Car & Caravan Breakdown Insurance

Fyshermanthanks for your concern....I'm still covered!

No problem. If it does all you say I will be joining you so thank you.

10 seconds on their web site shows straight away it only covers up to a 7m caravan so of no interest to me. Not bothered to investigate further as I looked at this company a couple of years ago and it could not replicate the clubs insurance.

For some reason posters are getting all upset about this topic. I'm not quite sure why so I will leave you to it.

If I were more physically able I could change a tyre and this old timers tricks would allow me to jack up.

If a RTA disabled the caravan it is an insurance matter.

Despite the forgoing far easier to use Mayday to recover in the event of an RTA and let them recharge the insurance company.  

The scenario that would bother me with other options is when I am away from the caravan and have a breakdown. I want to be taken to site and the car taken for repair. at a suitable time or the outfit returned home at a suitable time.

Last month whilst solo We had a front coil spring snap and the tyre ripped in half as a result. Mayday collected us and took us home after a 30 minute wait. That was near mid day on a Sunday when my local garage is closed and as a one man band is pretty busy. 

On the Monday I phoned the garage and he said (much to my delight) that he could replace springs and shock absorbers on Wednesday. Phoned Mayday and arranged for a pick up and delivery to local garage for Wednesday morning at 8.30 am.  OK the pick up was 45 mins late but still well pleased. You have to love double trip on such occasions 

On my driveway I ran the caravan up some ramps (in lieu of a kerb or a spare wheel from the car) and I could not get clearance to get the wheel out of the alko spare wheel carrier. Eventually got a friends pro trolly jack under it and got it off. No chance at the side of the road.

stupid design really

To be clear to the newcomers I am not commenting on the insurance. ET and I are long time friends

Whatever you think of the cost of Red Flag and Red Pennant it is reliable and gives very wide cover. Having tried looking at the others web sites, they do not give me the assurance that all eventualities are covered so I will stick with the club and avoid what could be false economy.

I do think the 7m limit quoted is the body length though but it needs clarifying if you are thinking of buying. A 7m body is the maximum legal length you can tow with a car.

Whatever you think of the cost of Red Flag

Are you a labourite or did you mean Green Flag 

Hi Fysherman.

I think there is a lot of confusion about towing limits, weights and lengths, as you rightly say.

Legally, a car (or any vehicle with GVW up to 3500kg) can only tow a caravan or trailer up to 7 metres. This does NOT include the drawbar/A frame and hitch. A vehicle with a GVW greater than 3500kg can tow up to 12 metres (which is why you see the likes of Hobby caravans normally being towed by commercial vehicles)

This is, of course, assuming you have the correct driving licence! And that of course, is a whole new discussion. We've all seen a twin-axle heading in the opposite direction on the motorway being pulled by the family saloon!

As many have said plenty of comments but I think that there is also perhaps some confusion.

In regard to the recovery aspect of the cover my concern is nothing to do with the caravan. I am not saying that nothing will happen just that it is not my concern however, I am concerned that my provider will recover my caravan if I unfortunate and suffer a breakdown that requires repatriation of the car.

It is impossible to cover every possible eventuality, would you be covered if you are in a different country from your van, for example, which is not uncommon in Europe when out for the day, but to assume that you will only suffer a car breakdown when towing could be a very expensive mistake.

One final point relates to the service actually provided when the event happens. The service provided will be the decision of the provider and it may not be what you are expecting, or would like. This comment is based on my experience in the U.K. and not an assumption, so if you then add in the scenario of being in a foreign country, and trying to say something more involved  than "two beers please", or similar, is that a situation you would want to be in?

I was regional secretary but in reality my typing has gone colour blind.