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It’s the time of year when many people are planning their summer holiday. An increasing number of British people now holiday abroad, and some of the most popular spots are in Europe. Many people who plan on travelling to somewhere like France, Italy or Spain, may also want to take their car with them. Plenty of us now take the ferry across the channel because that means we can then drive to wherever we want to go.
Are You Insured?
You may have fully comprehensive insurance on your car in Britain, and you may think that it will cover you if your car breaks down while you are in Europe, but many insurance companies do not actually provide European breakdown cover as part of their comprehensive insurance policies. You should always check whether your current breakdown cover would be operative if you take your car abroad.
My Car is Fine
Even if you have taken your car to Europe in the past and not experienced any problems, there is always the first time. Right now, if you had to have your car brought back to England because of a breakdown, it could cost you in excess of £1,000. You should find yourself affordable European breakdown cover, just in case something goes wrong.
You Don’t Speak the Language
Many British people don’t speak Spanish, French, or Italian, and even those who do manage to get by might find it difficult if their car broke down. You could find yourself stranded on a road that’s unfamiliar to you, and with nobody to call in an emergency. Leaving aside the fact that because you don’t speak the language you could find that you get charged for something that didn’t need doing, just being in that situation in a foreign country can be quite frightening.
Be Prepared
The only way to avoid real problems when you take your car abroad is to purchase short term European breakdown cover before you leave the country. You will need to shop around for a policy that is not just affordable, but that is also comprehensive. Most insurers put a limit on the amount of payout on European breakdowns.
Do your homework and find out exactly what you are covered for; bringing your car back to England may not be part of the policy. Make sure that you read all the small print on any short term European breakdown insurance, as policies vary both in what they will cover, and how much they charge.
Short Term Policies
Those insurers that are happy to offer short-term European breakdown cover may have strict guidelines as to what the policy covers. If, for example, your vehicle has to be towed back to England, most insurers will not cover that cost – so it’s worth shopping around for a policy that does. When you take your car abroad, it may be worth opting for a more expensive policy to cover most eventualities; it could save you far more money in the end.
