Buying European breakdown cover!

[Berin]

having discovered the RAC cover is useless, I've started to look around.

Greenflag insist you specify the vehicle, listing the make/model from a dropdown. The dropdown only lists cars.
StartRescue want £165 for 9 days cover! Or £365 for a year!
GEM only offer European via some kind of partner add on.

 

[Berin]

Also, read the small print on the Moneysupermarket recommendations. 2 do not repatriate the bike to the UK, 2 don't refund. costs if you are recovered off a French motorway, 2 only recover within 10 miles!

 

[Santa-2512]

I found the RAC to be a non starter ( no pun intended)

been with them for 20 odd years , and they wanted even more for European cover - jog on!

i cant remember who I used . it wasn't too bad but ...

 

[wessie]

Also, read the small print on the Moneysupermarket recommendations. 2 do not repatriate the bike to the UK, 2 don't refund. costs if you are recovered off a French motorway, 2 only recover within 10 miles!

I have annual cover from LV Britannia bought via Moneysupermarket. I have not had to test its efficacy for a breakdown.

The policy provides personal cover for me in any vehicle in the UK, and in a named vehicle across Europe.

To buy, you have to get a quote including home start and a named vehicle. When you click through to LV, you are offered the option to add personal cover. The premium is £57 for the base policy plus £13 for the personal cover add on.

The policy document is at https://www.lv.com/breakdown-cover/existing-customers and you can compare the policy from the comparison site:
https://www.lv.com/-/insurance/medi...321-2021-sep-21-v2.pdf?la=en&u=20211119111022

with the document for the full fat policy going direct which costs over three times as much

https://www.lv.com/-/insurance/media/gi/breakdown-insurance/pdfs/35876-2023-_risk_policy_wording

I do not think there is much difference between the cover comparing the two policies. I don't think there are any of the limitations you mention. They do restrict you to one recovery "per breakdown" so if they tow you to a destination and the vehicle is not fixed, you won't be recovered. Unlike many policies, they include vandalism, attempted theft and an accident as a breakdown.

The single vehicle covered in Europe is not a problem. I can only ride/drive one at a time and flipping the cover from car to bike is simple at https://www.lv.com/breakdown-cover/existing-customers/change-vehicle

 

[Monsieur]

I used to, until last year, have an expensive AA policy and then paid extra for European cover.
I now have Nationwide flex plus account which gives me AA cover for UK and abroad. Not had to use it yet though.

 

[Berin]

Thanks Wessie - I'll check out LV, and also I was thinking on opening a Nationwide account anyway as my local bank has closed.

Mean time I've bought a "Cover My" policy for me - £23, no call out limits, as a back up to my 1 claim RAC policy and a more comprehensive AA policy for Mrs Berin.

My RAC runs till December, so I'll have another look then.

 

[Big-G]

Autoaid. Only used in uk which was great stuck at Glen Coe on a Sunday morning, and work with independents as would happen in Europe anyway.
https://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/personal-based-cover/

 

[littleade]

As a left field suggestion if the cost/level of cover quotes yiu get don't work for you could you buy the extended BMW Warranty which includes European cover?

 

[Berin]

As a left field suggestion if the cost/level of cover quotes yiu get don't work for you could you buy the extended BMW Warranty which includes European cover?

Because one bike is a KTM and one is a Triumph!

 

[malcopopolo]

As a left field suggestion if the cost/level of cover quotes yiu get don't work for you could you buy the extended BMW Warranty which includes European cover?

I did that last year for my 2 week spain trip. Purchased 2 months at 40 quid a pop and cancelled.
Yes it cost 80 quid but the warranty would have been a godsend if broken down abroad.

 

[stever1]

I use Britania recovery, which is part of the LV group.

 

[harry the cat]

Have a look at 'Rescue my car'. We've used them for a number of years. Reasonable price and it's not vehicle specific, although it's best if you keep your list of vehicles up to date with them. Last time I used them for a flat tyre on the bike I got an excess charge because they had a distance limit of around 10 miles to a tyre fitter, and I wanted the bike taking a bit further so I could get the tyre fitted at home. Other than that they're been good, home and abroad.

 

[dicktheleg]

Nationwide Flex account plus……great benefits and £13 a month.

 

[AustinW]

I use LV / Brittania rescue too. Never used abroad but service for a couple of car and bike callouts over the last few years has been ok here in uk. I don’t add euro cover to my policy until I think I’ll need it. Then it’s just pro-rata for the remainder of the year.

For euro cover you need to specify the vehicle that’s going abroad. You can change this to another car or bike but can’t go back to the original one within the term of the policy.

Some general things…. Every European breakdown policy I’ve ever looked at does not automatically repatriate your bike. Rather they will try and get it fixed locally (at your cost) even if fixing it takes longer than the rest of your trip (loan car/flights or extra ferry costs reimbursed). You then have the option of picking the bike up (I think they’ll pay to fly you out) or they may repatriate it. Worth checking which way they do it.

If the bike can’t be fixed locally but cost of repatriating is more than they deem the bike is worth they will give you what they think it’s worth rather than repatriating it.

If you don’t want to or can’t pay for the repairs then their obligations are over. If there’s a huge difference between uk repair costs and overseas repair they might repatriate the bike. But good luck persuading them. They almost certainly won’t take any notice of the idea that you may be able to fix the bike yourself at nil cost.