Caravan Breakdown cover
Retiring in March we have decided to retake up caravanning, One issue I can't seem to resolve is regarding caravan breakdown assistance. The car is fully covered but only relates to faults with the car though they will include the caravan in recovery. I also have caravan insurance but has nothing to do with roadside assistance. For example, if the caravan were to suffer a flat tyre would i need to find my own breakdown service or local garage to fit the replacement wheel? I do feel I'm missing an obvious answer here!
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Hi Geoff, There are many factors to consider, not least will you be going overseas. A year ago I needed to get breakdown cover for U.K. and Europe and spent several days looking into the cover available. I used comparison websites and Google searches along with info from CT etc to draw up a shortlist.
The list of about 10-12 was soon reduced to just two. The reasons varied, some turned out that despite stating that they did offer cover on the comparison sites, when you went to them direct they didn't.
Other reasons were not offering 'double cover' ,where they take you to your destination and then back home, but the main reasons were that they did not cover vans over 7M, mine is 7.3, or that the caravan was only covered IF attached to the car. Like you I had been covered for the car by the manufacturer warranty but that cover had expired. Doing this exercise showed me that whilst I thought I was covered the reality is that only two policies, in regard to use in Europe, would recover both car and caravan when they were not together.
This issue was debated at length on CT but many posts seemed to be based on assumption which I was not inclined to accept at face value so I contacted all those on the shortlist and that is where the problems were identified with one or two even stating that recovery would be at the discretion of the recovery driver.
In the end it was either Red Pennant PLUS cover in the UK or my choice of Safeguard. The issue for many with Safeguard is that you have to take it with their van insurance and at the same time, you can't add it later. That was no problem for us so we went for it and this week Inused the cover, provided by the AA after getting two punctures.
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Mayday Greenflag for the UK through the CC, we have the 'premium' cover for both cars solo or with caravan, breakdown on the doorstep or on the road.
Red Pennant although dearer than most, covers every which way for overseas touring, peace of mind.
When my car was in manufacturers warranty I had a 3 year breakdown cover, but it was very limited when towing if something went amiss with the van. So I had a choice of calling Landrover Assist or Mayday Greenflag depending on the fault, luckily I never had to use it.
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Now in UK after seven years in France, I still use ADAC, a German company and the second biggest recovery business in the world, the AA of America being the largest. ADAC have assisted me three times now, twice in France ( both times with caravan in tow ) and once in the UK, the AA are their UK partners.
The best part for me is it is the member that is covered, so any car I am in ( even a friends ) it's covered.
Happy caravanning.
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Regarding ADAC they are one of the organisations that, it turned out, would not 'guarantee ' to cover you if the van is not attached to the car.
As I said above this was one thing that ruled out a lot of providers and,as there were many CTers recommending ADAC, I looked at them in detail and concluded that, whilst it was hinted at, suggested and and even stated, by users, that they would recover the caravan if not attached to the car that this was not stated in their literature ,I looked at both the German and English language versions.
I decided that as Safeguard confirmed, in writing, that they would provide such cover I would go with them.
One CT poster had been left with a large bill after he was refused recovery of his caravan even though it was next to his broken down car on site and this was one of the reasons I took the time to research providers,contact them by phone and request confirmation in writing.
I had assumed that the recovery cover, within the breakdown cover,included the caravan but it seems that I, and possibly many others, forgot the old saying about assuming and the ass!
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Hi Geoff3, We have been with ADAC for over 10 years now have used 3 times over that period in Europe. Last year we used it for the Caravan, Unattached, might I add in the UK. All call outs with excellent service for €109 a year which includes many extra services. They cover you or your partner in any car/vehicle for price above for 1 year.
ADAC are one of the only few Organisations that cover the Caravan Not Attached to the car and I have had other members relate their instances of this having a promblem with caravan on a campsite and ADAC sorting it for them with no problem.
DianneT
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We have used the clubs Mayday service and on the two call outs we have had the service has been excellent. They do give the double cover to allow you to be taken to your destination and back again if you break down on the way to a site and many other benefits you will not get with other caravan cover. You do have to insure the car but the cost is still very similar or less than the ADAC figure quoted. I would not be sure about having the cover split between two companies as in the event of a problem you then have to work with both and that can cause problems.
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