European car breakdown cover

If you regularly travel to Europe or are planning a single trip, driving your own car is an appealing option for many drivers. Rather than hiring a vehicle or having to arrange public transport, travelling in your own car can be much more convenient. But it’s important to make sure your car has appropriate European breakdown cover, allowing you to enjoy your journey without the concern of being stranded on the roadside if something goes wrong.

This company was superb in helping my wife and I when we broke down outside of Madrid. The office staff are super and made a stressful situation a bit calmer for us. As my title says I really can't thank this company enough, This has to be the best Breakdown Service from a Company that I have ever had. Thank you very much I can't recommend you enough.     Feefo - Genuine Independent Customer Review

Book for immediate cover

Many breakdown providers will not provide assistance in the first 48 to 72 hours after a policy has been issued in order to combat potentially fraudulent claims. This is not ideal if your need is genuine and your on your way abroad. This could then result in you potentially driving around Europe uninsured until this "no claim" period has passed.

If you need to "book and go", our Eurobreakdown policies will provide instant cover provided you have not left the UK and you have not had an incident and intend to claim.

Instant documentation

Whenever you book online or via the call centre, the policy certificate, wording and emergency contact details are emailed to you instantly.

Everything that you require for emergency assistance during your trip will be contained within these emailed documents.

No callout limits per trip

The Eurobreakdown policies set no limits on the number of times you can call for assistance during your trip. So if you need help, call and we'll provide whatever assistance is required to get you and your car on your way again in the shortest possible timeframe.

Area of European breakdown cover

You are covered in the direct journeys between your home and your international departure point from the UK and on into Europe until such time as you complete your journey back to your home address in the UK.

For the purpose of defining the area of cover, Europe is defined with 3 areas:

Area 1: Travel only to the following: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Area 2: Andorra, Austria, Canaries, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, lceland, ltaly, Liechtenstein, Madeira, Monaco, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Vatican City.

Area 3: (Rest of Europe): Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia.

Max car occupants

Our policies cover up to 8 passengers including the driver. Assistance will be provided to each individual for onward travel to their destination including the option for car hire or local accommodation costs if they lose the use of their car for more than 8 hours.

Max car dimensions

If your car needs recovering from the side of a road and to be taken to a garage or a safe storage area then it will need to be winched onto a recovery vehicle. In order to do this safely we need to ensure that the overall maximum dimensions of any car recovered are: 8 metres or less in length, 3 metres or less in height, 2.3 metres or less in width and 3,500 kg or less in weight. Anything longer may cause instability and cause a potential accident.

Towed vehicle length

If your caravan or trailer needs recovering from the side of a road and taken to a garage or a safe storage area then it will need to be winched onto a recovery vehicle. In order to do this safely we need to ensure that the overall maximum length of any towed vehicle recovered is 8 metres or less. Anything longer may cause instability and cause a potential accident.

24/7 emergency European breakdown cover support

Following an incident either in the UK or abroad which results in you needing assistance you have unlimited access to an English speaking call centre with multi lingual translation assistance services. Support services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and the centre is open all year round.

UK breakdown assistance before the trip

In the event of a breakdown occurring in the United Kingdom to the insured vehicle within the 7 days before your journey begins (but not before the date your policy was issued) we will do the following;

• • Arrange assistance at your home or the roadside and recovery to the nearest repairer (if required).

We will also arrange and pay up to the amount shown in the benefits schedule for a replacement vehicle if;

• • your car cannot be repaired or recovered prior to the start of your journey, or
• • your car is stolen within 7 days before your journey begins (but not before the date your policy was issued) and not recovered or replaced prior to your journey

If your vehicle has a breakdown

The policy will arrange and pay for labour and call out charges involved in providing roadside assistance and in making your car fit to either drive or to arrange for your car to be taken to a garage or safe storage area after the event.

If your vehicle is in an accident

The policy will arrange and pay for labour and call out charges involved in providing roadside assistance in arranging for your car to be taken to a garage or safe storage area after the accident if it is undriveable.

If your vehicle has caught fire

The policy will arrange and pay for labour and call out charges involved in providing roadside assistance in arranging for your car to be taken to a garage or safe storage area after the fire.

If your vehicle has been stolen

If your car has been stolen and the breakdown cover provider believes that it will not be recovered in less than 8 hours, then they will arrange for you, your party to be transported by any means suitable including car hire to your destination and then return you, the principal driver to the car after it has been found.

If your vehicle has a flat tyre or wheel issues

Following an issue with a tyre or wheel that you cannot fix yourself then the assistance provider will either provide roadside assistance or arrange for your car to be taken to a garage or safe storage area after the incident. Your car must be fitted with a spare tyre or other such system such as foam injection or run flat tyres so that the roadside assistance team can provide help. You must also be in possession of all the relevant equipment including security locking nuts in order that the wheels can be removed.

Loss of Keys

The policy will arrange and pay for labour and call out charges involved in providing assistance to gain entry to a vehicle following a lock out or a loss of keys.

In addition the policy will also pay for courier costs if required if replacement keys are not available locally. ⁽¹⁾

Paying your Garage bill (Gold level of cover)

Following the recovery of your car from the roadside following an electrical or mechanical failure the policy will pay up to £500 towards parts and labour costs in a garage in order to fix your car. ⁽⁴⁾

Costs we pay if there are no spare parts for your car

We will help arrange and pay to send the spare parts, including keys that are lost or stolen, to a specialist repairer, if your car breaks down in Europe and the parts that are needed to repair the car are not available locally. ⁽¹⁾

Costs to repair theft damages

If any other person other than you or your party damages your car in the course of a theft or attempted theft then the breakdown provider will pay up to £100, in order to repair this damage. ⁽¹⁾

Local accommodation costs

Following the loss of use of your car following an event and if the breakdown cover provider believes that your car will be out of use for more than 8 hours and provided your have not been offered alternative travel costs or vehicle hire, then local accommodation will be paid on a per day basis of £45 per person per day (£30 Bronze) whilst the insured vehicle is being repaired. The maximum claimable amount per person is £450 (£180 Bronze) and the overall maximum claim limit for the group is £2,000 for Gold, £1,250 for Silver and £600 for Bronze.

Onward travel including car hire

If the breakdown cover provider believes that your vehicle will be out of use for more than 8 hours it will arrange for you, your party to be transported by any means suitable including car hire to your destination and then return you, the principal driver to your car after it has been repaired (provided you have not chosen the alternative accommodation option).

Getting your vehicle home

If following an event you cannot use your car and it cannot be repaired in the time to make your original planned return to the UK, the breakdown cover provider will arrange to take your car to your home address or to a repairer of your choice in the UK. * Note the maximum amount payable is limited to the vehicles current market value. ⁽¹⁾

UK car hire if your vehicle is left abroad

In the event that you return home without your car because it is being repatriated, we will pay up to the amount shown in the benefits schedule for necessary car hire expenses in the United Kingdom until your car is repaired and returned. ⁽¹⁾

Costs we pay to pick up your vehicle from abroad

If you have left your car abroad for repairs and have returned to the UK and you choose to return to pick up the car rather than wait for it to be repatriated, then the breakdown cover provider will pay expenses for you to collect your car in order to allow you to continue with your return journey.

Spanish bail deposits

The breakdown cover provider will advance to the driver a maximum limit shown on the policy wording for a guarantee or deposit for bail which the Spanish Authorities may ask for to avoid the insured vehicle or driver being held because of an accident involving the insured vehicle. ⁽¹⁾

If no one can drive the car

If there is an accidental injury, sudden or unforeseen illness or death which means no one can drive the car, then the breakdown cover provider will provide alternative transportation for your car and your party back to the UK. During this return journey the policy will pay for accommodation expenses. ⁽¹⁾

Legal expenses

The breakdown provider will pay up to the amount shown in the benefits schedule for legal costs for legal action if an insured event occurs during your journey.

If it is necessary for you to attend a judicial hearing for an offence, or alleged offence, covered under this policy, we will pay for necessary travel costs (but not board and lodging) for you to attend such a hearing up to the amounts shown in the benefits schedule. ⁽¹⁾

Assistance for your caravan or trailer if it breaks down

The breakdown provider will arrange and pay for labour and call out charges involved in roadside assistance and in making the caravan/trailer fit to drive or arranging for the caravan/trailer to be taken to a garage or safe storage area after the event.

Trailer or Caravan taken to UK if it can't be fixed

If following an event you cannot use your caravan/trailer and it cannot be repaired in the time to make your original planned return to the UK, the breakdown cover provider will arrange to take your caravan/trailer to your home address or to a repairer of your choice in the UK. * Note the maximum amount payable is limited to the caravan/trailers current market value. ⁽¹⁾

(*) Saving based on a 3 year old vehicle, travelling to Spain for up to 15 days on Silver Cover: Us £36.49, AA £73.68, RAC £66.45, Green Flag £56.52. Prices from 4th March 2020.

(1) Applicable to Silver and Gold Policies only

(2) Based on like for like cover. Terms and Conditions apply

(3) In certain autoroutes in some European countries you must use the official SOS boxes at the side of the road in order to arrange initial recovery because the roads are privatised and we are prevented from assisting on them. Any costs incurred for recovery from the autoroute can be claimed back from us. Sorry but that applies to all UK operators as well as ourselves.

(4) Gold only

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