"Comprehensive" breakdown cover

[crob]

I have a Hymer S class, 5 tonnes, 25' long, and have a so-called comprehensive breakdown cover via Aviva with the RAC.

 

Some while ago, the overcab bed broke away from its fixings, but we were fortunate in staying at a campsite with big burly men and materials to fix it in place whilst we got home. This year, I (stupidly) hit an overhanging shop front with the awning; a local motorhome repair man taped it up to stop it moving, and we got back OK.

 

BUT, when checking with the breakdown cover, they say that they only cover "breakdown of the vehicle", and as "the vehicle" was not broken, this type of incident would not be covered.

 

There are several "off-the-road" scenarios with motorhomes - those above, an external locker coming loose, no doubt other instances also.

 

What is your experience of obtaining cover for these "off-the-road", "non-vehicle breakdown" risks?

 

My insurance/breakdown policy is due for renewal this month, so I am very interested in any views on this.

 

Cheers, ye motorhomers.

 

Colin Robinson.

 

[pepe63xnotuse]

I've always assumed that breakdown cover, "comprehensive" or otherwise, was just for the likes of...well..."breakdowns"..and other major mechanical base vehicles "issues".....

 

I would not even consider calling the likes of the RAC,AA etc for habitation/body type stuff......? :-S

 

(...although my cutlery draw can sometimes be a bit "rattly"...so I wonder if I should be calling the AA out and getting them to take a look at it?.. (lol) )

;-)

 

Glad to hear that the scooter-lashing-down lark, worked okay! :-D

[bolero boy]

An engine that wont start = breakdown/recovery

Hitting an awning on a wall and wanting it fixed = vehicle insurance

Are you saying your 'comprehensive' policy provides both?

Our Saga motohome insurance policy contains an add on breakdown/recovery element. I guess i would contact Saga in either of your above cases, but hitting a wall cant be 'breakdown insurance' can it, no matter how 'comprehensive'.

[Mike B.]

I agree with Pepe. Breakdown insurance is for a breakdown ie the vehicle has broken down or developed a fault which affects it being driven.

In the case of the bed falling off-this is either warranty claim-if it is still under Manufacturer or Dealer warranty or 'pay up' due to deterioration of aging motorhome.

If you hit the shop front with the awning causing damage to the awning and possibly the van side/fixings I would expect it to be covered on the vehicle insurance as in an accident. However, the cost of repair versus the loss of NCB would need checking before claiming I would suggest.

Mike

[mel wood]

Surely Colin Robinson's post cannot be taken seriously.

[Derek Uzzell]

My Hobby motorhome is insured via Comfort Insurance. The policy is underwritten by Aviva and breakdown assistance/recovery involves RAC services.

 

The “loss or damage” part of my policy excludes loss of use, wear and tear, depreciation, mechanical, electrical, electronic and computer failures or breakdowns or breakages. This section of my policy would cover the damage caused by hitting an overhanging shop-front, but not a broken bed.

 

The “breakdown assistance” section of my policy would not apply to a broken bed. Nor would it apply to damage caused by hitting an overhanging shop-front unless the damage were such that the motorhome was immobilised.

 

You’ve used the phrase “so-called comprehensive breakdown cover”, but your cover is definitely not "comprehensive" and will only apply to scenarios when your motorhome is actually broken down. In the two cases you’ve mentioned your motorhome was evidently not “broken down”.

 

I have no difficulty deciding which part of my policy applies to a particular situation, or appreciating what a “breakdown” means. It would seem from the preceding responses that other forum-members don’t have difficulty either.

 

[crob]

The point that I am trying to make (and failing) is this.

 

If our bed had broken a few days earlier when we were wild camping, or even on an aire, my wife and I would not have been able to raise it up and fix it in a safe driving position. Similarly, our awning may have partly come away from the vehicle body making it unsafe to drive.

 

In the above scenarios, who would we call to have our vehicle towed to a suitable repairer (language problems etc) and who would pay for the significant towing cost of such a large vehicle?

 

I would have thought that these "off-the-road" situations should be covered, as they are as much of a problem as if the engine had broken down.

 

Thanks for your comments so far. Yes, it is a serious concern of mine as both we and our vehicle get older!

[starvin marvin]

All I can add to the debate is that once coming home up the Rhone valley in the winter we lost a pop up rooflight that was directly over the bed and it was snowing! I used a piece of table and elastic straps for the night. The next morning I rang the AA in Lyon who sent me to a garage, they fixed with a piece of polycarbonate sheet and sealant, enough to get us home. Due to the low temp the sealant wouldn't go off sothe AA paid for a taxi and a hotel for the night.

 

So what cover did I have? I just rang to ask about a repair garage and they just took over.

[pepe63xnotuse]

starvin marvin - 2013-11-06 2:13 PM

 

All I can add to the debate is that once coming home up the Rhone valley in the winter we lost a pop up rooflight that was directly over the bed and it was snowing!............

.....Due to the low temp the sealant wouldn't go off sothe AA paid for a taxi and a hotel for the night.

 

So what cover did I have? I just rang to ask about a repair garage and they just took over.

 

I wonder if that has anything to do with "security"(...even though it was only a plastic roof vent)?..

because I know that the AA went out on a couple of occasions when the OH's electric windows were playing up in her previous car... :-S

[Brian Kirby]

crob - 2013-11-06 2:11 PM

 

The point that I am trying to make (and failing) is this.

 

If our bed had broken a few days earlier when we were wild camping, or even on an aire, my wife and I would not have been able to raise it up and fix it in a safe driving position. Similarly, our awning may have partly come away from the vehicle body making it unsafe to drive.

 

In the above scenarios, who would we call to have our vehicle towed to a suitable repairer (language problems etc) and who would pay for the significant towing cost of such a large vehicle?

 

I would have thought that these "off-the-road" situations should be covered, as they are as much of a problem as if the engine had broken down.

 

Thanks for your comments so far. Yes, it is a serious concern of mine as both we and our vehicle get older!

I think the answer is still the same. Hitting a shopfront caused body damage, not a breakdown. Had the damage been severe enough to prevent the vehicle being driven, then both sections may have come into effect - the vehicle insurance to deal with the body damage, and the breakdown section to get the vehicle to somewhere for repairs, or repatriated. Breaking beds might be claimable if the bed prevented the vehicle being dtiven, otherwise why should that be regarded as any different to a locker door falling off? Such things can happen, and one has to cope with the results as best one can. I think, if you read the insurance booklet, you will find the scope of cover quite clearly set out. It is not generally the same as home and contents insurance where accidental damage is covered, though usually with a high excess. If you want accidental damage added, ask around the insurers, though I'd expect the premiums to be fairly high, if available.

[Derek Uzzell]

Many years ago, as part of my job, I was involved with personal injury, vehicle or marine insurance claims. Each claim was different and dealt with on a one-off basis.

 

As Brian suggests, if a collapsed bed makes a motorhome impossible to drive, it would be reasonable to expect a ‘breakdown assistance’ policy to apply to that situation. Similarly – after hitting an overhanging shop front – if had been plain that Colin’s motorhome was unsafe to drive because its awning had partially detached.

 

Breakdown assistance policies are intended to get the vehicle back on the road, but they’ll only go so far. 'Handyman fixes’ allowed Colin's motorhome to continue to be driven and, presumably, more thorough repairs were subsequently made.

 

If Colin had chosen to contact the RAC at the time, explaining that his motorhome was undrivable/unsafe, I’d expect a similar procedure to have been followed, with the breakdown service doing their best to make a temporary on-the-spot repair that would make the motorhome safely drivable. If making the vehicle safely drivable could not have been accomplished at the roadside (or at a wild-camping location), I’d expect the cost of transporting the vehicle to a place where it could be made drivable/safe to be met by the insurance policy.

 

Motorhome add-on warranties can be purchased. For example

 

http://www.warranty4caravans.co.uk/

 

These are intended to cover repair costs where, say, a motorhome’s fridge ceased working, but they are not cheap and the terms and conditions need to be read very carefully.