Nationwide Flex Plus account 'perks' - funster experiences

[Minxy]

Our MH breakdown cover expires in a few days and although we won't be using it this month or next I'll need it from December as we intend to have a couple of months in France/Spain. I've looked at using our current breakdown provider but they now have a 3.5 tonne weight restriction so I have queried if they'll cover us this time round as continuing policy holders, it'll only be £88 if they will but if not it's likely to be well over £100 with other providers, as a consequently I've been looking at what options are open to me and have been wondering about Nationwide's Flex Plus account due to their giving travel insurance cover too as although I've currently got a travel insurance policy via LV which doesn't expire until March 2023 it's something I'll need for the summer.

Taking the travel insurance and breakdown cover into account, plus the benefit of recovery for our car and phone cover too, something we don't have at present, the cost soon adds up hence I'm considering upgrading our existing Nationwide Flex current account to a Flex Plus account wef December to get the breakdown cover for our motorhome and car, the phone cover, and of course travel insurance for when I need it next year (paying the supplement for 60 days at that point) so it seems to be a good 'package' overall.

It will cost a little bit less than our existing separate policies (although Nationwide will be quite a bit cheaper if we have to go elsewhere for our breakdown provider) but that's not the only consideration as we need to ensure that the Nationwide provision will definitely meet our needs hence I'm wondering just how good the travel insurance and breakdown cover actually is 'in real life' therefore I'd be grateful for funsters' experiences please of using Nationwide's breakdown and/or travel insurance before I decide on which route to go down.

Ta muchly!

 

[Gina M]

My heads in a spin, can't help sorry so much stuff is going wrong in my brain at the moment, I'm done

Gina.

 

[DumfriesDik]

We kind of used Nationwide's breakdown service a month ago. We had a gearbox problem in Southern Ireland and they said they would send out a truck to pick us up. The call centre is based in France, the phones are answered quickly and the local breakdown truck driver was in touch very soon after. We decided not use the service as we could manage. But the experience was a positive one with Nationwide.

They didn't seem interested in 'fixing' the problem, just a recovery. But as we didn't go through with it I can't be sure.

We also paid more for the Nationwide personal insurance so that they took my 'ailments' into account. We also paid more to extend our overseas trips to 60 days. I think it was in the £50 - £80 mark for both. Why 60 days? Because the house insurance says we can leave the property for 60 days empty! Don't overlook that one.

 

[Carpmart]

Some context relevant to your question in this topic started yesterday…

120 days in EU, problems with MoHo Insurance, travel/health insurance and mobile contract

I know some people on here have done many long extended tours in the past. Brexit and Covid have probably meant that many fewer do this now days. With Covid hopefully behind us in terms of major impact, we intend to spend four months 121 days away from 26th December in France and Spain. What...

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

 

[vin.egan]

Have used the breakdown a couple of times over the past with our motorhome and a van we have also, absolutely no problems whatsoever, communication was excellent as was the service we received. Both happened in the UK.

Haven't used the medical insurance side. thankfully.

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[sciac2001]

I cancelled my flexplus and switched to standard after they told me that they wouldn’t insure us for health for the extended period that we are on our trip for. The main reason for having the account in the first place.
Last year we were within their time constraints and we found them efficient when we claimed.
We did not specifically need the breakdown side of things.

 

[Gaston aires]

We have flexiplus and found it excellent when I called after a tyre blowout. We have a 4.8 ton plated vehicle at 7 mtrs. The travel insurance suits us, up to 31 days worldwide and we pay a supplement for being over 70, with pre conditions, quite reasonable at around £110. Fortunately never used that part. You can upgrade the time allowed if you need to.
Phil

 

[Rapido925M]

I have been very impressed with breakdown coverage in UK both on the road and at home

Gordon

 

[Bolti]

We kind of used Nationwide's breakdown service a month ago. We had a gearbox problem in Southern Ireland and they said they would send out a truck to pick us up. The call centre is based in France, the phones are answered quickly and the local breakdown truck driver was in touch very soon after. We decided not use the service as we could manage. But the experience was a positive one with Nationwide.

They didn't seem interested in 'fixing' the problem, just a recovery. But as we didn't go through with it I can't be sure.

We also paid more for the Nationwide personal insurance so that they took my 'ailments' into account. We also paid more to extend our overseas trips to 60 days. I think it was in the £50 - £80 mark for both. Why 60 days? Because the house insurance says we can leave the property for 60 days empty! Don't overlook that one.

AFAIK they do not have a RAC/AA type of service abroad. If you breakdown a recovery truck turns up that can give a jump start or will take you to a garage.

 

[62272]

I have used it twice: once at home when the garage service (Fiat ’Professional’) had forgotten to attach the coolant hose after the cam belt change - very fast service and towed my van back to the garage.

The second time when our vehicle battery died in Carlisle on the start of our Scottish trip. Very quick and went the extra mile of calling a local battery specialist suppliers and towed us there.

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[Spriddler]

I've used it twice - a puncture in my drive and a flat battery at a petrol pump. Both times quick attendance (20 mins for the puncture!) and excellent communication and service. Just the one £13 a month fee covers all 5 of my vehicles and any other in which I'm a passenger.

 

[Minxy]

We also paid more for the Nationwide personal insurance so that they took my 'ailments' into account. We also paid more to extend our overseas trips to 60 days. I think it was in the £50 - £80 mark for both. Why 60 days? Because the house insurance says we can leave the property for 60 days empty! Don't overlook that one.

I did to a bit of blurb ref our home insurance in my original post but took it out so as not to confuse as Nationwide don't include home insurance in their bank cover. I had previously done a thread about it too at my frustration in trying to get a 'sensible' quote.

Our home insurance covers 60 days away but can't be extended so I have been looking at cancelling it and going with another provider to get 90 days 'full' cover (ie no reduction in cover for the extra days which may policies do) but the premiums are extortionate - the cheapest is via the CMC but that means joining them too so it comes out at £502, our existing policy only cost £293 so it's £209 more and of course there's a cancellation fee for the old policy of £30 making it £239 more. For an extra 30 days away it just didn't make sense so we've decided instead to stick with 60 days and allocate the money we won't spend on that towards another 60 day trip away abroad in the summer (France probably as there's some nice kayaking bits I've wanted to do for years).

It also means our travel insurance will in effect be cheaper too via Nationwide's account as the 90 day policy I have with LV cost £168 and would be at least another £10 next time and despite my doing lots of quotes there is actually nothing cheaper for 60 days than LV's 90 day policy which is madness! I know it means that in effect I'd be 'paying' for travel insurance via Nationwide that I don't need initially but overall it works out okay price wise especially since I won't need to 'upgrade' it to 60 days by paying an additional premium until the summer.

 

[Feltwell]

Used the phone cover when Mrs F broke her iPhone 11 Pro, we got what looked like a brand new phone within 5 days, very impressed - £75 excess to pay.

Breakdown cover - it's the AA, if abroad you're at the mercy of their local agent. Used them once, this year, the experience was "okay but not great". Still waiting on the AA refunding a £130 taxi fare, after 2 months.

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/testing-out-nationwide-breakdown-cover.268133/

 

[Itsmcb]

Used the travel insurance about 2 years ago when my wife fell and broke her shoulder skiing. They reimbursed everything, even the taxi ride back from the hospital, very quickly. Only one use of the breakdown cover, in France last year when the van wouldn't start. Truck arrived within an hour and we got it sorted quickly back at the garage. They have a thumbs up from me
PS I'm fairly sure the first 'notifiable medical condition' is free although maybe that depends on the condition?

 

[Itsmcb]

Oh yes, I've used the phone insurance twice, very quick and easy.

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[Feltwell]

PS I'm fairly sure the first 'notifiable medical condition' is free although maybe that depends on the condition?

Afraid not, at least they wanted to charge me. Might depend on the condition.

 

[PG’s trips]

Used the phone insurance once and travel twice, both good service. As others have said the breakdown service in UK and Ireland is provided by the AA so service will only be as good as the AA offers. Using abroad will be patchy I expect but so will most others. Make sure you open a joint account if applicable…two people covered for the price of one.

 

[Feltwell]

Used the phone insurance once and travel twice, both good service. As others have said the breakdown service in UK and Ireland is provided by the AA so service will only be as good as the AA offers. Using abroad will be patchy I expect but so will most others. Make sure you open a joint account if applicable…two people covered for the price of one.

That's a good point actually - no more cost to open a joint account, you're both then covered for whatever vehicle you're in up to their size limits, not just as a driver either - you can be a passenger in someone else's car. No vehicle age restriction. It includes motorbikes. Plus if someone else is driving a vehicle registered to you, they're covered in it. even if you're not there.

Quite good for us as we've got 6 cars, motorbikes and MH in total plus we've got teenage kids who borrow Mum's car.

 

[PG’s trips]

That's a good point actually - no more cost to open a joint account, you're both then covered for whatever vehicle you're in up to their size limits, not just as a driver either - you can be a passenger in someone else's car. No vehicle age restriction. It includes motorbikes. Plus if someone else is driving a vehicle registered to you, they're covered in it. even if you're not there.

Quite good for us as we've got 6 cars, motorbikes and MH in total plus we've got teenage kids who borrow Mum's car.

Oh check you out we only have 4 cars and MH!

 

[Feltwell]

Oh check you out we only have 4 cars and MH!

Hee hee, not that flash. 2 "everyday" cars for myself and Mrs F, both of us still working. The MH. A kit car, currently in mid-gearbox-change, so in bits in the garage! 2 motorbikes, only one of which is on the road currently.

Always something needs fixing!

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[Orion]

Don’t forget that the ‘bribe’ Nationwide pay you to either upgrade to the Flex Plus account, or transfer in from another bank, will cover quite a few months subscription fee.

 

[LesW]

A kit car

Watcha got?

 

[Feltwell]

Watcha got?

A Luego Viento - a 7-type car, but about 12" longer and 6" wider than Caterham or Westfield. Enables it to fit 2 important things in:-

• Me! I'm a big chap
• A Rover 3.5l V8 from an SD1

Have you got one then?

 

[LesW]

Have you got one then?

I have a JBA Falcon TSR (Sierra based tourer) built it in 1998, with

a two litre Pinto engine.
Drove it down to the Algarve, from Calais earlier this year.

 

[Feltwell]

Very nice. This is mine:-

Alas at the moment it looks like this:-

Gearbox - new box is a later and hopefully better one, but not an exact swap so a bit of modification required.

Mine is partly Sierra - front hubs & brakes, rear axle and brakes, and an LSD diff from an XR4x4 Sierra. Steering rack is Mk2 Escort, engine and gearbox from a Rover SD1. New gearbox came from a Rover RV8 and is as rare as rocking horse poo in 2WD format, hopefully it'll be an improvement over the (tired) SD1 box. A firm does a conversion to a Mazda box that looks great, but at £3.5k it can stay looking great!

In a few years time when it's just me & Mrs F, I quite fancy getting a small car trailer to put behind the MH, take the car down to warmer climes. Trouble is I'd like to take one of the motorbikes as well!

Anyhow, we've hijacked this thread enough now I suspect.

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[BSargent]

Left stranded by AA (Flexplus) @ their agents in unlit dangerous area having contacted them at 10.20pm. They sent a bunch of cowboys as their nominated assistance. Finally told me to wait until 7.45am when hopefully one of their own rescue vans MIGHT arrive. I am nearly 80.
Total bunch of wasters compared to the previous Green Flag assistance.

 

[Al n Val]

I have a JBA Falcon TSR (Sierra based tourer) built it in 1998, with View attachment 674924a two litre Pinto engine.
Drove it down to the Algarve, from Calais earlier this year.

This was mine Les which I built 1991/3, it won every show I entered in

I heavily modified it from the Standard Falcon Tourer

 

[LesW]

This was mine Les which I built 1991/3, it won every show I entered in

I heavily modified it from the Standard Falcon Tourer

View attachment 675012

That's a beauty..

 

[uzsnowdrop]

Our MH breakdown cover expires in a few days and although we won't be using it this month or next I'll need it from December as we intend to have a couple of months in France/Spain. I've looked at using our current breakdown provider but they now have a 3.5 tonne weight restriction so I have queried if they'll cover us this time round as continuing policy holders, it'll only be £88 if they will but if not it's likely to be well over £100 with other providers, as a consequently I've been looking at what options are open to me and have been wondering about Nationwide's Flex Plus account due to their giving travel insurance cover too as although I've currently got a travel insurance policy via LV which doesn't expire until March 2023 it's something I'll need for the summer.

Taking the travel insurance and breakdown cover into account, plus the benefit of recovery for our car and phone cover too, something we don't have at present, the cost soon adds up hence I'm considering upgrading our existing Nationwide Flex current account to a Flex Plus account wef December to get the breakdown cover for our motorhome and car, the phone cover, and of course travel insurance for when I need it next year (paying the supplement for 60 days at that point) so it seems to be a good 'package' overall.

It will cost a little bit less than our existing separate policies (although Nationwide will be quite a bit cheaper if we have to go elsewhere for our breakdown provider) but that's not the only consideration as we need to ensure that the Nationwide provision will definitely meet our needs hence I'm wondering just how good the travel insurance and breakdown cover actually is 'in real life' therefore I'd be grateful for funsters' experiences please of using Nationwide's breakdown and/or travel insurance before I decide on which route to go down.

Ta muchly!

Own experience is good.
A smashed elbow on holiday in Spain, dealt with efficiently.
Can recommend

 

[EuroTrotters]

Our MH breakdown cover expires in a few days and although we won't be using it this month or next I'll need it from December as we intend to have a couple of months in France/Spain. I've looked at using our current breakdown provider but they now have a 3.5 tonne weight restriction so I have queried if they'll cover us this time round as continuing policy holders, it'll only be £88 if they will but if not it's likely to be well over £100 with other providers, as a consequently I've been looking at what options are open to me and have been wondering about Nationwide's Flex Plus account due to their giving travel insurance cover too as although I've currently got a travel insurance policy via LV which doesn't expire until March 2023 it's something I'll need for the summer.

Taking the travel insurance and breakdown cover into account, plus the benefit of recovery for our car and phone cover too, something we don't have at present, the cost soon adds up hence I'm considering upgrading our existing Nationwide Flex current account to a Flex Plus account wef December to get the breakdown cover for our motorhome and car, the phone cover, and of course travel insurance for when I need it next year (paying the supplement for 60 days at that point) so it seems to be a good 'package' overall.

It will cost a little bit less than our existing separate policies (although Nationwide will be quite a bit cheaper if we have to go elsewhere for our breakdown provider) but that's not the only consideration as we need to ensure that the Nationwide provision will definitely meet our needs hence I'm wondering just how good the travel insurance and breakdown cover actually is 'in real life' therefore I'd be grateful for funsters' experiences please of using Nationwide's breakdown and/or travel insurance before I decide on which route to go down.

Ta muchly!

I detailed mine in a post on here somewhere

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