Overseas Breakdown Insurance - Which One?

[TimM]

We have always used red pennant from the caravan club in the past and have used them once to help obtain a replacement tyre for our car when half a pair of scissors went through it near Cahors!

Just had a Red Pennant quote for a single trip to France for £172, which I think is staggeringly expensive for a 10 day holiday. Its being boosted up by our generally trusty Discovery now being over 10 years old and adding a supplement to go from 2 to 4 people travelling.

I just phoned the RAC who I have UK breakdown recovery with, and they advise that the same trip will cost £116.82 with them or £84.96 if I join the caravan and camping club, which we were thinking of joining anyway. The camping and caravanning club website mentions Carefree and Europ Assistance but nothing about RAC.

Wondered what other people's experiences are? I've heard mainly good things about red pennant but their price is pretty steep and hardly seems value for money. I have no experience of overseas RAC or Carefree and Europ Assistance via the caravan and camping club. Our caravan is within the RAC size restrictions.

 

[DavidKlyne]

I always use Red Pennant and no doubt will continue to do so. There is often a reason why things are cheaper and I suppose in your search you must make sure you have the cover you need by comparing the small print. I don't know anything about the CC&C version but one assumes it is put together to offer a comprehensive cover for caravans so is a bit more specialised than others.

David

 

[carper2]

I use the CSMA and have done for quit a few years. Their service in this country is second to none, I have never had to use them in France. The price is very good and includes 90 days travel abroad.

 

[emmerson2]

David, don't Red Pennant have an age/value restriction on the car for repatriation? Ie, if the cost of repat exceeds the value of the car, they won't do it?

 

[PhilFraeHowMill]

Tim

Look up autonational rescue, I think its about

 

[DavidKlyne]

Emmerson

Red Pennant do have an additional premium for cars over 10 years old and I think if you read the small print a lot of policies they will not repatriate a vehicle if the cost of doing so/ repair is greater than th value of the vehicle. The trouble with this sort of advice is that people give information and details of quality of service as it applies to the UK. The reallity can be very different abroad. I am hppy with Red Pennat as I have mentioned so can't really comment on other policies. All I would encourage people to do is look at the small print and compare point by point. Think of what would happen if the worst happens not just a breakdown of the vehicle which in most cases will be repaired locally. What happens if there is an accident with the caravan, what happens if the main/only driver is too ill to continue, do they cope with your length of van. I know all this exists with Red Pennant but I don't know whether this applies to all insurance policies so you see where I am comimg from on this. Its not a sales pitch for Red Pennant I just want to encourage people to cheak what you are actually getting. It would be good to get some expriences of other breakdown services from the horses mouth.

David

 

[Lutz]

In another thread (http://www.practicalcaravan.co.uk/newforums/fm_messages.asp?FO=5&FM=494219) Haydn extolled the virtues of the ADAC breakdown insurance.

 

[Guest]

I have copied this from another thread as it seems the same subject is being discussed in 2 places.

Many people 'swear' by the CC Red Pennant as if you are unsure of what you are embarking upon, then it is certainly comforting.

However, it is very expensive on a day by day basis for something that hopefully you will never need and there are other Companies offering similar deals for far less cost. A single trip Policy for both personal and motor cover will cost you about 2.60 per day or thereabouts. For example the C&CC offers almost the same as the CC but can be up to 50% cheaper on certain options.

Some people are happier splitting things up to individual Companies for insurance and breakdown cover, so the best advice I can offer is to work out what is the duration of your trip, obviouslky your outfit and party aand make some enquiries to see what is available, and what cost.

Please take time to read the Policy Documents, as to what exactly is covered, and if it is more than you expect to ever need, why buy it? Also ensure all medical conditions are inputted, or the Cover will not be worth the paper it is printed on.

I admit to having used Red Pennant many times but this year I am using Clubcare from the C&CC as it is nearly as comprehensive, and significantly cheaper. Like you my caravan and car are already covered separately for overseas travel, so in effect I am duplicating some bits.

Both Clubs allow you to get quotations online and other Companies are described in the caravan/motorhome Press.

 

[John_miller]

I'm one of the seemingly few people who have had a bad experience with Red Pennant. We've never looked anywhere else in the past, but this year have obtained a quote from C&CC which is much better and cheaper than Red Pennant, so will probably go with them once we've sorted out some medical issues.

John M

 

[TimM]

Thanks for your replies. I'm off to the NEC in a bit so apart from drooling over the Vanmasters, I'll have a chat with the Caravan and Camping Club and see what they can do for me. Whilst I think Red Pennant are very good, they are cost prohibitive this time. If they had not pushed their price right up due to age of vehicle and addition of two people then they would have kept my business.

 

[BigTim]

Hi Tim

Like you I am concerned at the cost of Red Pennant. After bad experiences with Britannia Rescue we have used RP for the past 3 years. In 2007 our car had to be repatriated after a breakdown. Although not perfect RP provided a series of tow-cars which enabled us to continue our hols and tow the 'van back home. The car was repatriated reasonably efficiently compared with our BR experiences.

When booking my Summer Holiday ferry yesterday I thought I would get a quote for Motoring/Personal Insurance from the above company as, on a flyer I received, it looked a lot cheaper than CC's Red Pennant.

For our 34 day trip Red Pennant was

 

[DianneT]

We have ADAC on the recommendation of many others on this Forum last Spring. 98. 40 euros for Partner-Plus cover. We have been through all it covers and so has Lutz. In fact Lutz gave me quite a lot of help in the begining. For more info on this see atricle in my website www.dvthompson.webs.com/joysof caravannin.

 

[Alex_374373826]

Being daft, do you have website for ADAC or is it german org?

Thank you

Alex

 

[DavidKlyne]

Alex

Have a look at this thread ADAC

David

 

[DianneT]

You will find the website address on the thread David has given you and on my website. It is www.adac.de if you have Google toolbar it has translate on it and the whole website will come up in English. Hope this helps. On my website the article on ADAC is in

 

[DianneT]

You will find the website address on the thread David has given you and on my website. It is www.adac.de if you have Google toolbar it has translate on it and the whole website will come up in English. Hope this helps. On my website the article on ADAC is in

clicked send before I had finished sorry. It is under caravan Orgs & Breakdown.

 

[BigTim]

To Les

I've just noted that you use CSMA, ie, Britannia Rescue. We used CSMA/BR in 2006. Like you I agree their UK service was, and probably still is, excellent but unless their Continental agents have improved from our experiences in 2006 BEWARE. See my earlier thread summarising our horrendous experiences.

Tim

 

[James_374477846]

I use Britannia Rescue and my experience both at home and abroad has been very good. Just renewed for 2010/11 and have paid

 

[BigTim]

Well all I can say was that in 2 different countries. Belgium and Italy Brittania Rescue's Agents response was VERY POOR. Especially in Belgium where we left broken down on a contraflow section of the autoroute for over 2 hours in driving rain. When I complained to their operator she suggested that we sit in our car, on the hardshoulder, when I pointed out that this was very dangerous she asked if we had an umbrella. We were then left stranded at a rural campsite for a week whilst the car was being "repaired". The "repair" lasted less than 10 miles before we had to towed back to the campsite. The car was then found to need repatriation, as I had suggested week earlier. Now hire tow cars were available so the we were given hire cars to get us home and the car and caravan were to follow later. The repatriation date was changed numerous times and BR actually admitted that they didn't know where they were!! When the caravan finally arrived home there was

 

[carper2]

I think that this subject is like a lot of others everyone has their own experiences. If everyone used the same services as everyone else the price would most probably be astronomical.

I know I have read site reports elsewhere where people have loved the site, I have gone there and hated it.

Les

 

[TimM]

Well I have now got my insurance. In the end joined the C&CC and took out their Europ Assist for about

 

[TERRY_374316379]

Hi Folks,

Try Swiftcover,Just been quoted

 

[DianneT]

We would sooner pay 98.40 euros which covers both of us for 12 months a year using any car and caravan and know we are covered for absolutely everything with ADAC Partner Plus when we are in Europe.

 

[KeithJ]

Two important points to consider when choosing overseas insurance cover are:

- Are 'vans over 7 metres long included

- If the caravan develops a problem (failure in running gear, tyres etc) is it covered if the car has not broken down

MOST companies do not cover these points - CC, C&CC, ADAC and Britania Rescue do.

Like some others I would not pay Red Pennant's high prices, but they do provide very comprehensive cover, which may not be required at such a level by all, but is particularly suited to inexperienced travellers who may not feel confident to sort out problems.

Keith

 

[SteveW77]

Like some others I would not pay Red Pennant's high prices, but they do provide very comprehensive cover, which may not be required at such a level by all, but is particularly suited to inexperienced travellers who may not feel confident to sort out problems.

Keith

It really does not matter how experienced you are. I have been a commercial vehicle fitter for 45 years and when the turbo on my Sorento decided to pack up, it was on a Sunday afternoon, halfway up a mountain in the south of France. Even with all my experience, there was bu**er all I could do about it. Long live RAC arrival, worth every penny.

Steve W