paul_richardson Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Hi Guys, I had loads of useful suggestions when I recently posted a question about what documentation to take when travelling in Europe in a Motorhome. One of the suggestions was to take your "Travel Insurance" details. That got me thinking what to do about Travel/Holiday Insurance! Initially we would probably go for 2/3 weeks at a time, but if we enjoys our trips as much as we think we will, it could easily turn into 2/3 months. Most policies don't seem to be quite right for a Motorhome tour, they cover things like airport delays, lost luggage, hotel bookings etc and not things like repatriation of the Motorhome if the driver is incapacitated. I wondered what most people do for Travel Insurance and I would love to hear from you. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 We rely on the insurance that comes with our bank account and pay extra to have the max time for a trip extended. We £70 a year to have max time away in one trip extended from 45 to 60 days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 We use the E111 card, we have been travelling for 17 years now and needed medical help in Spain a couple of times, took myself to an Hospital near Benicassim as I dislocated my shoulder in a fall , that was sorted no problem and my wife once needed help again in Spain for what turned out to be Gall Stones ,the E111 was no problem, I realise that if we needed to be repatriated that would not happen ,I do have bank cover but have never pursued that option, but as I am now 73 ,I may look into that for our next trip,hey ho , we just hope for the best usually. Last year I helped an elderly [Welsh] man in France who had collapsed in the street, I gave CPR etc and kept him breathing till the ambulance arrived but sadly he died later, his family were with him and they repatriated his body to Dover where he was cremated but it was a huge hassle as I found out later, both my wife and I have said that if either of us were to die on one of our trips, our bodies would be cremated in whatever Country we were in at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan k Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Hi, There's really two sorts of insurance, one concerning the motorhome (european breakdown cover) and the other is Travel Insurance ( health and loss of money, belongings etc). Our breakdown insurance, part of our Comfort Motorhome insurance covers us for breakdowns,and repatriation of the motorhome if unable to repair, accident damaged or if I, as the only insured driver can't drive it back. The travel insurance will get us back if we fall ill or break a leg, or reimburse us for losing things. So we just take a general travel insurance, but check the exclusions, if you're in the mountains some have a low altitude for cover, eg having a walk around at the top of a pass or from the top of a cable car etc etc. As we generally take ourselves away for 2 x 8 week trips in the motorhome into Europe we usually have an annual policy for travel insurance, it will also cover trips in the UK when you book a hotel break. Hope that helps alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted January 10, 2018 Share Posted January 10, 2018 Whatever insurance you decide on read the small print carefully, the exclusions can make the cover a waste of time. I use ADAC for breakdown and it also covers repatriation for driver, passenger and vehicle should the need arise. For health cover I depend on my EHIC card as both I and my wife have existing conditions that make cover difficult. Having said that I will probably join the National Federation of Pensioners and take advantage of the health travel insurance, they only ask that you are fit to travel. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Neither breakdown cover nor travel insurance for health problems are truly comprehensive, so don't expect that from any insurer - and they vary in the sort of exclusions they resort to, so you really do need to check carefully before you buy. For example this year we had to cancel a city break staying with family in Madrid (flying Ryanair) and found that the excess on the policy was £50 per person, rather than per claim, so that wiped out any value of cancellation cover for that trip. Our MH also broke down at home (a front coil spring spontaneously went) so we needed recovery to a garage from home, which we were supposed to be covered for, but the LV/Britannia lady told us there was a 10 mile limit on recoveries from home and I would have to pay for anything further! (When I checked the policy it said home recoveries were to local garages only but she interpreted that as 10 miles - and since I live in a rural area that was quite limiting for a Ducato coil spring repair, which ordinary garages won't take on! They did eventually relent and recover me the 28 miles to the closest garage which would do the job but I had to argue the toss.) These are relatively low cost examples but they serve to illustrate the way insurers apply exclusions and limitations as part of their strategy to reduce the cost of claims whenever they can do so, showing that they do not really try to deliver a comprehensive service. And they all do it, to different extents and in different ways, even the mutual (supposedly non-profit) outfits like LV. Another example, recovery of a MH from abroad back to UK only costs them about £2,000 within Europe but the policy limits the benefit to vehicle which are worth more than this cost - so if your old car (or MH) breaks down and it's worth less than the recovery cost (in their opinion) they presumably tell you to leave there as scrap! I've just switched to cover which comes with a Nationwide Flex Plus bank account, which I found much easier to steer through pre-existing medical conditions than LV and others. You must never ever omit to mention or tell porkies about pre-existing health conditions when you apply for travel insurance because you will compromise cover for really big expenses like hospital treatment and repatriation. There was a case a couple of years ago of a British man marooned in a vegitative state in a hospital in Thailand after a heart attack and complications (he'd not declared previous heart problems so the insurer repudiated the claim) and he (or rather his estate/family) was facing absolutely enormous costs. The Nationwide breakdown cover includes MHs up to 8 metres long without limitation on weight, so that was OK for me too - but check the small print! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 I guess you are looking at the medical insurance rather than breakdown? The EHIC Card is intended to cover emergency treatments and we also have an annual Worldwide Bank policy, which is limited to 31 days per trip. Previously, we had an annual Euro policy, which gave us 90 days per trip, but as age increases, and companies change this ended when Halifax were not covering that type of policy, IN terms of 'cover' needed, I would agree that much of what is on a standard Travel policy is not really applicable, but unfortunately it seems you can't cherry-pick! If we slightly exceed the 31 day limit when we go to France, then I work on the basis that if I have any problems I can usually just change the ferry and return earlier! As far as I am aware there is no time limit on the EHIC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel wood Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Hi Paul, This may seem obvious but remember to check your home insurance policy for any restrictions on time you can leave your house unoccupied and still have the building and contents covered. Our cover is through The Camping and Caravanning Club which allows for 180 days away from home in any 12 month period. The 180 days can be as one block or taken in smaller blocks. We take out personal and motorhome breakdown cover through CCC for European trips. Both CCC and The Caravan and Motorhome Club (formerly known as The Caravan Club) have policies specifically suitable for caravanners/motorhomers. Both have similar and generally well thought of cover . We have found that CCC is cheaper than CAMC for similar cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 Keith T - 2018-01-11 10:28 AM I guess you are looking at the medical insurance rather than breakdown? The EHIC Card is intended to cover emergency treatments and we also have an annual Worldwide Bank policy, which is limited to 31 days per trip. Previously, we had an annual Euro policy, which gave us 90 days per trip, but as age increases, and companies change this ended when Halifax were not covering that type of policy, IN terms of 'cover' needed, I would agree that much of what is on a standard Travel policy is not really applicable, but unfortunately it seems you can't cherry-pick! If we slightly exceed the 31 day limit when we go to France, then I work on the basis that if I have any problems I can usually just change the ferry and return earlier! As far as I am aware there is no time limit on the EHIC. But be aware that many health insurance policies offering cover for the EU contain a requirement that the insured has, and carries, a valid EHIC card. In effect, they are only covering what the EHIC does not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_richardson Posted January 11, 2018 Author Share Posted January 11, 2018 Hi Guys, Many thanks to you all for taking the time to reply. I reckon I definitely need to get Travel Insurance and I have started looking around. After my first few searches, it seems that not many policies (C and CC included) seem to be "properly" tailored for a Motorhome holiday. For example, I've not seen any policy that includes repatriation of the Motorhome in the event that the only driver is medically unfit. I will continue my search and report anything interesting. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 hi, Just a general point rather than recommend anything. Many years ago my Father-in-Law passed away in Provence France and we had to have his body repatriated,I know his wife could have chosen to leave the body there, just think this decision should be made on a 'want' basis rather than 'not insured' cost basis. The insurance company paid for me to go and rescue mum-in-law and arranged all the details for repatriation. The cost at the time must have been great and we always make sure this is included in whatever policy we take out. You have to look though as not many insurers include this in their standard policies. cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mel wood Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 After my first few searches, it seems that not many policies (C and CC included) seem to be "properly" tailored for a Motorhome holiday. For example, I've not seen any policy that includes repatriation of the Motorhome in the event that the only driver is medically unfit. Paul CCC does provide this cover. For information go to: CCC website Travel Abroad Insurance Intana Motor Breakdown Wording Page 15 of that document - Section 7 Alternative Driver. There you will find details of the cover you require. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aandy Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 Paul CCC does provide this cover. For information go to: CCC website Travel Abroad Insurance Intana Motor Breakdown Wording Page 15 of that document - Section 7 Alternative Driver. There you will find details of the cover you require. Not only CCC. I think most breakdown policies include it. I've had cover with three companies, and looked at several others in the process of choosing, and can't recall seeing one that didn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_richardson Posted January 13, 2018 Author Share Posted January 13, 2018 mel wood - 2018-01-12 11:22 AM CCC does provide this cover. For information go to: CCC website Travel Abroad Insurance Intana Motor Breakdown Wording Page 15 of that document - Section 7 Alternative Driver. There you will find details of the cover you require. Hi Mel, Many thanks for the info, I've only been looking at the policy summaries, obviously I've got to go deeper into the documents. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJB Posted January 13, 2018 Share Posted January 13, 2018 We have used Red Pennant from the Caravan Club for years. It works! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith T Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 I think the repatriation is covered by the Vehicle insurance, and not your medical travel policy. However I have in the back of my mind that it will only repatriate the vehicle if there is not one else on board who is insured to drive it. For our purposes, though my wife does have a UK driving licence, she is not named on the Motorhome policy, as for practical reasons she would not be competent to drive it......I seem to recall that this was the subject of discussions some while ago? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted January 14, 2018 Share Posted January 14, 2018 Keith T - 2018-01-15 2:35 AMI think the repatriation is covered by the Vehicle insurance, and not your medical travel policy. However I have in the back of my mind that it will only repatriate the vehicle if there is not one else on board who is insured to drive it.For our purposes, though my wife does have a UK driving licence, she is not named on the Motorhome policy, as for practical reasons she would not be competent to drive it......I seem to recall that this was the subject of discussions some while ago? I agree; the travel insurance covers bringing you back, if you get sick, your breakdown insurance brings the MH back if that gets sick. Not all breakdown policies cover the situation in which the MH is serviceable but you are too sick (or dead!) to drive it home, so that's what you need to check. Because of the possibility that we might need rescuing in some way while abroad, I have our children as named drivers for the MH, so they could come to our rescue if necessary. It doesn't seem to make any significant difference to the MH premium, even though there are a total of four named drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 StuartO - 2018-01-14 12:29 PMKeith T - 2018-01-15 2:35 AMI think the repatriation is covered by the Vehicle insurance, and not your medical travel policy. However I have in the back of my mind that it will only repatriate the vehicle if there is not one else on board who is insured to drive it.For our purposes, though my wife does have a UK driving licence, she is not named on the Motorhome policy, as for practical reasons she would not be competent to drive it......I seem to recall that this was the subject of discussions some while ago? I agree; the travel insurance covers bringing you back, if you get sick, your breakdown insurance brings the MH back if that gets sick. Not all breakdown policies cover the situation in which the MH is serviceable but you are too sick (or dead!) to drive it home, so that's what you need to check. Because of the possibility that we might need rescuing in some way while abroad, I have our children as named drivers for the MH, so they could come to our rescue if necessary. It doesn't seem to make any significant difference to the MH premium, even though there are a total of four named drivers. hi Stuart, I just think would you really bother. The cost of paying for somebody to travel out and rescue a vehicle seems to sound more expensive to me than paying the premium for an all singing dancing policy.cheersderek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuartO Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 derek pringle - 2018-01-16 12:27 AM .....hi Stuart, I just think would you really bother. The cost of paying for somebody to travel out and rescue a vehicle seems to sound more expensive to me than paying the premium for an all singing dancing policy.cheersderek It was experience of discovering that there were sometimes unforseen exclusions in breakdown cover, the advent of cheap air fares around Europe and the possibility of our children wanting to borrow the MH as well as rescue us if necessary which led me to enquire - and to discover that having them as named drivers wasn't expensive as an extra contingency. I do still try to get comprehensive breakdown cover but these days I just don't trust insurers not to surpise me with an exclusion when I need the service! (I'm still quite chosey about lending the MH out!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickt Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 My friends wife broke her ankle in Spain and the insurance with the CCC flew her home with her husband and sent a driver out to bring the MH back. At the time husband was only driver but she had to have somebody with her on the flight.Very good service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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