i need cover for 18 days from middle of next month -
AA - £79
RAC - £70
Green flag - £39
Direct line £66
or, I could take out 12 months domestic breakdown with 'First Call' - £63 or Morethan £69 or DB at Axa - £85 - all of which offer 'free european cover'
I know you should read all the small print, but getting the policy documents for all of them and comparing everything will take more patience than i've got.
Any suggestions, recommendations or warnings ?
ta
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Green flag and direct line are one and the same.
I have always used AA 5 star, its a much more comprehensive package althoug expensive. Never had to use it tho.
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Green flag and direct line are one and the same.
That I know - puzzling that the two prices are that different. Also previous dealings with both or either parts of that particular commercial entity suggest that while the service arm can do its job, the administration leaves an awful lot to be desired.
So - pay a lot of money for a couple of weeks cover from one of the big boys, or go for a cheaper option, whose 'free european cover' may turn out to be one man with a flatbed truck and a 1939 war department map of europe ?
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I noticed faintly that in the raft of paperwork that accompanied my AA renewal last month they said something about removing the European breakdown cover you used to get automatically for "free". Five days or something, wasn't it? They've also introduced an annual limit on the number of claims I think. Chipping away at long established benefits is profitable I suppose.
(On the plus side I only pay the standard + home start fee, but they boost me to "Relay Plus", the most expensive option, for long term membership.)
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Or take the very slight risk and save yourself £40+ perhaps?
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Indeedy - £60 for something I dont want to want, and shouldn't need for a car under 3 years old with less than 35,000 on the clock.
However, 3 yrs old and 35000 miles described the previous VW Bora, and that became seriously reliable. Should I suffer from the problems that that had, £60 to throw the car on the back of a lorry and have it brought back would seem like a bargain
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It might be worth checking any cover you got with the car. I know my Alfa has 3 years AA cover which includes full European.
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I don't make things easy for myself - didn't buy car new, so no cover there, BUT there is some free with my motor insurance
BUT my motor insurance expires while I'm away.
AND the broker I used in the past has transferred all their motor business to another insurance broker, who have come up with an insurance renewal with a different insurer, which is £250 a year LESS than last years quote with Zurich.
Tried ringing Zurich direct - you get into the automated phone system and listen to the message a few times to work out that when they say 'underwriting' that means insurance to the rest of us, then you get 'press one for full cycle EDI underwriting products' (whatever they are), 'press two for other underwriting' - press two and you get 'the number you have dialled is incorrect'.....
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Try GEM - they were excellent when we had problems with our car last year in France. Gave us a hire car within an hour of being towed off the motorway.
GEM have an agreement with Europe Assistance for their coverage.
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Is this them ?
www.gemrecovery.co.uk/index.asp
In which case, I can find no reference to european cover other than -
Territorial Limits
GEM Recovery shall only apply in respect of breakdowns occurring within the mainland of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.
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Yes that is them. I too can recommend GEM . Last year my beloved Rover 827 was written off in France and GEM pulled out the stops to help us. The next day I had a brand new Laguna to use until the end of our holiday. On our return to the UK waiting for us at Portsmouth was a nice Avis man with the keys to a new Espace which got us home. Recommended!
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Try contacting Footman James if your insurance is up for renewal, they include european breakdonw/recovery as standard in their policies. They were the cheapest quote for my insurance renewal, and theirs included breakdown, all the other quotes didnt!
www.footmanjames.co.uk/site/default.asp
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P.S. I also rate GEM highly, I used them for a couple of years and required them once, attended within 15 minutes! Only stopped using them when I found Footman James.
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You could also try Britania Rescue, which is owned by CSMA (Civil Service Motoring Association). Its cheaper if you actually join CSMA, and you don\'t have to be a civil servant to join, although there are some restrictions. They are at www.csma.uk.com .
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