Has anyone ever had to utilise their breakdown cover in EU - if so how good were they?

[Sidders]

Hello fellow funsters,
It’s that insurance renewal time of year again and I was happily going to renew with Caravan Guard again despite it having gone up a few ££.
I picked them last year as we were thinking of going A class at the time and they had no limit on windscreen cover, and also unlike Comfort - if memory serves me right they weren’t a broker and had a more favourable charges structure in event of policy movement/change/cancellation etc.
I’ve just read some abysmal reviews of their breakdown cover on the Burnster Forum
Does anyone here have experience or can point me in the direction of another I’m perhaps missing.
Many thanks

 

[meanders]

From personal experience, and reading many threads on the subject since 2008, I conclude that no one company is perfect and that all have fallen down for Funsters abroad at some time. My experience was with AIB who used Europ Assist. Fiat Camper Assist were much more helpful especially with translation with the recovery company. Be prepared that if you breakdown on any Autoroute (not just tolled, all A roads), your breakdown people cannot go on the motorway to help and you have to use whoever is contracted for that section of motorway. If spotted, the police will not even allow you to change your own wheel on the hard shoulder. It's a right rip off, and you have to pay BEFORE they will release your vehicle back to you, although AIB were quick to reimburse it still made a hole in our budget. They are not interested in getting the money from the insurance company. No payment, no keys! Because I was struggling to understand and said I wanted to speak to my insurance company again, they became very aggressive and moved the van into a bay and brought down the shutters. We still had the cats and all our belongings apart from the clothes we were wearing inside but that meant nothing. All they were interested in was my credit card.

Then to cap it all, their 'fitter' broke the spare wheel cradle that cost me £700 to replace. Far and away the most expensive puncture I have ever had.

 

[Detnor]

Last summer, we used the AA through the Nationwide Flexplus account while sitting on a site near St Malo. They were excellent, while arranging a mechanic, they were concerned about our well being making sure we were safe. The mechanic came from a mercedes dealership, fixed the problem and was all done very quickly. The AA rang the next day to confirm all was ok, the service was just what you would hope for.

 

[brynric]

We had a clutch problem on a Chausson several years ago when in Germany. This was a total failure, we were stuck…albeit we had managed to get to an aire so not an emergency. Green Flag responded very quickly, rescued us to a garage in Trier and gave us the option of staying in the compound or being put up in a hotel. We opted for the hotel and the repair was completed (at our expense) before we overstayed our allowance. We were very happy with their cover. However we are no longer with them as their mileage allowance was too limited for our current needs.

 

[Barchetta47]

In 2023 we used our Britannia recovery breakdown when the cambelt went just outside Salamanca. I have to say they were brilliant from start to finish. Recovery to a good garage, hotel, hire car to Madrid airport, airport hotel, taxi home, return flights to pick up motorhome and keeping us informed throughout. We often still say it’s the best £100 we’ve spent since we started motorhoming!

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[grasscutter]

Broke down in Spain when insured with Safeguard who used the AA. Very good service no complaints.
Broke down in Southern Ireland last year and used Nationwide, who also used the AA. Again excellent service and communication.
Both vehicles were over 3.5t.

 

[Flairy]

We are with SAGA we broke down on the Belguim autoroute at the start of holiday shut down it was about 1 hour until they got to us the company kept us informed and we’re so helpfull can’t speak highly enough of them

 

[nicholsong]

We were insured with Safeguard which included breakdown cover.

We used the breakdown twice in Germany: once a blowout on an Autobahn and then an oil pressure tranmitter. We had a number in France to call where they spoke excellent English and understood the technical and safety problems.

They sent ADAC for which I was quite greatful., Wheel was changed at roadside and in other case the recovery man reckoned it eas OK to drive the kilometre to the garagebut followed us, so no vehicle recovery was involved.

Both times I was satiffied with the service.

 

[Howard B]

Last summer, we used the AA through the Nationwide Flexplus account while sitting on a site near St Malo. They were excellent, while arranging a mechanic, they were concerned about our well being making sure we were safe. The mechanic came from a mercedes dealership, fixed the problem and was all done very quickly. The AA rang the next day to confirm all was ok, the service was just what you would hope for.

Same experience in St Malo with Nationwide/ AA.

 

[rosalan]

Seperate breakdown taken out just before travelling. Auto Gearbox failed in Spain but managed to carry on to Portugal, Finally called out breakdown number in Portugal. They sent a lorry (?) to follow onto industrial zone, he then left. We called Portuguese breakdown and were told van would be transported to UK as nobody in Portugal could repair it. I phoned again and convinced the operator it was safe to drive (I lied a little as every time I stopped I lost all gears before much wiggling gear selector a lot). I was given permission to drive to Spain (80k) where there was a main agent in Badajoz. Portuguese helpline did not speak Spanish so they negotiated with the garage and us via Emails. The breakdown service at the end of two weeks, being repaired were wonderful, they did look after us. They paid 40euros a night for hotel which later turned out to be £80 plus. Overseas breakdown worked for us but I have yet to find the name of the company to use again this year.