I'm insured with More Than. My car is an old Focus worth less than £2k, reasonably low mileage (55k) but it doesn't hold a special place in my heart like some people's cars do.
At the weekend I'm off to Germany for nearly two weeks and More Than want £30 or so for Euro cover. As per another thread, I'm aware that they have to provide minimum local cover insurance in each country. But what would the real downside be of not stumping up the £30?
I guess not covered if stolen, any damage or writing off from any "event" not covered, maybe some "personal" damage not covered, and luggage not covered. As the last two are better covered elsewhere anyway, is it just damage/write off that I need be concerned about or am I missing something?
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We're only some blokes on the internet, so I think you need to ask More Than for a statement of what's covered and what isn't. I'd pay the £30, though.
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£1.00 per day (1/2 cup of coffee) for peace of mind, when hundreds of miles from home, seems cheap!
I pay £60/ year for breakdown cover - in 50+ years driving I have used the service TWICE but grateful on each occasion so keep on paying.
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AIUI the cover is limited to the legal minimum required in the EU country being driven in. I don't know if in Germany that's more or less than UK min which I think strictly speaking is called Road Traffic Act cover. Before I took the risk of relying on it I'd want to be certain (a) I was FULLY indemnified against ALL possible claims for death/injury (b) covered for ALL damage to others' property.
The claim for loss of income and or care costs for dead or damaged people can be multiple millions. Even damage to a vehicle or buildings could be tens of thousands - think cars that end up in people's front rooms after accidents.
Then there's the thought of trying to defend a claim in a foreign jurisdiction and language.
£30 looks like a bargain......
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Thu 17 Sep 15 at 07:33
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Ah yeah - "trying to defend a claim in a foreign jurisdiction and language" - that's a good enough point on it's own to persuade me...
I will pay the £30 but next year go for a company which includes foreign travel. When I go for the £30, this year I'll have spent £60 over and above the premium on just two trips. I got some quotes the other day on a comparison site which I need to work through but there was more than one which was apparently the same cover as I have now but including foreign use of trips up to 180 days.
Thanks team :-)
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>> I got some quotes the other day on
>> a comparison site which I need to work through but there was more than one
>> which was apparently the same cover as I have now but including foreign use of
>> trips up to 180 days.
LV certainly provide an EU extension for more than enough days for even a retired holiday maker. Not included as standard though - it's a . £30 menu extra along with stuff like automatic courtesy car, protected NCD etc.
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what does your euro clover include? If I travel abroad with anyone other than me for anything other than a day trip, I need roadside repair/recovery to the uk, car courtesy car hire, legal cover - specifically foreign legal cover. In fact anything not covered by my annual travel insurance.
I usually pay about 50 quid for that. (when shipping the dogs around for foreign competitions that s an extra paws and a leg)
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Friend of mine demolished a German post office one night when he had an off - fortunately the MoD paid for a new one. £30.00 is £30.00 - depends how much of a spend it is. I agree with the others - I'd pay.
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Further to above I believe 'minimum cover' would not even cover the recovery of your vehicle following an accident. And breakdown cover may not cover recovery in the event of an accident. Small print need checking. So it could all get costly.
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I've coughed for the insurance extension, and when I was on the MoreThan website I saw they do breakdown cover (not Euro only so I get the whole kit and kaboodle, UK too) for just £6 for the remainder of my policy year. Excepting that my account on the MoreThan website has gone non-modifiable for me and their call agent, I will be booking this. I had thought that if the car broke down I'd just leave it there...it's not worth that much and I certainly wouldn't want to spend much to get anything serious fixed. :-)
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I had thought that if the car broke down I'd just leave it there...it's not worth that much...
Not much of an asset, maybe, but it could turn into a serious liability in that situation. I can't imagine the German authorities being thrilled about being left with an abandoned foreign car, and there'd be significant environmental charges and possibly civil penalties to pay.
Much better idea just to take out some insurance and cover your rig - as you have.
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It's 20 years since I took my own car abroad but I always bought breakdown cover that included repatriating a damaged or written off car.
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If the Focus is serviced by a Ford main dealer then the car should have breakdown cover. SARA.
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>> If the Focus is serviced by a Ford main dealer then the car should have
>> breakdown cover. SARA.
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Woss SARA?
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>> It's 20 years since I took my own car abroad but I always bought breakdown
>> cover that included repatriating a damaged or written off car.
Still going abroad regularly with car and make sure my breakdown cover extends to EU. Way back in 1973 my Father actually used it after the (firm's car) Hillman Hunter was badly damaged in a moments inattention/pull off on left incident. We got a hire car back to Le HAvre and again from Southampton home.
The Hunter came back several weeks later. IIRC it was repaired and lived on as a company hack.
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Legal insurance is an absolute MUST, MUST, MUST have in Germany.
All it takes is for some prick in a German plated car to play silly burgers then report you and unless you have witnesses who speak very good German you are in BIG trouble.
I had an instance last year where some prick in a Mercedes Sprinter kept pulling out on me, braking, the accelerating away. The last time he did it, I undertook him and got in front of him.
Cue lots of headlight flashing and hand gesturing from the idiot and his passengers.
What he didn't know was I had a windscreen and rear window camera.
In themselves they are not strictly legal in Germany but because the idiot had gone to Police and made the accusation such that I had threatened him and his passengers lives, I myself faced 5 years in prison.
I kicked in my legal representation, showed my lawyer the videos. My lawyer had a private session with the Police and the Judge. Result, idiot in Merc has a ban and no further chargers against me.
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 19 Sep 15 at 22:51
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Foreign travel and insurance - WillDeBeest
