European breakdown cover
Discussion
Hey all,
I'm posting this in the Le Mans section simply because visitors are more likely to have tried various options (and I am a regular Le Mans go-er)
I'm off to France on Saturday and have AA European cover in place until 24th July - problem is I don't come back until 26th July and the feckin' AA won't extend for 2 days. They want me to either renew for a year (£170!!) or take out a single trip policy but this would have to be for the whole 3-week trip.
So, looking for options for 2 days cover in France.
Anyone know if ADAC are still accessible to UK drivers?
Any other options?
PS - stopping off first night in Angouleme - home of the Circuit des Remparts. Shame I'm there at the wrong time!
Cheers,
Al
I'm posting this in the Le Mans section simply because visitors are more likely to have tried various options (and I am a regular Le Mans go-er)
I'm off to France on Saturday and have AA European cover in place until 24th July - problem is I don't come back until 26th July and the feckin' AA won't extend for 2 days. They want me to either renew for a year (£170!!) or take out a single trip policy but this would have to be for the whole 3-week trip.
So, looking for options for 2 days cover in France.
Anyone know if ADAC are still accessible to UK drivers?
Any other options?
PS - stopping off first night in Angouleme - home of the Circuit des Remparts. Shame I'm there at the wrong time!
Cheers,
Al
I have always used Green Flag. You have to phone them but they have been fairly competitive as far as I have been concerned and mores the point I have had need to use them. They went above and beyond to get me off the side of a French alp when I had crashed on black ice, at 9pm, on New Year's Eve. I won't use anyone else now as a result of their fantastic support.
I have in the past used this http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/ Never had to call them out so don't know how good they are etc.
I'm now in the ADAC. You have to phone them to join because their on-line form expects a German address.
I'm now in the ADAC. You have to phone them to join because their on-line form expects a German address.
"Fecking AA"
Really, I am trying not to come over all ex-employee here 'cos I have no doubt they have some faults but they moved heaven and earth to get me home a couple of years ago when they could have said sod off Jimmy
If your renewal is due whilst you are away have you disputed the cost of renewal?
I understand many companies in the rescue game add to the price incrementally on renewal date
Tell them you are off to Red Flag Royal Car Club or whatever instead of renewing, they may drop the price
If not, yes I've heard good stuff about ADAC, but I think I bought AA continental travel ins this year for £86 ish
Really, I am trying not to come over all ex-employee here 'cos I have no doubt they have some faults but they moved heaven and earth to get me home a couple of years ago when they could have said sod off Jimmy
If your renewal is due whilst you are away have you disputed the cost of renewal?
I understand many companies in the rescue game add to the price incrementally on renewal date
Tell them you are off to Red Flag Royal Car Club or whatever instead of renewing, they may drop the price
If not, yes I've heard good stuff about ADAC, but I think I bought AA continental travel ins this year for £86 ish
When I drive in Europe I normally get breakdown cover for the trip through Eurotunnel at a reasonable rate. If you do more than 1 or 2 trips a year it's probably better to have annual cover though.
For annual cover Quidco give decent cashback amounts with the big breakdown recovery companies.
For annual cover Quidco give decent cashback amounts with the big breakdown recovery companies.
I used AA single trip cover for the run down to LM at a cost of £80.
Sadly I broke down I must say thank god I had the gold AA cover I had 2 vans turn up and they stayed for 2 hours before finally throwing the towel in and getting the car recovered. They sorted everything out got us to a hire car place changed our crossing time sorted taxis to the hire car place this side. they kept in constant contact via phone and email to make sure everything was going to plan. (Sadly it took 3 weeks to get my car back but its here now)
I would deffo use them again
Sadly I broke down I must say thank god I had the gold AA cover I had 2 vans turn up and they stayed for 2 hours before finally throwing the towel in and getting the car recovered. They sorted everything out got us to a hire car place changed our crossing time sorted taxis to the hire car place this side. they kept in constant contact via phone and email to make sure everything was going to plan. (Sadly it took 3 weeks to get my car back but its here now)
I would deffo use them again
Thanks all, I'll try some of those suggestions.
RAC would only cover the whole trip, suspect I will get the same response from other companies. Problem seems to be that they don't like it that I will already be in France when I need the extra two days cover to start. How that increases the risk I have no idea.
My issue with the AA and indeed the RAC is one of flexibility, or rather inflexibility. This is just an insurance policy. Insurers are usually fairly flexible about stuff like adding a different car on for a few days and seem perfectly happy to charge a few quid pro-rata. So why the problem adding a couple of extra days cover onto the end of an existing policy.
By the way Perdu I am a very long standing AA customer and give them over £1000 a year for a range of services so I do feel pretty justified in asking for a bit of flexibility. I'm glad you enjoyed working for them and that you got good service from them but isn't that what we pay for?? Generally I have had good service from them also but they dropped the ball very badly last year when my '78 911 broke down in London and they subcontracted the rescue to a local firm who took six hours to turn up. Nevertheless, being a loyal chap and taking the view that they are all fairly similar I have stayed with them - they sent me a £25 cheque as compensation - aren't they generous!!
I'll let you know what kind of response I get from some of the other companies.
Al.
RAC would only cover the whole trip, suspect I will get the same response from other companies. Problem seems to be that they don't like it that I will already be in France when I need the extra two days cover to start. How that increases the risk I have no idea.
My issue with the AA and indeed the RAC is one of flexibility, or rather inflexibility. This is just an insurance policy. Insurers are usually fairly flexible about stuff like adding a different car on for a few days and seem perfectly happy to charge a few quid pro-rata. So why the problem adding a couple of extra days cover onto the end of an existing policy.
By the way Perdu I am a very long standing AA customer and give them over £1000 a year for a range of services so I do feel pretty justified in asking for a bit of flexibility. I'm glad you enjoyed working for them and that you got good service from them but isn't that what we pay for?? Generally I have had good service from them also but they dropped the ball very badly last year when my '78 911 broke down in London and they subcontracted the rescue to a local firm who took six hours to turn up. Nevertheless, being a loyal chap and taking the view that they are all fairly similar I have stayed with them - they sent me a £25 cheque as compensation - aren't they generous!!
I'll let you know what kind of response I get from some of the other companies.
Al.
Understand where you are coming from Al, flexibility is hard to come by from all those companies
I really do sympathise there, don't work for them anymore because of inflexibility
So I'm early retired
But not important, your problem is
Was it intended as a single trip, mine and Phil's by the look of it was a 'single trip just give the dates' deal - eighty notes did the business
b
I really do sympathise there, don't work for them anymore because of inflexibility
So I'm early retired
But not important, your problem is
Was it intended as a single trip, mine and Phil's by the look of it was a 'single trip just give the dates' deal - eighty notes did the business
b
I believe that ADAC were leant on by their UK partner (AA) and will no longer take on new customers with a UK address as a result. Too many people realised it was cheaper to take out an ADAC policy than AA but you still got AA recovery. However, I've heard that if you call them they will cover you, you just can't do it via their website. If you do get any joy with them please post as they seemed very good value.
I tried to join ADAC on the phone shortly after the policy changed, and they were very apologetic but refused to cover me. On the off chance I tried an email and it worked, they signed me up, but I have heard this no longer works.
The alternative is if you have a French address for instance to join from there, and then move house to the UK......
The alternative is if you have a French address for instance to join from there, and then move house to the UK......
I joined ADAC just before this year's Le Mans trip, so these tales about not being able to join are false. It took a couple of goes to get hold of an English speaker at their end and I had to call back. They speak good enough English to know that you want to join but doing that going through the form requires somebody competent. There may be problems paying with some UK cards, but mine was OK.
I didn't have my plastic card when I left for LM but it was waiting on the mat when I got back. I was armed with my membership number which I was given when I joined and the French and German contact numbers in case of a breakdown.
My actual address wasn't quite right on the stuff they sent me since it is rather complicated, but I'm friendly with my postman and he got the letters to me OK. I went on-line and changed my address there. To log in I think you need an address with a German postcode but I spoofed that with 00000 (that was possibly suggested...) and the change of address form once you are in the members' area gives you the option of "meine neue Adresse ist im Ausland".
I didn't have my plastic card when I left for LM but it was waiting on the mat when I got back. I was armed with my membership number which I was given when I joined and the French and German contact numbers in case of a breakdown.
My actual address wasn't quite right on the stuff they sent me since it is rather complicated, but I'm friendly with my postman and he got the letters to me OK. I went on-line and changed my address there. To log in I think you need an address with a German postcode but I spoofed that with 00000 (that was possibly suggested...) and the change of address form once you are in the members' area gives you the option of "meine neue Adresse ist im Ausland".
OK, have renewed with the AA - they gave me a 20% discount after following a complaints process.
I was very tempted by the people OvalOwl recommended - http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/european-breakdown-c... £46.75 for a single trip of between 25 and 31 days or £67.95 for annual cover. The only difference that I could see between this policy and the AA was the amount of cover for car hire which is £500 for these guys and £750 for AA. Accommodation allowance is the same at £500 (which would soon disappear with a family of 5).
Bonnes voyages!
Al.
I was very tempted by the people OvalOwl recommended - http://www.vehicle-rescue.com/european-breakdown-c... £46.75 for a single trip of between 25 and 31 days or £67.95 for annual cover. The only difference that I could see between this policy and the AA was the amount of cover for car hire which is £500 for these guys and £750 for AA. Accommodation allowance is the same at £500 (which would soon disappear with a family of 5).
Bonnes voyages!
Al.
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