Car and trailer recovery insurance query

mustmakealist

I wonder if anyone can help me.

I took out car and trailer breakdown recovery insurance for a trip abroad. Sadly on my return journey, I had a problem with my trailer and couldn't continue towing it. The breakdown recovery insurance company are now saying that they will not repatriate my trailer and it's contents to the UK, so it is currently sitting in a garage about 550 miles from home.

They are saying that is a write off and cannot be repaired so therefore they will not bring it and the contents back. The trailer itself is not worth a huge amount of money and is insured seperately. However the contents of the trailer are worth a lot more and I need to get them home. I took out insurance in good faith thinking that if there was a problem I would be able to get everything home.

I can't see that anyone would want to tow a trailer round Europe if they didn't need the contents. If the insurance won't repatriate your belongings under these circumsytances what is the point of having the insurance.

Can anyone come up with any ideas?

spiro

I GUESS its like car insurance, if your car is written off abroad they wont bring it back to the UK.

Have you tried claiming off your travel insurance?

InsideInsurance

Do you have a link to the policy wording?

Hammyman

Hire a van and go get the contents.

Hintza

Hammyman wrote: »

Hire a van and go get the contents.

And then if you feel you have a case sue the insurer. But get your stuff back pronto as you might be paying daily storage fees.

mustmakealist

Thank you for your comments

http:// www. worldwideinsure. com / pdf / EB11 . pdf
(without the spaces)

It seems as though it's not worth the cost of having this cover unless the trailer is worth a small fortune despite their claims that towing and repatriation cover is unlimited.

I think I'm looking at having to take time off work, getting a trailer, driving 1100 miles, ferry costs, overnight accommodation and cost of meals as well.

Looks like my attempts to minimise risk haven't paid off. I just wonder what more I could have done.

vaio

exactly which clause/condition are they relying on to deny cover?

mustmakealist

It seems to depend on who I speak to.

I believe it is under section 5 Repatriation. If it cannot be repaired then they will not bring it back.

It obviously doesn't seem to have occurred to them that if you are towing a trailer then you really want the contents to arrive at your destination. I thought I had done everything I could to avoid this nightmare situation. :mad:

vaio

get it in writing as whilst they are entitled to not repatriate things which are essentially write-offs I can’t see how they can extend that to luggage.

Gloomendoom

How bad is it?

They are saying it is not repairable, however, if you can find somebody in the UK who can repair it then they should repatriate it.

Vehicle repatriation will only be carried out when it is
apparent that repairs can be effected in the United
Kingdom, and when you confirm to us that these
repairs will be put in hand

mustmakealist

The battle will continue tomorrow.

The insurance company are getting a report and photos from the garage and I'm going to contact the trailer manufacturer to get value of trailer and advice from them as to whether or not they can fix it.

I'm not giving up!