Red Penant breakdown cover - its a joke

Hi again everyone

Please see below the reply from the Deputy Manager regarding trailer/2nd vehicle travel:

We here at Red Pennant do listen to our Members and we do change things when we can.  With this in mind we did introduce the secondary vehicle cover specifically for motorhomes.  For the moment we have only opened it up to small cars.  However, having spoken to the Underwriters, we will look at the possibility of opening it up to small scooters/motorbikes in the future.  For the moment, we would have to look at each case individually and look at the size of the “bike/trike” to see if we can repatriate it on a multi-car transporter.

The idea of the new cover is that it will give you some reassurance that we would get your second vehicle back in the case of something happening to the trailer.  As with any vehicles, we say that we would not recover the trailer if it is not economically viable to do so.  For instance, if your trailer were to have a problem and could not be repaired on the continent and the trailer is worth £1000 but it would cost us £2000 to bring it back, then we would not bring the trailer home, but would scrap it in situ.  We would then bring your secondary vehicle home on a multi-deck transporter if you decided that you don’t want to drive it home yourselves.  You would then continue as normal and come home with your motorhome.  This is the same principle of us bringing a caravan home if something has happened to the caravan, but the car is still OK to drive.

Where possible, we will try and get the trailer repaired.  It may mean that you would have to leave it where it is for a few days and then come back and collect it, if you decide not to wait whilst it is being repaired.  We would much prefer that you be able to continue with your own outfit where possible.  We would not hire or buy you a new trailer if yours were to break down.

Alternatively, if something were to happen to your secondary vehicle, then we would get it back to your motorhome to be loaded on to your trailer.  If this isn’t possible, then we would repatriate it on a multi-car transporter.  In the event of an accident, then we would liaise with your motor insurance company first (as we would with any accident case).

Carrying spare wheel bearings and possibly even brakes is a good idea, obviously making sure that you keep within your payload allowance.  This would certainly help in speeding up a repair as it would save having to wait for parts and help get you on your way again.

I hope that this helps everybody and clarifies the situation.  I have to apologise to everybody for the delay, but I am on leave at the moment and have been busy travelling in France.  We do value our Members and our customer service and I am disappointed that Tammygirl has gone elsewhere.

With this in mind we did introduce the secondary vehicle cover specifically for motorhomes.  For the moment we have only opened it up to small cars.  However, having spoken to the Underwriters, we will look at the possibility of opening it up to small scooters/motorbikes in the future.  For the moment, we would have to look at each case individually and look at the size of the “bike/trike” to see if we can repatriate it on a multi-car transporter.

I asked if this could be considered and was told no, its only for cars.

As with any vehicles, we say that we would not recover the trailer if it is not economically viable to do so. 

This was never mentioned

For instance, if your trailer were to have a problem and could not be repaired on the continent and the trailer is worth £1000 but it would cost us £2000 to bring it back, then we would not bring the trailer home, but would scrap it in situ.  We would then bring your secondary vehicle home on a multi-deck transporter if you decided that you don’t want to drive it home yourselves.  You would then continue as normal and come home with your motorhome.  This is the same principle of us bringing a caravan home if something has happened to the caravan, but the car is still OK to drive.

This is not available at present for a trike/motorbike I was told. I was also told that the trailer is not covered if IT broke down, only if the motorhome broke down, The words used were "the trailer has to be towable" if the trailer is towable why would we require breakdown assistance.

Where possible, we will try and get the trailer repaired. 

This was never offered at any stage of my conversation, I asked for it and was told we don't cover trailers seperately

It may mean that you would have to leave it where it is for a few days and then come back and collect it, if you decide not to wait whilst it is being repaired.  We would much prefer that you be able to continue with your own outfit where possible. 

We would have been quite happy to accept this clause

We would not hire or buy you a new trailer if yours were to break down.

We wouldn't expect RP to

Alternatively, if something were to happen to your secondary vehicle, then we would get it back to your motorhome to be loaded on to your trailer.  If this isn’t possible, then we would repatriate it on a multi-car transporter.  In the event of an accident, then we would liaise with your motor insurance company first (as we would with any accident case).

Only available to cars/quadbike at present.

I hope that this helps everybody and clarifies the situation.  I have to apologise to everybody for the delay, but I am on leave at the moment and have been busy travelling in France. 

I'm sorry but I find incredulous that as Duty Manager you are on holiday and that YOU are the only one in the Club that could make this statement. To be on DUTY means to me that you are in the office.

We do value our Members and our customer service and I am disappointed that Tammygirl has gone elsewhere.

Obviously not that dissapointed as it has taken a week to get this sorted out, I think I've been very patient, I'm very dissapointed with the lack of understanding and customer care I've received, the club has had ample time to respond to me. This is the last thing I wanted when trying to plan the final details of my long awaited holiday. I asked more than once isn't there something the club could do as an add on to give me cover. I was not offered any assistance with this so YES I've taken my business to someone who does listen and helps.

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I have only scanned this thread as boredom with the pointlessness of it set in quickly.  

Most insurance has excesses generally to try and prevent pointless and fatuitous claims. 

If a trailer being towed is involved in an accident in most cases it will be covered by the vehicle insurance not the breakdown cover. 

If a trailer breaks down, which frankly is very unlikely if it has been properly maintained, then the repair cost is unlikely to be high and certainly not enough to warrant an expensive repatriation to the UK.  Wheel bearing have been mentioned and any reasonably competent garage would be able to replace one quickly and at little cost. 

I would not even bother calling CC Ltd, other than to perhaps get a pointer to a local garage, any more than I would bother insuring the safety matches we carry in the MH against fire.  

Well thank you for your very helpful and interesting comments if you had bothered to read the thread you would have understood what it was about. Next time I need your advice on anything I will be sure to give you a wide berth.

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DD the trailer is new, we carry a spare and a spare set of wheel bearings. OH was in the Army for 45 years so isn't some div as you seem to be suggesting. In his early years he was commander of an Armoured Recovery Vehicle so has plenty of knowledge when it comes to breakdowns and mechanical problems, however it is beyond even his super powers to carry a trailer on his back to a garage, if the  wheel bearings failed and the stub axle broke hence the reason we wanted to make sure that, if this rare incident should happen we would be able to get the trailer recovered to a garage. However that seems to be beyond the capabilities of the club (at present) Not wishing to bore you even more but we both spent quite considerable amount of time with the agent trying to sort something out but to no avail, so as I said we went elsewhere and have now got cover that ticks ALL our boxes. By the way for those that's interested the scooter in question is not some 50cc cheap run around affair, its £7000+  its a big 3 wheel Peugeot Metropolis and weighs 256kg so quite a heavy bike to carry on your back along with a broken trailer. I do sincerely hope I have not bored you too much with these extra details.

EDIT: OH says of course he could carry a spare Stub axle aswell but I think he should just take a spare trailer to be on the safe side

There is one thing I forgot to mention.  The most common failure regarding trailers is a puncture.  These are not easily detected when towing with a heavy vehicle and usually result in a wheel being wrecked.  Most careful people therefore carry a spare. 

I suppose one of those tyre pressure motoring devices, like the one I have just bought for the van, could prove useful in this situation. Although depending on the length of the MH and trailer a signal booster might be required.

There is one thing I forgot to mention.  The most common failure regarding trailers is a puncture.  These are not easily detected when towing with a heavy vehicle and usually result in a wheel being wrecked.  Most careful people therefore carry a spare. 

I suppose one of those tyre pressure motoring devices, like the one I have just bought for the van, could prove useful in this situation. Although depending on the length of the MH and trailer a signal booster might be required.

Great idea, I'm begining to think we should sell the motorhome and buy a brakedown truck and tent tour Europe waiting for folk to breakdown, could make a killing