European Breakdown Cover for peace of mind

It is surprising how many people take very great care to ensure that they are fully covered for roadside emergencies when driving at home in the British Isles, but who overlook the need for European breakdown cover for peace of mind when they take their car across the Channel. To some degree, the oversight is understandable, since many UK breakdown and roadside assistance plans also provide cover for driving in the rest of Europe. But by no means do all of them, so it is a wise precaution to check the extent of cover you might need when driving in Europe.

A number of insurance companies specialise in this form of breakdown cover, with a range of policies offering basic roadside emergency provisions, to fully-fledged breakdown and rescue packages that will include the repatriation not only of the driver and passengers but also the vehicle itself if it cannot be repaired whilst overseas. The following are some of the typical features of European breakdown cover for peace of mind:

Annual or single-trip cover

Perhaps one of the first decisions is whether to buy permanent, year-round cover or insurance for a single-trip only. The former can offer significant savings – especially for regular travellers abroad – and frequently includes over within the UK, too.

Roadside assistance and repair

This is likely to be your immediate concern. The majority of breakdowns, of course, can generally be fixed at the roadside, with the minimum of fuss, inconvenience and delay. The company you choose for the greatest peace of mind is likely to be the one with the most extensive network of roadside assistance centres in the countries in which you intend to be driving.

Alternative transport or accommodation

If your breakdown cannot be fixed at the roadside, you and your passengers will be well and truly stranded unless the insurance cover includes the provision of alternative transport in the event of an emergency and/or accommodation while the repairs are completed or until you can resume your journey. Many companies offering European breakdown cover, therefore, have certain policies that include the provision of a hire car, where necessary, for the occupants of the vehicle to continue their travel.

Repatriation

In the worst event, and your car cannot be fixed at the roadside or within a reasonable period of time at a local garage, you might choose not to continue your journey by alternative transport (such as a hire car) but instead prefer transport home. Some policies will provide not only this for the driver and passengers, but also repatriation of the vehicle itself (provide the costs do not exceed the value of the vehicle, of course).

Help with the language

Something that is a relatively straight forward roadside incident at home in the UK and assume far greater proportions when you are driving in Europe, if only because of any difficulties in speaking or understanding the language. Many companies offer dedicated, English-speaking help-lines 24-hours a day in order to help you manage any incident in the course of providing European breakdown cover for peace of mind.