Breakdown cover - adding Europe?

donna1979

Hi
We currently have breakdown cover through our Hastings insurance which is up for renewal soon. The renewal price is a lot but when I did a comparison theirs comes back with the same cover cheaper! So I phoned to discuss this and found out that they don't do cover for Europe. We are going for a week in July so have had a look to see what our other options are. Quotes seem to be a lot for 1 week cover and we don't need annual Europe cover! Years ago we had RAC cover and when we went to France for a long weekend I phoned them and they just added it for a small cost for the duration. Do they still do this? All I find on all other the 'big' ones is to take the full year cover. Any advice appreciated!

Le_Kirk

I use Green Flag about £80 for Europe Plus, covers me for everything at home, including recovery from as close to home as 1/4 mile.

bigadaj

The most frequently recommended on these forums are either autoaid, which is lay and reclaim, or that included within nationwide flex plus account.

pompeyrich

donna1979 wrote: »

Hi
We currently have breakdown cover through our Hastings insurance which is up for renewal soon. The renewal price is a lot but when I did a comparison theirs comes back with the same cover cheaper! So I phoned to discuss this and found out that they don't do cover for Europe. We are going for a week in July so have had a look to see what our other options are. Quotes seem to be a lot for 1 week cover and we don't need annual Europe cover! Years ago we had RAC cover and when we went to France for a long weekend I phoned them and they just added it for a small cost for the duration. Do they still do this? All I find on all other the 'big' ones is to take the full year cover. Any advice appreciated!

It may seem expensive but nothing in comparison to needing breakdown assistance in France. I had to pay €180 for a 3km tow from Cite Europe to a local garage and trying to arrange the tow was a nightmare too. The garage couldn't or wouldn't talk to me in English or my basic French, so had to go to a nearby hotel and get the receptionist to call them and explain my plight.

To be fair the garage guy was brilliant and cut down my broken spring to enable us limp back to the ferry. I was "lucky" to be in Calais and not stranded on the Motorway in the middle of nowhere.

donna1979

pompeyrich wrote: »

It may seem expensive but nothing in comparison to needing breakdown assistance in France. I had to pay €180 for a 3km tow from Cite Europe to a local garage and trying to arrange the tow was a nightmare too. The garage couldn't or wouldn't talk to me in English or my basic French, so had to go to a nearby hotel and get the receptionist to call them and explain my plight.

To be fair the garage guy was brilliant and cut down my broken spring to enable us limp back to the ferry. I was "lucky" to be in Calais and not stranded on the Motorway in the middle of nowhere.

That is my nightmare! I try to be as organised as possible but you can't predict everything. Planning on a big service a few week before we go too!

Gloomendoom

I have RAC European cover and, unfortunately, had to use it last summer. They were pretty efficient (although it was Germany). Everybody involved spoke English.

If you are using the Channel Tunnel, the short term cover offered by the Eurotunnel is supposed to be pretty good value.