Caravan breakdown cover
Hello
We're rookie caravanners so be gentle with us!
We're picking up our first 'van on Saturday and I'm looking at insurance options. I'm looking at the CMC's insurance but note that it (and it seems, all others) doesn't include breakdown cover. We have breakdown cover on the towing vehicle with Britannia and apparently if the towing vehicle breaks down, they will also transport the 'van to wherever the repair can be done. However if the fault is with the 'van, and the 'van is no longer towable, I don't believe that's covered.
What do people do? I've seen mention of MayDay. Does that fit the bill? Is it any good?
All advice much appreciated.
Thanks in anticipation.
Jez & Ali
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Hi Ali and welcome to the CT forum.
I'm not sure about your own policy but we are also covered with Britannia but through our Nationwide Flexplus account as part of the package and it definitely covers Caravans up to 8 metres in length, both whilst touring here and abroad, with certain time restrictions. This includes covering both breakdown of the car and/or the caravan and it also covers repatriation of the caravan should the car breakdown when not actually towing the caravan. Some insurers will not repatriate the caravan. I may be wrong but I don't think the CAMC Red Pennant policy does. Maybe someone who uses that can either confirm or correct me.
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Hi again. I've just downloaded a Britannia policy document and the Vehicle description includes Caravan up to 8 metres and the policy states breakdown to the Vehicle so in my view you would be covered if for some reason your caravan was to suffer a breakdown whilst being towed. What they classify as breakdown and what they classify as an accident though may cause problems.
Suggest you actually speak to them and get the answer, preferably in writing, from the horses mouth.
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If your car is covered for breakdown and recovery you can take out a separate policy for Caravan breakdown and recovery - the Lifesure insurance group offer one for a mere £15 a year. Google for Caravan Only breakdown insurance for details of that.
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Thanks folks.
I just put a call into LV=, who insure our cars. I believe they now own Britannia Rescue. However I was disconnected before they could give me an answer. So I then called and spoke directly to Britannia Rescue and they say that they automatically cover caravans and trailers up to 8m in length, away from the home. So no need for a separate policy - yay!
Then I had a call back from LV= and they told me that they don't!!
I'm now seeking confirmation in writing...!
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Does that mean they will recover the caravan if the tow car breaks down, or that they will attend and recover if the caravan develops a fault which prevents it being towed?
There might be a difference in understanding by the two people you spoke to.
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Yes, Britannia apparently covers breakdown of caravans up to 8m long as a standard part of their car breakdown service. Nice!
I was at pains to check that they cover breakdown of the caravan, as well as the towing vehicle, and they confirmed this.
Policy document is here
They're on 0800 028 2042 if anyone's interested.
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AliJez, You are pitched on a campsite and when you get up in the morning you see that you have puncture in a Caravan wheel. Do you have a trolley jack, a wheel brace plus a bar strong enough to undo the wheel nuts, and a torque wrench to fix the spare - or do you call out the repair man? Ask Britannia Rescue if they cover that situation.
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It’s also about the double drop situation as discussed in the other thread.
I'm pleased you seem to have found cover, AJ, and hope it works for you but, as they say, "the proof of the pudding…".
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ours is due for renewal next April a few days after we return from a couple of days away. As the car has the makers cover as well I will probably leave things until I use the caravan again but unless there is a change in the cover the RAC looks favourite.
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I have Green Flag cover through the CAMC, which means that if the tow vehicle breaks down G/F will take us on to our campsite and then, if the vehicle cannot be repaired, will take us and the whole outfit home at the end of the holiday.
Regarding the caravan itself breaking down, I am under the impression that the CAMC comprehensive policy for the van takes career of that.
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It is covered under the super policy as shown below. It would hit your NCB though.
Super Caravan Cover11Section 3: Miscellaneous ExpensesWhat is CoveredIf Yo u are on holiday with the Caravan in the United Kingdom and the towing vehicle and/ or Caravan suffers an accident or breakdown We may pay for the cost of:a) Removing the vehicle and/ or Caravan to the nearest repairerb) Hire charges for a similar vehicle and/ or Caravan to continue the planned trip, but in respect of the Caravan not exceeding the cover given under Section 3c) Storage charges whilst awaiting repaird) Rail fares for Yo u and Your party to return home
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I have looked at the insurance conditions in the booklet that accompanies my policy through the CAMC.
Sections 1 & 2 cover loss or damage to the caravan, equipment and contents arising from accidental damage, fire, theft, vandalism, storm or flood. Cover is provided whilst van is static Orr being towed. Section 3 contributes towards cost of caravan hire and hotel accommodation to enable continuation of holiday. Section 4 covers 3rd party liability whilst caravan is unhitched. When hitched, that liability transfers to the tow car insurance.
When travelling in the EU (France for us), similar cover for the caravan is, I believe, provided by a Red Pennant policy, when this is purchased.
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I had a puncture on my yacht trailer on the M6 some years ago and more recently on my caravan when returning to my home town.. On both occasions I was very impressed with the speedy response from Brittania Rescue.
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I’ve been with Green Flag for years and they have been brilliant on the three occasions we have needed them. Last year on our way to Scotland and broke down fortunately actually pulling into Durham Services. The Towcar couldn’t be repaired as it needed a particular part- a plastic t junction in the cooling system that had broken. They loaded us up and took us to our destination west of Edinburgh. They would have taken us all the way back to Leicestershire but during our stay I nipped to B&Q and bought some plumbing fittings and made a replacement part - worked a treat. Then on another occasion I’m embarrassed to say I misfuelled- I was covered. Vehicle drained , new fuel to get me to the nearest service station and on home. If they were twice the money they’d be worth it!
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yes, we have our daughter's car (ours but 'leased' to her on very favorable terms ) on it as an extra car. She has used it twice, once when a new battery was needed during last year's snows, and a flat tyre. Both times they came out within 30 minutes.
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We have used them for punctures on car and caravan over the years and twice for the vehicle to be recovered and have had no issues. However we have never had to be recovered when towing the caravan so when we found out that if we were recovered to the caravan storage depot Mayday may not take us home.
From the storage it was a choice of between home or a garage as they will not attend for the same fault for 28 days which is why we are now looking at the RAC Arrival package which seems a better option even though it may cost more!
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Obviously anecdotes about any company don't prove much in general, but for what it's worth: we were with RAC for years until they got ever more expensive, then came the day when they recovered my wife's car when they couldn't repair it at the roadside. Their rescue mechanic arrived hours late, then mis-diagnosed the fault. They took it on a truck to their nearest approved garage for repair, then when my wife phoned later to ask where they'd taken it and how it was getting on, denied all knowledge first of the recovery, then the car, and accused my wife of inventing the whole incident. I phoned and got the same treatment. Could we prove this car we were talking about was even ours, even assuming it existed?
It was only because we had the mobile no. of the guy driving the recovery vehicle and contacted him directly that we finally located the car. The repair was badly done, too, with a whole lot more hassle to follow.
We're with Britannia via LV= now, and on the 2 occasions we've had to use them they've been superb - on t'other hand, as with an earlier post here, we've found that LV= phone service recently hasn't been as good as it was initially.0 -
Just looked at RAC web and they say this,
Arrival Recovery: If your vehicle breaks down we can tow to a single destination anywhere in the UK.
Arrival Follow-on: We’ll tow your caravan or trailer to a second location following recovery of your vehicle, up to 75 miles.
So as my caravan is in storage, car breaks down, they take me to my home address, I then need to get second car ( not everone has one) they follow me to storage so i can let them in, c/van left there, I go home and arrange repair of car, or as they call it, Vehicle. All sorted out?
If the opposite happens, c/van breaks down, they take that to storage so I can arrange repair, and drive myself home, all sorted out?
Home and storage both within 75 miles of each other so should be ok, or do they mean TOW the car home, then TOW the caravan up to 75 miles from where the breakdown took place?
Not much use to anyone, but where insurance is concerned, wriggle is the name of the game. I am with Mayday, but am becoming very much aware according to posts on here, that their service may be not fit for purpose.
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I break down far from home. Man takes the car to a nearby repair garage, then takes me and caravan to a nearby campsite. Insurance provides a small hire car for me to use while car is repaired. We all go home.
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