blaven Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Its at this time of year that I think of renewing Continental Breakdown Cover. I've bought policies from Intana for about three years running and mercifully never had to make a claim. However, my 2003 Murvi 2.8JTD is 14 years old now with 65K. on the clock. I do all the maintenance myself that I am able to (fluids, brakes etc.), and anything beyond me, I use my local non specialist garage with whom I have a good relationship. I tend to troubleshoot and replace parts before they wear out, and keep meticulous records of everything that I have done to the van, and keep all bills. what i don't have is a servicing book regularly stamped by a Fiat dealership. Intana stipulate in their policy wording that one has to have one's vehicle serviced by a 'reputable garage' prior to embarking on one's journeys. Definitions please of a reputable garage, and whether an insurance company would attempt to wriggle out of any claim I might make given my circumstances? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Reputable often means in this case VAT registered and operating from proper premises with a fixed landline and their poicy should detail their requirements. If it is a condition of the insurance there would seem to be no way round it and they are quite likley to ask to see a full VAT invoice for the last service before accepting any claim so you may have wasted your money in previous years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Tracker - 2018-03-05 4:14 PM Reputable often means in this case VAT registered and operating from proper premises with a fixed landline and their poicy should detail their requirements. If it is a condition of the insurance there would seem to be no way round it and they are quite likley to ask to see a full VAT invoice for the last service before accepting any claim so you may have wasted your money in previous years. Hmmmm...not what I wanted to hear, but I suspect you’re right. The irony is that, being mechanically minded and still capable of ‘getting down and dirty’, I can do the essential maintenance to MY satisfaction and high standard. It’s also amazing what you discover on your own van when underneath,-unsecured cables, broken clips etc. which you can rectify. I had an alarming rattle recently while going over a bad surface from the front offside. A ramp inspection drew a blank. It wasn’t until I had the whole front end off in the shed over the winter that I saw two detached hose retaining clips in close proximity to the lower A/C pulley. Going over a bump made them rattle against the moving pulley making an awful noise. I also detected a coolant weep from a radiator union which I’ve cured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumblewagon Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 I had a look at my travel insurance from the C&MC. It says that the vehicle must be serviced in accordance with the manufacturers specifications before, or if necessary, during the trip and it must be mechanically sound and roadworthy. This suggests that any garage could carry out the work. In my case, my local independent garage carries out the service as set out by the manufacturer and rectifies any other problems that are found. They are first class mechanics. Now, this is done at the specified interval and not necessarily immediately before travel. It would seem impractical to have a service done before every trip, so I assume that the service must simply be done at the correct time and as set out by the manufacturer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 My current (and almost word for word previous) roadside assistance insurance (Europe inc UK) states “Vehicles which are in a roadworthy condition and which are serviced and maintained in line with manufacturer guidelines and which meet all legal regulations, including if appropriate, having an MOT certificate and any applicable vehicle tax. It is your responsibility to ensure that all vehicles are kept in this condition throughout the period of cover and we may ask for proof in the event of a dispute” In reality, it’s unlikely proof will be required if towing your van to a local garage or giving the vehicle a jump start. If on the other hand there are repeated claims or the claim is particularly large eg repatriation to the UK, then quite reasonably, they’ll want to ensure that the insured is taking appropriate action to avoid breaking down in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 blaven - 2018-03-05 3:50 PM ...Intana stipulate in their policy wording that one has to have one's vehicle serviced by a 'reputable garage' prior to embarking on one's journeys. Definitions please of a reputable garage, and whether an insurance company would attempt to wriggle out of any claim I might make given my circumstances? The problem really is not one of semantics (ie. what Intana might consider a “reputable garage” to be) but the fact that you carry out the majority of vehicle servicing and do not involve a ‘professional’ unless a task is beyond you. In the dim past I used to be involved with insurance claims (personal, vehicle and marine) and insurance companies will insist on a policy’s exact terms and conditions if it suits them. As you are definiely not a “reputable garage”, you might want to contact Intana, explain the situation and ask whether what you’ve been doing directly conflicts with the “reputable garage” stipulation. If Intana tells you that there's a conflict, you’d be wise to change to another provider where the policy’s wording is less restrictive/ambiguous. You’ve not needed to claim against your Intana policy, so there’s no way of knowing what their stance is to DIY servicing. As BruceM has said, it’s quite likely that the “reputable garage” clause might not come into play in most breakdown scenarios, but there’s clearly the possibility that Intana might quibble if they discovered that your Murvi was being maintained primarily on a DIY basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted March 5, 2018 Author Share Posted March 5, 2018 Thank you Derek. Sound advice as always. It would be interesting to know, in the hypothetical situation of a fully qualified motor mechanic, (which obviously I’m not) servicing his own van, whether his handiwork and expertise would be considered null and void by an insurance company in the event of a claim brought about by a totally unforeseen mechanical fault. I suppose I’ll just have to tick the box, or travel without foreign breakdown cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 If Intana’s stance regarding a vehicle being serviced by a garage is intransigent, you’ve risked having no valid foreign breakdown cover for the last three years and, if you renew with Intana again, you’d still risk having no cover. Does it have to be Intana? Some insurance providers set a vehicle age-limit for breakdown cover policies, and it’s common for breakdown cover to be offered as an add-on to a motor insurance policy. But I would have thought you should be able to find a stand-alone annual breakdown policy for your 2003 Murvi that covers Europe and does not demand “reputable garage” maintenance. You might try ADAC, LV= Britannia Rescue or AIB, as those have been mentioned on motorhome forums when questions about breakdown cover for older vehicles have been asked. https://tinyurl.com/y9aa2u6k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laimeduck Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 Derek As I understand it, ADAC no longer offer cover to new UK individuals. If you have an existing ADAC policy it will renew normally. Jeremy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 I suppose if you could produce some certificates / diplomas relating to vehicle maintenance could be a starting point. Back to night school, or Internet study. ;-) Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted March 6, 2018 Share Posted March 6, 2018 laimeduck - 2018-03-06 8:28 AMDerekAs I understand it, ADAC no longer offer cover to new UK individuals. If you have an existing ADAC policy it will renew normally.JeremyThanks for highlighting that.I see this was mentioned here in October 2017.http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Adac-membership/47974/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 If you do all your own maintenance to a high standard and have tools with you, your chances of a breakdown you can't fix yourself are pretty low. If you take out insurance you are paying extra for all those who have to call the breakdown for minor things. If you can afford the cost of a breakdown you are better off taking the risk yourself anyway. I've never had breakdown insurance. If I had a breakdown I couldn't fix, I would have to bite the bullet and pay someone else. But I would still be quids in from all the insurance premiums I have saved. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaven Posted March 7, 2018 Author Share Posted March 7, 2018 John52 - 2018-03-07 9:25 AM If you do all your own maintenance to a high standard and have tools with you, your chances of a breakdown you can't fix yourself are pretty low. If you take out insurance you are paying extra for all those who have to call the breakdown for minor things. If you can afford the cost of a breakdown you are better off taking the risk yourself anyway. I've never had breakdown insurance. If I had a breakdown I couldn't fix, I would have to bite the bullet and pay someone else. But I would still be quids in from all the insurance premiums I have saved. :-D Hmmmmm..... don’t know about that. I carry a pretty comprehensive set of tools with me on tour and could fix a whole range of things. Being towed to a garage could be expensive and you’re pretty much at the mercy of breakdown services who may or may not be scrupulously honest, coupled with overnight accommodation, repatriation etc. Costs soon mount up. Things happen when you least expect them to. Front suspension collapse for example. I suppose all these ancillary insurances prey on one’s sense of insecurity or timidity depending on one’s character Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALAN G Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I have had four breakdowns abroad that were caused by or aided by the efforts of Reputable Garages, two of which were Peugeot main dealers. The only person who is likely to speak English in a foreign garage is the person who gives you the bill for the repair. You need breakdown services to communicate on your behalf. My French is poor. My Italian, Spanish and German is non-existent. None of the repairs that were needed could have been achieved by the side of the road or on a campsite. I have never been asked whether my 'van was serviced by a Reputable Garage.. All I have been asked is to confirm that I am eligible for the service. The Breakdown services were through the Camping and Caravanning Club. INTANA I think although the name changed over the years. Because my personal insurance changed I am now with Britannia. I hope that they will be as helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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