Not all policies are Market Value, but all have either market value or a specified amount limit.

We have access to two policies - and can offer as a stand alone policy, so you don't need to have your insurance cover with us, without going into too much detail, although neither are age restricted, one states that cover is limited to the UK market value of the car and the other states a limit of £3000 per year.

Both are breakdown policies, so the repatriation would only kick in once a vehicle could not be repaired in a specified timescale, as detailed in the actual policy wording. There is usually also the option to leave the car with the garage to be repaired, be flown home (at the expense of the insurers) and then fly back (again at the expenses of the insurers) or be put up in additional accommodation (again at the expenses of the insurers) until the car is repaired if it will be after your scheduled return date. More details of this can be seen in the respective policy wording.

Personally I don't think it is all that common that a car can not be repaired. I appreciate that chances are it will probably be more expensive to put a car back on the road following a breakdown, when you are restricted by the country/garage you are using and these costs would need to be met by you. So the costs to repair the car after a breakdown will probably be more when we are talking about emergency repairs. But, with this is mind if the car can be repaired then they will not repatriate the car because you want to repair it yourself or use your usual garage, or save on repair costs. If it can be repaired then it will be repaired.

If the breakdown was following an accident then your motor insurer would pick this up, so this would not fall under the breakdown cover.

Sorry, if it sounds like I am not being very helpful and maybe a little negative, but I am failing to see where the problem lies.

Please give me a for-instance of when the damage could be so catastrophic that the car could not be repaired just so I can try and help.

Regards
Sarah

Hi Sarah,

If we take the policy with £3000 limit, can you/the policy provider confirm & guarantee this will be adequate to all repatriate occupants of the car AND the car from Turin to our home address in UK? This would be worse case scenario for us going there.

A typical 'catastrophic' failure would be, dare I say it, cambelt failure. I doubt very much this would get repaired (complete engine/rebuild) under the policy. But I would still want the car repatriated back home for me to decide what to do with it.

Thanks

Yes my thoughts too. Cam belt or serious overheating or something similar could render the car unrepairable.

Don't get me wrong. I am not a pessimist but I like to be covered when I am abroad. In the past I've always been In a car worth more than £5k so repat cost was never a problem.

The £3k policy sounds promising.

I am in discussions with insurers regarding the cover. but can happily say that the outlook appears very positive.

I have had a conversation regarding the repatriation limit and the insurers involved have told me they have NEVER had a situation arise where they have left a car in Europe. The limit they believe is very wide and should the situation arise where the £3000 is not enough they will always discuss different options to get the car home; like being transported on a 'slow boat' or asking for a contribution towards the costs. You would be involved in all decisions as and when if needed. I am awaiting confirmation but I believe this will put your minds at rest

I am also in discussions with regards to the price for the cover, as I am hoping if a large amount of people take it out we could offer the cover at a lower rate. At worst it would be £69.00 for 12 months cover, which can be taken out as a stand alone policy.

I will update further when I know, hopefully a matter of days, a week at most.

Hi Sarah - thanks for looking into this.

Sounds good to me.

Toby

This sounds good Sarah, I look forward to your next update

Me too..

Sarah - Some NEW parts for the Coupé are becomming hard to obtain. It's quite possible that a simple breakdown could render a car unrepairable. Accross Europe the UK is often regarded as one of the only sources for second hand Fiat Coupé parts!

NOTE
For those persons choosing the Foreign alternatives (ADAC) etc.

Through a German contact I contacted the ADAC and another German company. Despite both these companies initially saying, over the phone, that they would repatriate cars to the UK they have both said, in writing, that they wouldn't!

They will provide full breakdown cover and recovery to a local garage for repairs but they will not recover the car to the UK. One could register at a German address and have a car recovered there. I'm thinking of this option but I think I'll wait and see what Sarah comes up with first.

I too await what Sarah can offer.

However, all reviews from UK residences of ADAC suggest they have been repatriated if necessary, even with caravans!

So, unless ADAC have changed their policy recently and have also not updated their T&Cs, repatriation to UK is still included. Their T&Cs state repatriation will be "to your home address" (full stop).

Having the car recovered to anywhere but my home address will only then cost *me* time/money getting it back myself. i.e. what are we paying the insurance premium for?

Hopefully we're not being too pessimistic! But *I* want to be the one who decides what happens to my car if repair is not possible. Not somebody who has taken money off me to then decide (determine) giving me a train ticket home is cheaper for them. Who then deals with all the local aspects of leaving a car abroad? Nope, I want my car to come back home, thank you very much. If I am paying (extra) premium for an older car then this is what I expect. There should be no biased get-out-clauses like 'Market value' involved.

Hopefully Sarah can sort us something out that guarantees our cars will come back *home* if they can't be repaired....

Exactly mate. I am hopeful Sarah can sort something.

Just checking in ... this is taking a little longer than expected, will give you an update asap. I am mindful that this is to be in place before the end of May, but may not have an answer until next week.

Sorry

Hopefully will be worth the wait

Top work SarahJayne

I have been using ADAC on and off since 1986! I first used them when living in Holland and have continued to use them in the UK as I travel into Europe every year. I have used their breakdown and even recovery in the UK (They Contract the AA) with no problem. However I had noticed some changes in their T&Cs but my German is rusty. This is why I asked a former German colleague and German garage proprietor, based in Hamburg, to look into this for me.

As you are sure UK peeps are still covered I will challenge him to look into this again..

I/we are waiting for SarahJayne to hopefully provide a policy that will guarantee to bring our car home if it cannot be fixed. i.e repatriation not based on 'market value'.

Otherwise, I think ADAC still are the most likely to. But would have to do more investigation first. Your German colleagues may prove helpful in this.

I was sent 2014 English T&Cs from ADAC in which it states:

"Following a breakdown or accident of after your stolen vehicle is found, ADAC will organise recovery or repatriation. Experienced ADAC contractors will return your vehicle to your place of residence."

No mention of 'market value' or 'excluding UK'. If you want the PDF let me know...

Thanks, I already had the PDF documents

After quite a lot of discussion with my friend Lars I got him to get back in touch with the ADAC... It seems he has indeed made some errors

You can still be covered, if living in the UK.
You must take "PLUS" membership €89.50
They will recover the car "HOME" (Within a week, or two).

More info to follow.............

The German PDF documents for ADAC make no mention of the Vehicles age or it's value, just that it must be a regular vehicle which is not used for business.

Much of the remaining documents are regarding how they deal with personal data, transportation of you and your passengers, cover for sickness, legal assistance and even provision of a translator, German I guess

OK. So unless SarahJayne finds us a policy worth considering, then ADAC do appear to offer something that is(?) for about £74.

i.e. our car will be repatriated home (regardless of cost) *if* it cannot be fixed.

I will give SarahJayne a bit more time before pulling the ADAC trigger.

Right, I have negotiated and have had it confirmed...... I can offer a European Breakdown Policy at an annual premium of £69.00, which will provide up to £3000 towards Repatriation costs in any one insurance year regardless of age or value of car if the car cannot be repaired

Just to recap, the insurers involved have told me they have NEVER had a situation arise where they have left a car in Europe. The limit they believe is very wide and should the situation arise where the £3000 is not enough they will always discuss different options to get the car home; like being transported on a 'slow boat' or asking for a contribution towards the costs. You would be involved in all decisions as and when if needed.

So give me a call on 01527 591057 or email me at Sarah@glynwoodinsurance.co.uk or PM me and I can forward to you a copy of the policy for your consideration and/or arrange for the cover to be issued.

Excellent Sarah Jayne !

Sarah, that is a fantastic price & great cover or the Coupé, well done

Unfortunately, we plan to make a couple more trips into Germany and Holland this year, and with different vehicles to. We have therefore, after much research, decided to take ADAC cover this year.