Red Penant breakdown cover - its a joke
Just been in touch with Red Penant for our breakdown cover for our forthcoming trip.
We are a motorhome and tow a trailer with a scooter on board. The M/H is covered but the trailer is only covered if its towable. 
So if we are involved in an accident (sideswipe or rearend) and the trailer is damaged Red Penant won't recover it, they will recover the M/H but not the trailer. However if the M/H breaks down they will recover the complete unit.
When I questioned how this compared to a car and CaravanI I was told, yes the caravan would be recovered even if it wasn't towable. I aked why that was the case and was told "we are the caravan club" the caravan is the holiday accomadation, your M/H is your accomadation. The trailer is an add on. Is it me or does anyone else find this odd and unfair.
We do have seperate breakdown cover for the scooter, for when its not on the trailer but it won't cover the trailer.
So we are in a bit of a fix how do we ensure that the trailer is covered?
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Try other breakdown services?
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in a way I can understand the logic, but do they make it clear when applying or paying for the cover or is it hidden in the small print
Not hidden but not in small print either, only found out because I asked. We've always took out RP and been very happy up until now. We had RP on 2 trips last year with the same combination and was under the impression that we were covered.
I'm ringing around trying to get quotes from other companies but at 17.30 on a Friday afternoon I might have to give up until Monday.
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The problem from where I'm at is, everything else is covered. however if we were hit by someone as they pulled out onto the road from a slip road, they only see the M/H not the trailer. If they were to hit us and damage the trailer so that it couldn't be
towed, what are we supposed to do. We can't leave it at the side of the road, we can't move it. So it will need to be recovered, hence the breakdown cover.0 -
If you had an accident with the trailer surely your MH Insurers would do the recover not the Breakdown organisation.
DianneT
We need to check on that Diane, I thought so but OH isn't so sure. I know from our caravan days it would cover the caravan while towing, but then again RP covers the caravan but not a trailer.
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As Dianne said...it's an accident, not a breakdown. Phone your accident insurers + the police if you are blocking the highway.
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It is not only an accident that could put the trailer out of action. What happens if a bearing seizes, that would stop the trailer and need recovery.
If you are a member of the other club you could check what the RAC says. You would need ADAC to confirm their position if you are looking at them as you never know how they interpret these things.
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It is not only an accident that could put the trailer out of action. What happens if a bearing seizes, that would stop the trailer and need recovery.
If you are a member of the other club you could check what the RAC says. You would need ADAC to confirm their position if you are looking at them as you never know how they interpret these things.
Wheel bearing going was what OH was concerned about, its a new trailer but you never know. I've checked with the other club they thought it would be covered but have given me the number ( to call on Monday) the underwrites of their overseas breakdown cover, I would really like to be certain.
Might look at ADAC aswell we used to use them when we lived in Germany.
Might also call the CC back as I'm still not happy with their answer, if a caravan would be covered if a wheel bearing went why not a trailer.
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If you go onto the C&CC website and look at their Arrival scheme and open the pdf for term and conditions and look at the scheme benefits on Page 7, it reads to me like your trailer would be covered in the event of a breakdown or accident. Worth giving the C&CC another ring to check.
We have Arrival because it is the only scheme which reunites you with the caravan if you breakdown within 75 miles of the site where you are staying. If car cannot be fixed locally it will take you and the car back to the site and collect caravan and take you home. It works, because we were brought back from Scotland when the gearbox packed up on our then towcar. We couldn't get it fixed up there because it was under warranty and we had to return it to the dealership we purchased it from.
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If you go onto the C&CC website and look at their Arrival scheme and open the pdf for term and conditions and look at the scheme benefits on Page 7, it reads to me like your trailer would be covered in the event of a breakdown or accident. Worth giving
the C&CC another ring to check.We have Arrival because it is the only scheme which reunites you with the caravan if you breakdown within 75 miles of the site where you are staying. If car cannot be fixed locally it will take you and the car back to the site and collect caravan and take
you home. It works, because we were brought back from Scotland when the gearbox packed up on our then towcar. We couldn't get it fixed up there because it was under warranty and we had to return it to the dealership we purchased it from.Mayday will take the car back to the site to recover the caravan if you need to do this.
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If you go onto the C&CC website and look at their Arrival scheme and open the pdf for term and conditions and look at the scheme benefits on Page 7, it reads to me like your trailer would be covered in the event of a breakdown or accident. Worth giving
the C&CC another ring to check.We have Arrival because it is the only scheme which reunites you with the caravan if you breakdown within 75 miles of the site where you are staying. If car cannot be fixed locally it will take you and the car back to the site and collect caravan and take
you home. It works, because we were brought back from Scotland when the gearbox packed up on our then towcar. We couldn't get it fixed up there because it was under warranty and we had to return it to the dealership we purchased it from....Mayday will take you and c/van to destination, the broken down vehicle to repair ,and if not repaired,after your time away, will bring the whole lot home and to storage if required
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If you go onto the C&CC website and look at their Arrival scheme and open the pdf for term and conditions and look at the scheme benefits on Page 7, it reads to me like your trailer would be covered in the event of a breakdown or accident. Worth giving
the C&CC another ring to check.We have Arrival because it is the only scheme which reunites you with the caravan if you breakdown within 75 miles of the site where you are staying. If car cannot be fixed locally it will take you and the car back to the site and collect caravan and take
you home. It works, because we were brought back from Scotland when the gearbox packed up on our then towcar. We couldn't get it fixed up there because it was under warranty and we had to return it to the dealership we purchased it from.Mayday will take the car back to the site to recover the caravan if you need to do this.
Wildwood, when I enquired about Mayday I was told that if you broke down with the caravan on tow they would take you on to your distination for your holiday and bring you home again afterwards if the car couldn't be fixed, but that they didn't reunite you
with your sited caravan if you broke down away from the site. That is why I stayed with Arrival.0 -
These are the points we are not clear on.
G. Secondary vehicle on a trailer being towed behind a motorcaravan total cost
Definition
Secondary Vehicle Micro Car, Mini Car, Quad Bike.
Descrition and Limit of Cover
G. If you are towing a secondary vehicle on a trailer behind your motorcaravan and the trailer becomes unusable because of accident, breakdown, fire or theft, you will be covered for the repatriation of that
secondary vehicle: i Where the trailer is declared a total loss or stolen and not recovered.ii. Where the secondary vehicle is accident damaged, not declared a total loss, and only when it cannot be loaded on to the towed trailer.
It reads that the 'Scooter' will be the secondary vehicle, however there is no mention of what happens if its the trailer that has a problem, according to the agent I spoke to on Friday, the trailer is only recovered if the motorhome breaks
down. If its the trailer that breaks down then its not covered? they would repatriate the scooter but if the trailer couldn't be towed then that's it. Still not happy with that, will try again tomorrow.0 -
Tammyg, your circumstances are not exactly unique. There are plenty of motorhomes who tow a car or a bike so the people at CC insurance should be including this in their negotiations with the insurers. Somebody has let this slip through the net.
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If you go onto the C&CC website and look at their Arrival scheme and open the pdf for term and conditions and look at the scheme benefits on Page 7, it reads to me like your trailer would be covered in the event of a breakdown or accident. Worth giving
the C&CC another ring to check.We have Arrival because it is the only scheme which reunites you with the caravan if you breakdown within 75 miles of the site where you are staying. If car cannot be fixed locally it will take you and the car back to the site and collect caravan and take
you home. It works, because we were brought back from Scotland when the gearbox packed up on our then towcar. We couldn't get it fixed up there because it was under warranty and we had to return it to the dealership we purchased it from.Mayday will take the car back to the site to recover the caravan if you need to do this.
Wildwood, when I enquired about Mayday I was told that if you broke down with the caravan on tow they would take you on to your distination for your holiday and bring you home again afterwards if the car couldn't be fixed, but that they didn't reunite you
with your sited caravan if you broke down away from the site. That is why I stayed with Arrival.Not sure who you spoke to but they seem to have got it wrong.
There does seem to be some errors in the information given out but if you were told that I would tell them you were misinformed.
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Tammyg, your circumstances are not exactly unique. There are plenty of motorhomes who tow a car or a bike so the people at CC insurance should be including this in their negotiations with the insurers. Somebody has let this slip through the net.
Thanks WN, I have spent ages reading and re-reading the RP summary, I think its all in the print and how you interpret it. The club brought in cover last year for the amount of M/H's towing a car on a trailer. When you read the summary on one hand it does
appear to cover the trailer but on the other hand it doesn't specificly
say it does. On reflection I think we will be OK but, I would be much happier if the wording wasn't so ambiguous. Didn't get chance today (I was waiting for them to contact me, they didn't) but tomorrow I will phone and discuss it with them. Really
need to get this sorted as we away soon, and I like to be organised
I have spoken to someone at the other club who thought they did cover the trailer but would double check if I wanted to procede, they are much more expensive though.
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Hi everyone who has been following this thread. I have yet again spoken with the RP team (Icalled them) got fed up waiting.
The trailer is NOT covered if it breaks down, the scooter on the trailer is also NOT covered. The club are splitting hairs with their conditions. If it was a micro car, mini car, quadbike then it would be covered but again not the trailer transporting it.
A car and caravan combination is covered if the caravan had a problem with a wheel bearing they would come out and fix it or recover it but not so a trailer.
I have spoken at great lengths trying to get across the point that if the trailer breaks down while it is towed then it is part of the combination but to no avail, I asked could I take out an add on cover for the trailer but NO they won't do that either.
Yet again I was patronized with we are "The Caravan Club " and we are a touring club. What is a motorhome if not a tourer.
So when our Membership is due renewal in May we will have to think very hard if we will be renewing it, (for the CL's) if the club will not act for its members to secure a service that a member is asking for then I will take my money and go elsewhere. I
would encourage other members who are not satisfied with the pathetic level of service they get from the club to do the same.0 -
Tammyg, your circumstances are not exactly unique. There are plenty of motorhomes who tow a car or a bike so the people at CC insurance should be including this in their negotiations with the insurers. Somebody has let this slip through the net.
When I spoke to them today it became clear that they haven't really put a lot of thought into Motorhomes towing anything. The cover they provide covers you if the motorhome breaks down good. If the microcar.minicar/quad bike breaks down while you are driving IT, they will recover IT back to the campsite where your trailer is then its up to you to get it loaded onto the trailer (how if its broken down?) and tow it either to a garage for repair (at your cost) or you tow it back home to the UK. It would appear that a motorbike /scooter is NOT covered if it breaks down while you are driving it as it doesn't come under 'Secondary Vehicle' So you will pay the same rate as a car on a trailer but you have no cover for it should the bike break down or the trailer. When I questiined this I was told' Secondary vehicle' isn't a motorised bike, I said' well ours is'
A car they will repatriate but a Motorised bike they won't if the trailer breaks down, despite the fact that you could drive a car back.
I'm so frustrated with it all.
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Thanks for coming back. This is a very disappointing response from our club. We have similar reservations about our caravan insurance and like you were patronised when I pointed out the discrepancy in premiums being quoted. For reasons I
won't bore you with we had no time to change insurers but will definitely be renewing elsewhere this year.I really do not think the insurance side is acting in the best interest of all members and are relying on a club mentality and inertia for continued business.
We also only stay for CLs now and the odd convenient club site.
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I'm afraid I am feeling very let down by the Club at the moment, it doesn't seem to value its members.
I hope this thread has been of use
to other members who tow with a M/H just to show that we are second class members. Like you time is pressing on and I'm not sure we have time to do anymore searching, will have to decide whether we will go with RP and hope we don't have a problem or not to
take the bike at all.0 -
Tammy, I downloaded some documents from DianneT's website about ADAC a while ago. It's a 75% well translated document of cover and specifically mentions Breakdown and Accident as being covered. M/H's are covered up to 3.2metres in height and 7.5 tons weight.
Under "section 3 - What vehicles are Protected?" it specifically states "cars and motorcycles including guided trailers".Suggest you look on Dianne's website and download a copy and give ADAC a ring.
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.... will have to decide whether we will go with RP and ....
When was the last time your motorhome let you down? Is it regularly serviced? I too found RP expensive for what I wanted out of it ie roadside assistance in the event of a breakdown, I didn't want the health cover, but it's all sold as one package of holiday
insurance. I've been to France a few times towing a caravan with no cover at all, but I'd had the car for years & knew it back to front & was very confident it'd do the couple of thousand miles there & back without a hiccup.0 -
.... will have to decide whether we will go with RP and ....
When was the last time your motorhome let you down? Is it regularly serviced? I too found RP expensive for what I wanted out of it ie roadside assistance in the event of a breakdown, I didn't want the health cover, but it's all sold as one
package of holiday insurance. I've been to France a few times towing a caravan with no cover at all, but I'd had the car for years & knew it back to front & was very confident it'd do the couple of thousand miles there & back without a hiccup.As it happens twice last year, once in Belgium and once just South of the Tyne tunnel. Neither were serious but we did miss the ferry going out.
Its not that part of the RP that is an issue its the fact that they don't cover the scooter or the trailer, unless its the motorhome that breaks down.
We actually want the personal medical cover as I can't be bothered dealing with two differant insurance companies if anything goes wrong. We have no medical issues but am not going to tempt fate.
The M/H is 3 1/2 years old, the bike 20 mths and the trailer is just 15 mths, we do not wish to go away for 11 weeks to Southern Spain having paid £50.000 + for an outfit and not have cover, we are prepared to pay for RP but I do expect to get equivalent
cover to a car/caravan combination that is paying the same amount of money, I don't think that is unreasonable. I've said it before the Club have not thought the cover through.0 -
Tammy, I downloaded some documents from DianneT's website about ADAC a while ago. It's a 75% well translated document of cover and specifically mentions Breakdown and Accident as being covered. M/H's are covered up to 3.2metres in height and 7.5 tons weight.
Under "section 3 - What vehicles are Protected?" it specifically states "cars and motorcycles including guided trailers".Suggest you look on Dianne's website and download a copy and give ADAC a ring.
WN, I've had a look, but it would appear that even if they would cover the trailer in its own right, I don't think we have the time to get the paperwork through for this trip. However we will be looking around before we take another overseas trip.
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