European Breakdown Cover (urgent!)

zcacogp · May 22, 2014

Chaps,

Quickie. I'm off to France at the weekend with Mrs zcacogp and my S2.

I think that taking out breakdown cover could be a wise move. I know the car hasn't broken down on me in the last 9 years but I don't want to tempt fate ...

My insurance company provided me with a good quote but, when I called up today to buy the policy, they decided that my car was over 16 years old and hence they couldn't cover me. Yes, you would have thought they should have known given that they insure the thing, but there we are.

So, who WILL give cover for an older car in Europe? Only has to go as far as France, must include repatriation, only needs to last a week. (Or should I just take a good toolkit and not bother?)

Oli.

944 man · May 22, 2014

Join ADAC. AA in the UK for less than the AA charge and they cover the whole of Europe. Easier to pay now and the have some people who will speak English to you on the phone when you join, too.

Two weeks worth of AA Euro cover may well cost more btw!

Mark Elder · May 22, 2014

+1 for ADAC, quick and easy to join on phone - you will get a german speaker, but just ask if they speak english and they quickly transfer you to someone who, in my case was incredibly helpful. Can join using a credit card but renewals don't accept cards and you have to do international BACS payments (unless your bank accepts european direct debt - which Lloyds does not - how British!)

See http://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/adac_membership/default.aspx

zcacogp · May 22, 2014

Guys,

Thanks for the replies, and to ChrisG for calling me!

Upshot is that Green Flag don't cover anything over 16 years old, the RAC will cover me for a week for £104 (or a year for £235 - I don't currently have any breakdown cover at all). I have yet to try ADAC but will call them in the morning.

I'm seriously considering not having any cover at all; the car has been 100% reliable (apart from a flat battery) in the 8 years I have owned it, it's well-maintained and I have no expectation that it will break down in the near future. I don't bother with breakdown cover in the UK. I'll take a complete tool kit with me and some repair manuals. We're also spending time with family, who will have cars and who could tow us back to a ferry port if all else fails. Having said that, peace of mind is worth a lot and a breakdown would be a big downer on a holiday.

Hmmm. Let's see what ADAC say. £104 is a fairly chunky bit of cash.

Thanks again for your help.

Oli.

edh · May 22, 2014

I have read that ADAC are no longer taking on new members who live in the UK

existing members are Ok I think

btw I'm a member, I think they are excellent

andy watson · May 22, 2014

ORIGINAL: edh

I have read that ADAC are no longer taking on new members who live in UK

+1

PAUL RUDDY · May 22, 2014

It's free with the club insurance scheme .....[

]

zcacogp · May 22, 2014

ORIGINAL: PAUL RUDDY

It's free with the club insurance scheme .....[]

Tell me more ...

I'm hoping that ADAC do still take on new customers, although I have heard that rumour as well.

Oli.

Frenchy · May 22, 2014

Heard good things about ADAC, the AA suck, most providers will nopt give cover on our cars, stick a spare DME in the glovebox and drive.

zcacogp · May 22, 2014

ORIGINAL: Frenchy

Heard good things about ADAC ... stick a spare DME in the glovebox and drive.

This is pretty much where I am. If ADAC will have me then I'll go with them (presuming they aren't silly expensive.) Otherwise I'll ensure that the spare DME is in the glovebox where it belongs, load the boot up with tools and the laptop with instruction manuals and point the car at France. It's yet to break down on me in the last 8 years, so why should it in the next week? I didn't take out breakdown cover when we drove to the north of Scotland and France is a reasonable chunk less far than that.

(Fingers crossed that I am not about to make a silly, silly mistake.)

Oli.

Frenchy · May 22, 2014

The joys of old pork [

] it will do you proud i am sure, you will have no doubt give it a good looking at before setting off ! oil, water and a DME and of you go..................Enjoy [

] [

]

zcacogp · May 22, 2014

I serviced it a month or so ago and it's running better than ever. (I am really looking forward to driving it over there actually). Of course, the money saved on breakdown cover could be spent on French wine on the way home ... if I can fit it in amongst all the tools!

Oli.

PSH · May 23, 2014

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

I serviced it a month or so ago and it's running better than ever. (I am really looking forward to driving it over there actually). Of course, the money saved on breakdown cover could be spent on French wine on the way home ... if I can fit it in amongst all the tools!

Oli.

good luck Oli and enjoy, I've driven in France a number of times and enjoyed it greatly, perhaps too much, but back then they didn't chase you across the channel if you drove a little spirited while there. I'm sure Tony ( 944Turbo) and Paul (diver944) can remember our drives to Le Mans. I've been back since for weekend trips to Dunkerque and Calais .. always in the 944....

Pete

944Turbo · May 23, 2014

I do remember fondly, however on a recent less spirited drive to the mountains I picked up a 90 Euro fine (for 105 ish) and they were well hidden. I was between a Belgian registered Range Rover and French registered renault all doing the same speeds. We were near an autoroute side town where I tend to be more restrained, if fugured wrongly that they would pick on the french or belgians first.
Tony

PAUL RUDDY · May 23, 2014

ORIGINAL: zcacogp

ORIGINAL: PAUL RUDDY

It's free with the club insurance scheme .....[]

Click to expand...

Tell me more ...

I'm hoping that ADAC do still take on new customers, although I have heard that rumour as well.

Oli.

Full European breakdown and recovery is provided with the policy issued by Locktons under the club scheme.

When we did Dinslaken in 2013 I wasn't with them and it cost me £36 for a weeks cover via the RAC I think, this year the price had jumped horrendously, however this year I am with Locktons so had full cover for no extra.

It's also important to check the wording on some bought policies as there are as expected 'get out clauses' , one that jumped out at me was the repatriation of car and passengers cannot exceed car value or words to that effect, who decides the value ?

Paul

Nick_USA · May 23, 2014

Not sure where you got ADAC aren't taking UK members anymore.

Joined this month albeit via phone as the online form does not support UK addresses.

Cost us 113 euro for both of us. (88 euro for me and 25 euro for additional member (wife)).

Cover is instant and the cards arrived within a week.

You do need to call a German number if you breakdown, but we are assured that there will always be an English speaker if needed. Their agent in the UK is the AA.

We had RAC cover before and we were horrified at how much extra they wanted to extend our UK cover into Europe.

RAC wanted over £275 for similiar cover.

btw It is the ADAC Plus Service you will need.

Christopher I Ralph · May 23, 2014

Probably too late for Oli but the Co-op do a European Policy through AXA with home start, full recovery, etc., which comes out at about £100 but if one uses the code CMA101, the cost is only £46.80

zcacogp · May 23, 2014

Chaps,

Thanks to everyone for the helpful answers. RAC wanted over £100 for a week's cover (and £280-odd for a year). Green Flag don't do anything for any car over 16 years old. ADAC did a year's cover for 84EUR for me (Mrs zcacogp didn't need the cover, but it would have been 109EUR for the pair of us.) Apparently they cover the driver not the car, so this will be useful when I go back to France later on this year with my Dad for Le Mans. Calling ADAC via Skype was free (it seems that Skype recognise freephone numbers abroad and charge accordingly) and I asked to be put through to someone who spoke English. The lady whom I was put through to spoke English perfectly and told me pretty much the same as Nick said.

Of course, having purchased the cover my car will now work perfectly all week! Any kind of breakdown cover is like tools; they are talismen that ward off breakdowns. Travelling with both tools and breakdown cover means your car is unbreakable! [

]

Thanks again for your help, chaps.

Oli.

edh · May 23, 2014

ORIGINAL: Nick_USA

Not sure where you got ADAC aren't taking UK members anymore.

Joined this month albeit via phone as the online form does not support UK addresses.

I read it on Northloop (btw ADAC will recover from the nordschleife or reimburse your recovery costs). Glad it's not true

I had brilliant service from ADAC a few years ago when my car expired on the way to the 'ring. The only slight issue is that they will only cover a limited range for towing in your home country if you break down (approx â‚¬200 I think, which is 25 miles or so)

zcacogp · May 23, 2014

ORIGINAL: edh
I had brilliant service from ADAC a few years ago when my car expired on the way to the 'ring. The only slight issue is that they will only cover a limited range for towing in your home country if you break down (approx â‚¬200 I think, which is 25 miles or so)

That's helpful to know, thanks. We aren't within 25 miles of Dover ferry port, but I have friends who are! [

]

Oli.