering how anyone would know if you stayed longer .has anyone had any experience .thankyou for reading .Terry


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## Davety (Aug 4, 2015)

*Only Guessing*

Would imagine if it came to the crunch you would have to supply evidence of dates when you traveled. And as there are only two ways to get abroad with a vehicle ( Ferry or Tunnel ), It would be apparent on your travel docs. Would also depend how far the breakdown agency would look into it I guess.


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## phillybarbour (Aug 5, 2015)

If you need road side assistance it's very unlikely they would ask. If you need recovery to the UK is very unlikely they won't ask. If they can get out of a huge recovery cost they will (and that's fair to them as well).


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## Polar Bear (Aug 5, 2015)

I have used the European breakdown services twice.
The first time it was the AA - they recovered and took my car to a local Toyota garage for repair. It was a Toyota Hiace, I told them what was wrong with the vehicle 'turbo waste gate' but they took no notice, They had to keep the vehicle whilst they waited for a 'manual' to come from Japan. The AA let me have a hire car to get me home [had to change car at Barcelona for a French car and again at Calais for a British hire car.] They flew me out to Spain to get my van back two weeks after getting home for me to find that the garage had not finished the repair. they had got the workshop manual but it was in English so they struggled to replace the turbo waste gate. In the end they charged me a reasonable amount but what a faff?

The second time was RAC. I was taking a car down to leave in Spain. I noticed the temp gauge going up so pulled into a rest area. I had changed the timing belt and serviced the car before leaving the UK but the water pump had now let go. the part in the ULK is £38.00. Once again I had an argument with the recovery driver about what was wrong and I asked them through the RAC contact to change the water pump, I wanted to change it myself but RAC refused to transport the car the 400miles to my place in Oliva. I had a taxi take me 80 miles in the wrong direction to get a hire car so I was then 480 miles away from home. two weeks later I got a call to tell me my vehicle was ready for collection. I drove the hire car the 480mile to hand it back and took a taxi the 80miles to the garage. The taxi dropped me off and drove away. I went into the garage [A Renault main agent] the car was blocked in by two other vehicles, to be told my bill was €980. They said they had changed the timing belt and serviced the car whilst it was there. I blew up like a polar bear that had had his seal supper taken away. The garage owners could not speak English at this point [they could when they took the car in] I phoned the RAC to be told the garage could charge what they liked as it was nothing to do with them.  
After two hours of arguing I told the owner I would give him ten minutes to decide if he would take €200 for the water pump repair. I told him I was leaving in ten minutes and would leave him the car if he did not accept the offered price. 
As the taxi arrived he come out with the keys and took my money.
Please make sure you have a firm quote before having any work done. 
I was never asked to prove when I had travelled.
I have not had European cover since.


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## tobeornot2be (Aug 5, 2015)

Davety said:


> Would imagine if it came to the crunch you would have to supply evidence of dates when you traveled. And as there are only two ways to get abroad with a vehicle ( Ferry or Tunnel ), It would be apparent on your travel docs. Would also depend how far the breakdown agency would look into it I guess.



Thankyou davety


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## tobeornot2be (Aug 5, 2015)

phillybarbour said:


> If you need road side assistance it's very unlikely they would ask. If you need recovery to the UK is very unlikely they won't ask. If they can get out of a huge recovery cost they will (and that's fair to them as well).



Thankyou


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## tobeornot2be (Aug 5, 2015)

Polar Bear said:


> I have used the European breakdown services twice.
> The first time it was the AA - they recovered and took my car to a local Toyota garage for repair. It was a Toyota Hiace, I told them what was wrong with the vehicle 'turbo waste gate' but they took no notice, They had to keep the vehicle whilst they waited for a 'manual' to come from Japan. The AA let me have a hire car to get me home [had to change car at Barcelona for a French car and again at Calais for a British hire car.] They flew me out to Spain to get my van back two weeks after getting home for me to find that the garage had not finished the repair. they had got the workshop manual but it was in English so they struggled to replace the turbo waste gate. In the end they charged me a reasonable amount but what a faff?
> 
> The second time was RAC. I was taking a car down to leave in Spain. I noticed the temp gauge going up so pulled into a rest area. I had changed the timing belt and serviced the car before leaving the UK but the water pump had now let go. the part in the ULK is £38.00. Once again I had an argument with the recovery driver about what was wrong and I asked them through the RAC contact to change the water pump, I wanted to change it myself but RAC refused to transport the car the 400miles to my place in Oliva. I had a taxi take me 80 miles in the wrong direction to get a hire car so I was then 480 miles away from home. two weeks later I got a call to tell me my vehicle was ready for collection. I drove the hire car the 480mile to hand it back and took a taxi the 80miles to the garage. The taxi dropped me off and drove away. I went into the garage [A Renault main agent] the car was blocked in by two other vehicles, to be told my bill was €980. They said they had changed the timing belt and serviced the car whilst it was there. I blew up like a polar bear that had had his seal supper taken away. The garage owners could not speak English at this point [they could when they took the car in] I phoned the RAC to be told the garage could charge what they liked as it was nothing to do with them.
> ...



That sounds terrible


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## tobeornot2be (Feb 15, 2016)

*Rescue*

Hi there i had the same trouble .go to LV britannia rescue. They do 3 months in europe good luck


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## Steve121 (Feb 15, 2016)

tobeornot2be said:


> Hi all i have European breakdown cover but for only two months and was wondering how anyone would know if you stayed longer .has anyone had any experience .thankyou for reading .Terry



Breakdown cover is not compulsory so there's absolutely no problem, unless you break down, of course  
All vehicle insurance policies cover you for third party risks as a legal minimum, and many give you the same cover as when you're in the UK for a limited time, typically 60 or 90 days.


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## John H (Feb 15, 2016)

tobeornot2be said:


> Hi all i have European breakdown cover but for only two months and was wondering how anyone would know if you stayed longer .has anyone had any experience .thankyou for reading .Terry



I have 12 months recovery as a standard part of my motorhome insurance with Safeguard - probably worth a look


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## jann (Feb 15, 2016)

Saga breakdown is for UK and Europe.I've just renewed and checked with them,there is no time restrictions for European use.


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## Canalsman (Feb 15, 2016)

This process is also advised for any habitation area repair that you may need whilst in France.

I did just this recently, remembering David's advice given previously ...


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## Deleted member 62288 (Jul 31, 2016)

*euro breakdown cover*

I used Safeguard when I travelled in the Damon. 
Used it a couple of times in France .
Safeguard gives whole year European coverage - Insurance and breakdown, rather than the standard 3 months on a UK policy.

I plan to insure my next MH with them - sometime over the next couple of months.

I also joined ADAC which gives me the driver, full euro coverage for any vehicle in all Europe - including UK so I'm covered for my Jeep also.

ADAC service is comparable to RAC/AA in the UK but extends all over europe - for around £100 per year.

James


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## pheasantplucker (Oct 23, 2016)

Davety said:


> Would imagine if it came to the crunch you would have to supply evidence of dates when you traveled. And as there are only two ways to get abroad with a vehicle ( Ferry or Tunnel ), It would be apparent on your travel docs. Would also depend how far the breakdown agency would look into it I guess.




Tell them to only count the last two months? What's wrong with that if nothing has happened earlier?

Just had service and MoT at our Ford Commercial garage and have 12 months UK/Europe breakdown cover for free.

Not replaced the Comfort Insurance cover but if we had no plans for foreign travel it might be a saving.

Anyone used the Ford cover?


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