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Nothing compares to spending time travelling through Europe either on a business trip or a family holiday. When travelling, one should always be prepared in order to ensure the optimal experience - organising European breakdown coverage just makes good common sense. European breakdown coverage is an essential part of travelling in Europe. Preparing for the unexpected allows for the travelling businessperson or holidaying family to handle even minor problems with speed and success. Often, minor problems develop into major problems simply because of the language barrier, and even a minimal level of European breakdown coverage can prevent these small niggles turning into money sucking leeches. Understanding the need for European breakdown coverage is only the beginning, but an important first step is finding the coverage for your needs. How much is the coverage going to cost and how much do you really need? Which company offers the best service? Answering these questions will aid the traveller or vacationer in making an educated decision based on the facts. Are you prepared? RAC Rescue is one of the premier companies offering European breakdown coverage. Another popular company offering European coverage is Vehicle Rescue Direct. Finally, AA offers a highly sought-after European product with competitive and popular benefits. With three popular companies offering European breakdown coverage, which is right for you? The answer will of course vary to the needs of the traveller or vacationer. For example, RAC Insurance Limited is the underwriter for RAC European Breakdown Coverage and RAC Motoring Services. The Financial Services Authority authorises and regulates RAC European breakdown coverage services. What this means to the average consumer is RAC European breakdown coverage is provided and serviced by the best the industry has to offer. Currently RAC European breakdown coverage has two levels of coverage available. Basic coverage offers the essentials needed for anyone taking a vehicle through any part of Europe for up to five days. The coverage includes necessary roadside assistance, garage labour for up to £150, and the conveyance for all the passengers and the vehicle covered in the policy all the way back to the UK. RAC European breakdown coverage also has a comprehensive coverage package. Comprehensive coverage offers roadside assistance while in the UK and throughout Europe, £40 per day so the traveller or vacationer can cover the cost of a hire car, and £150 to cover the garage labour fees. Not sure of how long your vehicle repairs will take? With comprehensive coverage the vacationer or traveller has an allowance of £40 per night per person for additional accommodations while the vehicle is being repaired. Enough perhaps to remove the headache of a motor emergency. If the vehicle is beyond immediate repair, the traveller or vacationer has a £1,200 allowance to cover the cost of returning home for passengers and the vehicle. In addition, RAC European breakdown coverage offers an allowance for hiring a replacement driver should the main driver fall unexpectedly ill. Another popular company is Green Flag. With Green Flag, the vacationer or traveller gets roadside assistance, and assistance with the costs in getting the poorly vehicle to a garage. If the vehicle cannot be repaired, Green Flag will aid the traveller or vacationer by offering a replacement worth up to the specified amount per day, offering to pay for expenses of bed and breakfast accommodation, or cover the cost of continuing the journey. Green Flag offers a reputable alternative for those weary or reluctant to use AA or RAC. Green Flag is directly involved in community events supporting safety on the road. Finally, AA European breakdown coverage offers a competitive and comparable solution for travellers and vacationers looking for coverage while travelling throughout Europe. AA has an overall claim limit of £2,000 per trip, per party. As is popular, AA offers roadside assistance and local emergency repairs. AA offers a no-limit £ policy on locating and dispatching of parts needed to repair a lame vehicle, but the cost of the part is not directly covered by AA. Replacement car hire and transport costs is available at up to £120 per day with a limit of £1,200 per party. Emergency accommodations offered by AA includes up to £40 per night per person with a £500 limit. As is obvious, RAC, Greenflag, and AA all offer European breakdown coverage comparable to one another. The final decision may be in the affordability afforded by the company, but the affordability of each policy is affected by the year of the vehicle - the older the vehicle, the higher the price. The final decision will be based on preference of the cost as well as policy terms.
Staff editor, Breakdown Section, March 2007 |
