One of the more profitable earners must be the continental car breakdown cover offered by the AA and the like. It's reasonable to charge for the cost of English-speaking telephone support, emergency hotel accommodation and repatriation costs (although this must be a rather unusual event) but a £ 60+ rate quoted for 15 days cover seems to ignore the fact that a member cannot be requiring UK service at the same time.
By the way, my car had to stay off the road (Thursday thru Tuesday, !) to get a cambelt roller replacement having been diagnosed during a routine service in France and the maker's assistance scheme provided a rental car. Afterwards, at home, I received a phone call from their agent to advise me that, really, I shouldn't have been provided with that car because, strictly speaking, the car hadn't "broken down", but that they were not pursuing the matter. It certainly felt like our car had broken down when my wife and I were trudging around Dinan.
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Agreed.
Despite also being a member of the AA, I opted to take out cover with Rescue France when I went abroad for the Millenium. I think I was offered one week's cover for £15 or two weeks' for £21. I think that the only limitation was that the car had to be under twelve years old, but no, I do not want to start an argument about whether newer cars are necessarily more reliable than older cars. Also, if my memory serves me correctly, I do not think, unlike the name suggests, that the company only covers cars in France.
I am sure it is obvious from my server address but, no, I do not have a vested interest.
Hope this helps
Andy
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Typical insurance! Take your money and then bury loads of exclusions in the acres of small print so that you aren't covered for what we would call accidents and/or breakdowns.
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I agree that this cover is grossly overpriced and the AA/RAC and others do very well out of it. For £109 the Lambeth Building Society sells an annual travel insurance (worldwide) covering 2 adults + all children below age 21. Cover provided by Fortis. The clincher for me was that continental breakdown cover is also included for the year. Cover is the normal RAC cover, provided by them. I believe the RAC charge about £150, on top of the normal subscription, for annual continental breakdown cover alone i.e. without medical cover etc. I've just renewed with Lambeth for the 3rd year. Never had to claim though.
Price is less if no children or for individuals.
www.lambeth.co.uk (no connection, of course)
Keith
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