Why I shouldn't have bought European Breakdown Cover

Badger_Lady

Okay, sure, I'm feeling a bit upset at the moment so feel free to move me to the warnings section if you think it would be better. But there's a genuine moneysaving discussion to be had.

Here's the full detail of my breakdown nightmare over the last three months in France: http://emilysearlyretirement.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-take-on-racs-european-breakdown.html

Essentially, the RAC has actually cost me more money by being my insurer than I would have had to spend without holding their policy.

How does that work? Well, the policy to start with was £680 for 6 months, not exactly cheap, but let's set that aside for a minute...

Their policy conditions state that they will cover:
- Towing from the roadside to 'the nearest garage'
- Roadside repairs (apart from parts)
- Hotel accommodation whilst the vehicle is being repaired
- Hire car whilst the vehicle is being repaired
- Communication with the garage to keep you updated

Well that sounds great, right? Well worth the £680. Nah, not really.

Apart from actually finding a local tow company, I can't see that it's worthwhile at all. Certainly not for a classic campervan. 'The nearest garage' means you get incompetent fools who believe they're dealing with an insurance company, and are therefore in no rush to work hard or to save their customer money. The towage itself is paid for, but it's never for any distance. And so far I've not been offered a single roadside repair - it's straight on the truck.

Hotel accommodation is just an unecessary luxury. I don't need a hotel - at best I need a youth hostel, at worst I have a one-man tent or, indeed, my static campervan. Come to that, there's always couchsurfing... so far I haven't gone far enough away from my own families' homes to need any of it!

Same for hire car. I'm on an adventure, not heading to an important meeting. I don't need a hire car. If I fancy going somewhere I can catch a train or a plane, but what I don't want it to be put in charge of a shiny brand new hatchback.

And as for 'communication with the garage', well it's just a laugh. I can get more information by grinning at a Spaniard than by trying to talk to these call centre operatives over the phone. They don't know anything about mechanics! They have a team who do, sure, but they're not allowed to speak to the public. So what's the point?

And now that they're actually threatening to cease all cover, just because my parents live nearby, well come on... I haven't lived with my parents for 12 years. I have a mortgage in Wales! And even if my parents' house could be called 'home' it's in a separate village to the mechanic.

As far as I can tell, this whole thing has been just a massive waste of money from start to finish. My campervan has unfortunately suffered some problems but they've been minor problems... and yet I've spent three months and my life savings going nowhere at all.

So tell me, if I were to start all over again, why should I buy European breakdown cover?

mikey72

My campervan is insured with safeguard, full AA european recovery included, but they have an age limit of 20 years if I remember correctly. Not a bad price, but as you have said, the only time I needed a reapir, I camped at the garage for a night.