Driving Through Europe and Travel Insurance

Ishkalar

Morning All,

Was hoping any of you could help with some information I’m trying to find out. We have booked a 2-week holiday to Switzerland. Driving from Yorkshire, stopping off at Disneyland Paris then onward to Switzerland with a return through Belgium and the Ferry back from Zeebruge. Now trawling through all the travel insurance companies terms and conditions I keep hitting brick walls in relation to how you are covered when you do this. Most of the companies are tailored to Flights with missed fights/cancellation etc. but nothing for, say, car breaking down and missing accommodation or heaven forbid your car being broken into or stolen.
For those who have done the driving holidays, which insurance companies did you use ? Having 2 kids now puts contingency plans at paramount so I just need piece of mind..

Thanks in advance

Moto2

For motoring you really need European breakdown cover as well as medical insurance.
Unless you want to rely on EHIC etc.

zagfles

Normal travel insurance won't cover motoring.

Check if your car insurance covers driving in Europe. Most do these days although some reduce your cover to the bare minimum required by law ie third party. You may have to pay a bit extra to fully cover you in Europe. Check Switzerland in particular as it's not in the EU.

Get a breakdown policy which covers Europe. Your car insurer might offer one but it's often cheaper to get a separate one. Or if you have UK breakdown they might offer Europe as an add-on for a bit extra. This should cover stuff like car having to be recovered to the UK after an accident, main driver being taken ill and unable to drive etc.

We use the Nationwide FlexPlus account which includes both travel and European breakdown insurance (not sure if it covers Switzerland, it probably does).

Your travel insurance should cover stuff like missed ferries etc, though like with all cover for this sort of thing it'll only pay under certain conditions (eg overslept - won't pay, 5 hours delay due to hole in motorway, will pay). The breakdown cover would usually include stuff like emergency accomodation required due to a breakdown.

Ishkalar

Ahh thanks for the replies,

I missed out some info.. I will be getting European car insurance cover for the time abroad as well as EU breakdown cover.
It gets confusing who's going to cover what Like what you said Zagfles.. Breakdown cover include stuff like emergency accommodation. Its finding the info about missed ferries etc (which would be under the travel insurance) that i'm finding hard to find out through the T&C's..

good idea to look at banks though.. Don't have Nationwide but do have Halifax so I'll check on my lunch ..