RAC European cover - what does it cost per trip?
RAC European cover - what does it cost per trip?
Author
Discussion

threadlock

Original Poster:

3,210 posts

283 months

Thursday 15th May 2014
quotequote all
I just tried calling the RAC but without the rigmarole of taking all my details they can't give me a simple answer. confused

If my wife and I take out standard joint UK breakdown (roadside+recovery) cover, can anybody give me a rough guide for how much it'd cost to add a two-week French holiday in August to the cover? (The car we'll be using is about 12 years old.)

Can't decide whether it's worth paying the £100 premium to have all-year cover for two or three trips, or whether to pay per trip.

Fox-

13,572 posts

275 months

Thursday 15th May 2014
quotequote all
With the AA this was so hugely expensive for me - it was about £160 - that I took out a BMW Monthly warranty including Emergency Service for a month which cost significantly less! European cover seems to be generally a ripoff from the established players.

Look into ADAC.

threadlock

Original Poster:

3,210 posts

283 months

Thursday 15th May 2014
quotequote all
Thanks Fox-

I can get RAC cover with £40 of Tesco vouchers so it's an appealing option. But "coming soon" through Tesco is joint European cover for £80-worth of vouchers (instead of the retail cost of £200 or so). Just wondering whether it's worth paying that extra £40 or whether adding one or two individual trips would cost less than this.

longblackcoat

5,047 posts

212 months

Thursday 15th May 2014
quotequote all
Eurotunnel offer a decent service - from memory I think I paid about £80 for an annual policy. For the 10-12 trips I do per year it's a no-brainer

Fox-

13,572 posts

275 months

Thursday 15th May 2014
quotequote all
Also are you taking your Saab? Be warned...

There is a nasty clause in most of these policies that says if the cost of repatriating your car following a breakdown exceeds its market value, they wont help you and will expect you to scrap the car. This was a particular worry for me as I was doing the trip in my prized 200k mile E39 with a value of zero to everyone but priceless to me.

The breakdown firm really lucks in if you drive an older car, a 3 year old Focus driver pays no more for his policy yet would have the car recovered as a matter of course..

threadlock

Original Poster:

3,210 posts

283 months

Thursday 15th May 2014
quotequote all
Fox- said:
Also are you taking your Saab? Be warned...

There is a nasty clause in most of these policies that says if the cost of repatriating your car following a breakdown exceeds its market value, they wont help you and will expect you to scrap the car. This was a particular worry for me as I was doing the trip in my prized 200k mile E39 with a value of zero to everyone but priceless to me.
Ahh that's interesting. Thank you. For the longer trip it will be the Saab, yes. I guess they'd still help to recover the car from the Péage or wherever to a local repair garage and that's a service worth paying for. If they refuse to repatriate it that wouldn't be the end of the world. A different st, high-mileage car would be my next project when I got home smile