Car & Caravan Breakdown Insurance
Comments
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10 seconds on their web site shows straight away it only covers up to a 7m caravan so of no interest to me. Not bothered to investigate further as I looked at this company a couple of years ago and it could not replicate the clubs insurance.
For some reason posters are getting all upset about this topic. I'm not quite sure why so I will leave you to it.
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If I were more physically able I could change a tyre and this old timers tricks would allow me to jack up.
If a RTA disabled the caravan it is an insurance matter.
Despite the forgoing far easier to use Mayday to recover in the event of an RTA and let them recharge the insurance company.
The scenario that would bother me with other options is when I am away from the caravan and have a breakdown. I want to be taken to site and the car taken for repair. at a suitable time or the outfit returned home at a suitable time.
Last month whilst solo We had a front coil spring snap and the tyre ripped in half as a result. Mayday collected us and took us home after a 30 minute wait. That was near mid day on a Sunday when my local garage is closed and as a one man band is pretty busy.
On the Monday I phoned the garage and he said (much to my delight) that he could replace springs and shock absorbers on Wednesday. Phoned Mayday and arranged for a pick up and delivery to local garage for Wednesday morning at 8.30 am. OK the pick up was 45 mins late but still well pleased. You have to love double trip on such occasions
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On my driveway I ran the caravan up some ramps (in lieu of a kerb or a spare wheel from the car) and I could not get clearance to get the wheel out of the alko spare wheel carrier. Eventually got a friends pro trolly jack under it and got it off. No chance at the side of the road.
stupid design really
To be clear to the newcomers I am not commenting on the insurance. ET and I are long time friends
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Whatever you think of the cost of Red Flag and Red Pennant it is reliable and gives very wide cover. Having tried looking at the others web sites, they do not give me the assurance that all eventualities are covered so I will stick with the club and avoid what could be false economy.
I do think the 7m limit quoted is the body length though but it needs clarifying if you are thinking of buying. A 7m body is the maximum legal length you can tow with a car.
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Hi Fysherman.
I think there is a lot of confusion about towing limits, weights and lengths, as you rightly say.
Legally, a car (or any vehicle with GVW up to 3500kg) can only tow a caravan or trailer up to 7 metres. This does NOT include the drawbar/A frame and hitch. A vehicle with a GVW greater than 3500kg can tow up to 12 metres (which is why you see the likes of Hobby caravans normally being towed by commercial vehicles)
This is, of course, assuming you have the correct driving licence! And that of course, is a whole new discussion. We've all seen a twin-axle heading in the opposite direction on the motorway being pulled by the family saloon!
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As many have said plenty of comments but I think that there is also perhaps some confusion.
In regard to the recovery aspect of the cover my concern is nothing to do with the caravan. I am not saying that nothing will happen just that it is not my concern however, I am concerned that my provider will recover my caravan if I unfortunate and suffer a breakdown that requires repatriation of the car.
It is impossible to cover every possible eventuality, would you be covered if you are in a different country from your van, for example, which is not uncommon in Europe when out for the day, but to assume that you will only suffer a car breakdown when towing could be a very expensive mistake.
One final point relates to the service actually provided when the event happens. The service provided will be the decision of the provider and it may not be what you are expecting, or would like. This comment is based on my experience in the U.K. and not an assumption, so if you then add in the scenario of being in a foreign country, and trying to say something more involved than "two beers please", or similar, is that a situation you would want to be in?
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Thanks for your concern. I have checked with the company, my car AND caravan have full breakdown/rescue and recovery. The calls ( should you need them) are handled by Call Assist, based in the UK, so no language barrier.
I asked about the wording in the t&c's about breakdown on French motorways and it is worded to cover themselves, because the only people who can recover you on a French motorway are the French Police who will tow you to a 'safe place' from where your breakdown company will take over.....the fee for this is up to €150. Are any of you aware of this?
Just as an aside, my neighbour broke down last Monday in her 5 year old car, not more than 2 miles from a main arterial road (just so you know we're not in the sticks) and her breakdown company took 3.5 hours to get to her.......you guessed it....Green Flag.
It just goes to prove, whoever you're with, they're ALL pretty rubbish
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Hi jonray, As I have said in other posts we each make our own choices but the reason that I looked into this closely was the realisation that I had been making incorrect assumptions about the recovery of my caravan in the event of a breakdown of my car.
I started with a list of about 12 providers and in the end found only two that would provide what I wanted.
At the time a fellow poster on CT sent me some info on ADAC and we discussed what may happen when the recovery vehicle arrives and her email comment, below, put it across very well.
I still maintain that what you get depends on the 'jobsworth' or otherwise who turns up with the breakdown truck. If he's in love with his wife, his children behave, and he's not got snarled up in traffic, then you'll get taken to your site. If he's just had a row with his wife, and his boss, has indigestion, and has just been in a road-rage incident, then it will be 'tough luck mate, we don't do that..................'!
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not sure it proves anything. We have called them out twice and absolutely no problem. All these services do have the odd hiccup as numbers cannot be accurately predicted or unexpected things happen. The general opinion of people on this forum is that Green Flag have provided excellent service and usually better than the opposition. If they took that long I hope he claimed his £10.
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I saw on YouTube recently a gent stating than his breakdown and health insurance via the Nationwide Building Society was really good value.It came ( free ? ) with his £13 a month bank account up-grade.
I had a good look at all the small print. It left me feeling the policy was worded in order to do everything it could to avoid paying for each and every loss incurred.
I then read my quote from The Caravan & Motorhome Club. This, I must say, states exactly what you need, without all the unnessacary legal jargon.
You pay the price and You get the cover, then enjoy your holiday.
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Just a hip hip hooray for Green Flag breakdown. On a recent trip to see my daughter near Edinburgh, we broke down due to coolant loss at Durham Services on the A1. GF kept me informed at all times and arrived about 40mins after my call. Unfortunately, they were not carrying the specific part required (not their fault as it was a part fitted for a conversion). The transporter was called. An hour later ,me, the OH the car and the caravan were being loaded for the onward trip to Edinburgh! They would have transported us all the way back to Leicestershire after our visit too but I was able to, with a couple of plumbing parts and a soldering kit,make the T piece/ section I needed and was able to drive back myself. However, 10 out of 10 for the clubs breakdown policy and Green Flag. I never ever want to use them but when you need them It is such a relief to have them there.
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My daughter had one of these accounts with Bank of Scotland. On looking at it the breakdown cover was limited in the extreme and limited recovery to 10 miles. Not sure if it still is that, but the cover was best described as almost useless.
The account also gave quite a few headline covers but all were restricted, the travel cover did cover personal effects, but only for things you had a receipt for. I know most insurers now ask for these if you have a claim but will stay pay out if you have not but might reduce the payout.
She has twice claimed for damage to her mobile though so it was not a total waste of money.
I have not seen the Nationwide cover but for the price something has to give.
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Re Green Flag Recovery .....
The comment about 7 metres worried me as I had been previously advised by GF themselves that the length excluded the "A" frame. I called again and they reconfirmed that it excludes the draw bar.
I had reason to call on GF Euro Cover last year - which I get free of charge with my bank account. My caravan length is 7.4 metres to include the hitch and we were recovered without any questions.
They picked up the motorway tow off charge (nearly €500), booked a site nearby, took us from the garage of the recovery people to the campsite and the car to the local dealership (two separate tow trucks) and then arranged a hire car for five days whilst our car was repaired (of course these breakdowns always happen on a bank holiday or a Friday don't they!). They even sent a taxi to the campsite to go and collect the hire car (20 miles). I reckon this must have cost them over €1500 in total
GF tell me that they will also cover any breakdown to the caravan - hitched or not to the car, and will either repair or recover to the UK if needed, with or without the car.
i cannot speak highly enough of what they did and their caring attitude.
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I absolutely agree Wildwood. 2016-2017 was a period that put the spotlight for me on my breakdown supplier- Greenflag. From a misfuel with car only out in Norfolk which was sorted, we were taken to a garage (on a Sunday) the fuel drained out and given enough fuel to get on our way - to a breakdown at Durham Services on the AI Northbound which could not be repaired at the roadside - again on a Sunday- recovery vehicle sent , loaded car on, hitched up caravan and took us to our destination- west of Edinburgh- my daughters address. Greenflag on both occasions and goodness knows what that would have cost us had we not had cover. They did exactly what they said they would do, they saved me and my wife all the anguish and on both occasions the operators that attended couldn’t have been kinder or more dedicated. I stick with them- I have no worries with them at the back of me.
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My goodness, this is far more complex than I had considered. My AA renewal came through today and I know our van is within their size range so would have just renewed. I hadn't considered all these different scenarios though! I will have to call them to discuss but wondered if any of you knew the pros/come of using them as a caravanner? I like (as a single woman) the fact that you know it is an AA patrol coming out to you and not whoever local gets sent to you...not that it guarantees safety of course but some comfort. Also, how does the RAC fit into the scheme of things? I only need UK cover.
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If I were you Daisy I'd get a quote from the CC's Mayday service, which is supported by Green Flag, but specific for caravans through the club. I can understand your concern about not getting a recognised service such as the AA but think that Mayday would fit your requirements. I believe that members of the C&CC receive a discount with the RAC, but I've no idea of how good their service is.
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