MH Breakdown insurance / recovery in Europe questions

zzr1400tim

zzr1400tim

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Hi folks.
I have been taking my MH over to France and Spain for many years now (naively thinking that my RAC membership automatically covered me for breakdown and recovery while travelling abroad)
Last year I had a bit of a problem (that I fortunately managed to resolve myself) but at the time I phoned the RAC to be told that I was not covered for travel outside the UK
This horrified me (it was my own fault for not reading the small print I suppose)
We are due to go to France at the end of this month for a 3 week period away
I contacted the RAC and the quote I had to cover the MH for the 3 weeks while we will be away well exceeded what I pay for all my vehicles annually in the UK !

my MH is not a new model (its a Burstner T615 2004) so maybe that's why its so expensive?

I have done a load of googling and the prices to cover the short trip vary a lot to say the very least..

can anyone suggest a good breakdown / full recovery insurance one-off trip company that they have used?

I am thinking the worst I suppose.. imagine if the engine blows up mid France and I need to get it back to the UK ?

all thoughts are welcomed
thanks
 
Short trip RAC cover has always been expensive when I've checked, if you do more than one trip it usually works out cheaper to get annual cover. Also check if your insurance company have breakdown option, maybe not cheap for single trip, but could work out better for multiple trips.
 
Most economical option I found (although I have not had to put the foreign recovery to the test) is the RAC, but through the C&CC membership. It is called arrival.
The biggest factor in it being the best value for me is that it is individual based, so therefore me in any vehicle (driver or passenger) in the U.K. depending on the level of cover. I then add my wife and two children (technically living at home) and annual cover for EU.
The current level of cover is, roadside, at home, recovery, onward travel and European rescue. This level of cover is granted to all four of the family. Cost is £261.99. Should have been £306.82 but each year I call and negotiate. They are easy to deal with although I have been a member for many, many years, so I think that helps.

The punchline is that all four of us are extensively covered in any vehicle, anywhere in U.K. or Europe. This equates to £65 per head, not that anyone chips in with their share. Obviously you need to factor in C&CC membership, but as I am now a veteran it is half price £26, I think.

Added bonus is that as it is through the Arrival C&CC scheme, there is no limit on age, weight, length or width of Motorhome. The other bonus is cheap access to weekends and temporary holiday sites, and the network of CLs.

Davy
 
I have motorhome cover arranged through AIB and annual European breakdown cover was about £90 at last renewal. There are no age or weight restrictions.

You can add cover during the policy year but for the annual premium.

Perhaps your existing insurer can offer something similar?
 
Hi, we have a Burstner T615 2004. We are with Saga, their breakdown insurance used to be the AA now they use the RAC. When we had 2 blow outs in France 2019 I called our assistance no problem. The second blow out within 5 days I called the Assistance out again and they said you are not covered. I argued with them and eventually got it sorted out. When I got back to England I rang Saga and said what is going on as one minute with the first blow out I was and next I wasn't. They said you are certainly covered for breakdown no problems. I was very annoyed about what was going and complained to the RCA.
They ended up giving me £50 in compensation. The RCA say that MH'S of our size are not covered, Saga say we are.
By the way our policy with Insurance and breakdown in Europe is £400 and held at this for the next 2 years.
PJ
 
We're with aib (AXA) full euro cover assist repat ,full windscreen cover £100000 legal cover,accommodation all tied in with my U.K. policy with home start etc
 
TeamRienza said:
Most economical option I found (although I have not had to put the foreign recovery to the test) is the RAC, but through the C&CC membership. It is called arrival.
Click to expand...

I'm with them as well. When the motor bike had a problem the took it away to be repaired; fixed it and provided a hire car whilst it was away.

Big problem was their daily phone call where they asked if I was sure we didn't need a free hotel with full board.
 
r4dent said:
I'm with them as well. When the motor bike had a problem the took it away to be repaired; fixed it and provided a hire car whilst it was away.

Big problem was their daily phone call where they asked if I was sure we didn't need a free hotel with full board.
Click to expand...
i had a problem pre-covid in spain with my motorbike but it was all sorted on my UK RAC policy no probs
 
Be careful as the repatriation costs are high from the eu..
Most insurers only give £3k on their policy. Ours is with Comfort lnsurance who give £5k. It is a add on to our policy at around £60 for uk/eu travel.
If anyone knows a better policy I would love to know.
It's in the very small print hidden in the policy.
 
My breakdown cover is also with AIB as an added extra. Can't remember how much but I think it's about £80. That might be the way to go. I think it's 180 days in Europe.
 
Drover said:
Be careful as the repatriation costs are high from the eu..
Most insurers only give £3k on their policy. Ours is with Comfort lnsurance who give £5k. It is a add on to our policy at around £60 for uk/eu travel.
If anyone knows a better policy I would love to know.
It's in the very small print hidden in the policy.
Click to expand...
The Nationwide Flex Account Plus includes EU cover in the event of breakdown and will cover repatriation costs up to the value of the van.
 
I just covered breakdown insurance for UK & Europe on my existing AIB policy for £89.77..
happy days and thank you to you all :)
but I am still not sure if it covers the MH popps its clogs and is totally non-repairable in France
however ..
the small print implies that if it is repairable (in Europe) then they will bring it back to the UK
but what if it aint?
what if a major problem like a piston blows up and renders the whole engine and MH useless?
am i still insured for the whole vehicle recovery back to the UK?
I doubt it somehow as I don't think they will want to have a "lame duck" dragging on and off the ferry..
see attached paragraph 3
IMG_4790.jpg
 
It's all a bloody guessing game unless you're one who likes reading the small print.
 
That looks to me that they will pay when the vehicle is repaired at a garage you nominate plus 1 air/train fare to get 1person back home .
 
I think the single air or rail fair is for one person to come back and collect it if you leave it to be repaired when away.

It sounds to me like if they can't repair it while away they will ship it to a garage or place of your choice back home. If your concerned Tim, give them a call.
 
"Lame ducks" are allowed on ferries.
Broken down vehicle, dropped off at port by French recovery, towed on ferry, and towed off , then picked up by UK recovery agent.

Slightly different, but I've had recovery to Calais, towed on and off ferry by mate, collected by UK recovery.
 
There is no ambiguity that I can see.

If it's not capable of repair before your date of return, the motorhome will be be repatriated to a nominated place of repair in the UK.

If left for repair, storage costs are covered, return fares to the UK are covered, and costs for a driver to return and collect the vehicle.

Incidentally I checked with AIB if the cost of repatriating a dog is included. AIB confirmed that dog repatriation is included.
 
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