caravan breakdown cover

[grahamr_5041507]

I've been touring for the last 2 years assmuning that my RAC cover that includes, me, my wife, for any vehicle would also include the caravan - WRONG!!

When i called to renew this year and mentioned it in conversation i was advised that the carvan would fail to meet their heigh and length restrictions if the car needed recovery.

Apparently the only way around this is to join the caravan and camping club, inform the RAC, who then waiver the restrictions. How does everyone else get cover? I've never seen the point of joining either of the clubs and would rather not be forced to!

 

[cris_408518]

Members of the AA for many years, and never calling on there service a fewyear back late evening on th ewa y to cornwall i realised my van had a braking problem a hub was getting hot deespite having been serviced a week or two earlier.

Jacked up the van and removed wheel and hub and found something had come loose, I solved the problem but no way could I or a mechanic who had offered help get the hyb back on.

We called the AA who were about to dispatch their frindly man when they realised I had removed the wheel and hub. "Sorry as you have started work on the vehicle we can not help you" and the phone went dead.After two more calls to the AA they reluctantly dispatched a friendly fellow who was joined by another as he had heard the radio call to a caravan.

The two AA guys oin the A303 were gems and scratched their heads for over an hour before they solved the problem without understanding what it had been or why we could not get the hub back on.

They agreed that if every breakdown member just called on the service at the first sign of trouble and didn't attempt to resolve a problem the road would be full of AA and Rac vans.

I have never called on them again with a van but beware what you tell them even if they are happy to cover you!

 

[martin Straker]

Try Green Flag, think you will find no restriction on size of caravan and very reasonable terms

 

[colin(bridgend)]

sorry Martyn you are wrong and I am speaking from first hand experience.

 

[laurieW]

I dont want to start an arguement here,BUT I have just received my renewal for Greenflag via Cravan Club Mayday and it states "There are no size or weight restrictions on caravans or motorcaravans".

 

[RogerL]

There's a difference between Green Flag and Green Flag!

Caravan Club Mayday, operated by Green Flag, has no restrictions for caravans or motorhomes. Green Flag, available to "Jo Public" does have restrictions on weight and size. Doesn't make sense but that's the situation.

 

[laurieW]

There's a difference between Green Flag and Green Flag!

Caravan Club Mayday, operated by Green Flag, has no restrictions for caravans or motorhomes. Green Flag, available to "Jo Public" does have restrictions on weight and size. Doesn't make sense but that's the situation.

Hi RogerL. Yes I think you are correct. I recall that I switched from Greenflag to Mayday(Greenflag) and got the same cover only cheaper(plus "the no restriction thingy").

 

[grahamr_5041507]

Trouble in my case is I have company car (whihc tows the van) and has its own fleet support, the wife has a car and i also have a bike. So ideally i need me and the wife, any vehicle including the van!! Looks like i'll be joining a club just to get the van on the RAC cover!!!(mind you at least i'll a club magazine full of people who scare me........hhhmmmnnnn)

 

[hughdavies]

Trouble in my case is I have company car (whihc tows the van) and has its own fleet support, the wife has a car and i also have a bike. So ideally i need me and the wife, any vehicle including the van!! Looks like i'll be joining a club just to get the van on the RAC cover!!!(mind you at least i'll a club magazine full of people who scare me........hhhmmmnnnn)

AA will cover you and your wife no matter what you drive or ride. Even if you are a passenger in somebody elses car you can call them out.

 

[john_5042169]

Hi Graham

I went through the Caravan Club May Day because I found out that existing recovery cover I had did not cover the caravan.

Within 4 weeks of taking the May Day cmprehensive cover out, I took my brand new twin axle, all 8m of it to Deveon for our summer holiday and enroute due to a white van driving close, pushed me of course and I hit a high kerb in the Exeter service area and bent the front axle rendering the carvan non towable.

I called May Day and within 10 mins I had some there to check it out, the length of the van was a problem to him so he called May Day back and explained the problem.

It then took the May Day operator about another 20mins to find a company who could recover a van of this length, they found someone in Somerset about 1hr away.

Sure enough within the hour someone arrived with a special low loader vehicle and transported the caravan back to Shefield where I had bought it, for repair.

The May Day service and operators were 1st class and I can highly recommend it, for the price to join an excellent club to be able to get an excellent support service such as May Day its worth the peace of mind.

 

[helen_5040310]

Hi Graham we have the same problem company car and me with my own small car for school run etc. I've just spent 2 days on the phone to breakdown companys the ONLY one to cover caravans of any length and a company car and you and your wife is indeed the RAC through the caravan and camping club so I to have just joined this club so we could have cover for everyone and every thing. My policy is for european cover as well and cost

 

[Guest]

Just a curious side point. You must have benevolent Companies that allow you to use the Company car for towing, or do you own the Company? Anyone I ever had was usually leased and had restrictions, towing being one of them. Some were even cagey about allowing holiday use as this was not covered by the blanket insurance policy.

 

[grahamr_5041507]

I'm lucky I suppose, my firm bought the car outright and as long as I insure the van they had no probelm with me fitting a towbar etc. As for using the car for holidays - I pay the tax for the company car privaledge so why not??

(I'm sure though that one claim whilst towing and that will be it!!!!)

 

[grahamr_5041507]

Here's an update for you sneaky ones out there!!!

I joined the damn club to get the cover for the Van with the RAC. Just called the RAC advised i was now a member, they removed the height and length restrictions from my policy...........WITHOUT asking for my membership number,

 

[chrissie2]

Here's an update for you sneaky ones out there!!!

I joined the damn club to get the cover for the Van with the RAC. Just called the RAC advised i was now a member, they removed the height and length restrictions from my policy...........WITHOUT asking for my membership number,

 

[RogerL]

Scotch Lad - during my working career I never had any problem getting approval for towbar fitment, and subsequent towing, even though the cars were all leased. The ones which were fully expensed even paid for the extra fuel when towing.

 

[Guest]

I was maybe unlucky. The Company I worked for was part French part American and the rules were extremely strict. All Company vehicles had Smartright monitors fitted and monthly downloads were mandatory. A poor download and you received a written warning. Why?? The Company was global with 50000 employees working in virtually every country in the world and they discovered that 80% of all downtime was due to motor accidents so a major push was made to control these. Unfortunately, the downside was no company car could be used outside company business, and I am afraid towing etc was totally 'off the books'.

Of course in the UK the situation is slightly different in that you can have either a Company car, or an allowance to use your personal car. In the latter case I am sure towing is obviously not a problem.

Nowe as a retiree I pay all my own bills, and can do what i like. But can still stop my wife using the car, at least i think I can???

 

[NorfolkMike]

Try Green Flag, Not through caravan club 'mayday' but direct.It covers for Europe recovery and U.K. recovery. I have been recovered twice by them. from Scotland after a car only rear end shunt when the van was on site. and once after putting in the wrong fuel. both with caravan. Would rate it highly.

 

[FredMckeon_5040382]

I am member of Britannia Rescue they cover caravans at no extra cost, I have used them twice in the past couple of years once to a brake problem on the caravan and once to carry out a wheelchange cannot fault them!