80 days driving in Europe - which insurance and breakdown cover?

GarMani

80 days driving in Europe - which insurance & breakdown cover?
HELP!

I need to get new car insurance by Tuesday and it only occurred to me recently that I've to make provision for my plan to drive to either Italy, France or Switzerland for nine to eleven weeks in the Spring. While I'm at it I'll be trying to get breakdown cover.

Most insurance companies seem to cover you for a month in Europe but no longer, although the knowledgable FrCrilly says that this is bull, and that they must cover you 3rd Party. Few have the option of comprehensive cover for more than about a month...I'll need nearly 3 months.

If I end up in Switzerland (not in EU) for approx 10 weeks, where do I go for car insurance and where do I go for breakdown cover?

It would seem prudent to get a combination package.

AAireland.com were quoting me €211 for five star breakdown cover in mainland Europe for 46-90 days...that's a lot of money if, tomorrow, I get insurance that covers me throughout Europe, but with breakdown cover that excludes places like Switzerland and have to pay twice for breakdown cover because the one thrown in with my car insurance doesn't cover non EU Switzerland (that is, if I chose to spend the 10-odd weeks in Switzerland).

breakdowncover.ie seem only do maximum of 30 days


Tis all a mess.

All advice and relevant facts appreciated.

Ta

GM

Gitb1

I changed over to fbd recently and on fully comp im pretty sure i have unlimited days in the eu

calistro

I took out AA's five star cover and although it seemed a lot at the time it was worth every penny. I was driving from Dublin to the south of Spain and the jeep gave some trouble just outside Bordeaux. They gave us hotels, replacement car and then shipped my car down to me in Spain and I even got to keep the replacement until the end of my trip. Depends though on the condition of your own car, I was driving a '94 Ford Explorer 4L. My insurance was with FBD and there was no mention of a time limit for driving in Europe, the policy just stated that I would be covered.

L1011

Quinn at least formerly covered you for 180 days fully comp in Europe (and 365 in UK) on Irish policies. Switzerland is *generally* covered as its in the EEA.

CiniO

What you heard about third party cover, that it is valid for the whole time of the policy in EU is true.
All insurance policies must provide third party cover in the EU without any time limits.
Only fire, theft, own car damage, breakdown cover, etc might be limited.

So wherever you go, no matter for how long, you still will be legal on the road.

keithclancy

MYOB wrote: »

Quinn at least formerly covered you for 180 days fully comp in Europe (and 365 in UK) on Irish policies. Switzerland is *generally* covered as its in the EEA.

Must have changed, 2 years ago it was 30 days without informing them and 90 days maximum in the EU.

Quinn are fecking useless, kept saying they had sent a green card when they hadn't !!! Not that I needed it anyway.

GarMani

Tesco Finest policy was the one I went with. Got 5% off plus Clubcard points (about 1% of policy in vouchers) for having a Tesco Clubcard. They also have a finance option..12 payments..works out about 6% extra.

I lost the 10% discount for booking online as I had to ring the office.

Quinn and FBD would both cover driving in Europe for long duration, but the breakdown cover was Ireland and the UK only.

I think one of these companies have all-year insurance coverage in Europe, but I expect that if you're staying long in some countries, that country may expect you to re-register your car, and all the bureaucracy that goes with that.

Tesco Finest was cheaper than FBD or Quinn + AA Five Star Breakdown cover combined, and I got no other reasonable quote for insurance on a long duration Europe stay.

Thanks for all the advice.

keithclancy

GarMani wrote: »

80 days driving in Europe - which insurance & breakdown cover?
HELP!

I need to get new car insurance by Tuesday and it only occurred to me recently that I've to make provision for my plan to drive to either Italy, France or Switzerland for nine to eleven weeks in the Spring. While I'm at it I'll be trying to get breakdown cover.

Most insurance companies seem to cover you for a month in Europe but no longer, although the knowledgable FrCrilly says that this is bull, and that they must cover you 3rd Party. Few have the option of comprehensive cover for more than about a month...I'll need nearly 3 months.

If I end up in Switzerland (not in EU) for approx 10 weeks, where do I go for car insurance and where do I go for breakdown cover?

It would seem prudent to get a combination package.

AAireland.com were quoting me €211 for five star breakdown cover in mainland Europe for 46-90 days...that's a lot of money if, tomorrow, I get insurance that covers me throughout Europe, but with breakdown cover that excludes places like Switzerland and have to pay twice for breakdown cover because the one thrown in with my car insurance doesn't cover non EU Switzerland (that is, if I chose to spend the 10-odd weeks in Switzerland).

breakdowncover.ie seem only do maximum of 30 days


Tis all a mess.

All advice and relevant facts appreciated.

Ta

GM

IMO the Breakdown cover that comes with your insurance (in any Country, except germany, some come with ADAC) is usually total pants. IE some gobsheen turns up in a tow truck and brings you to the closest garage. Usually you'd pay 60-80 euros for it anyway.

I recon just get your car checked out and all the relevant bits done before you go.

GarMani

MISLEADING:
Turns out that Tesco Finest insurance whose advertising on their details table shows a tick for
Tesco Breakdown Assistance (Europe)

This is wrong...the fine print says basically EU...not Europe. My visit to Andorra and possibly Switzerland by car won't be covered for breakdown insurance.

I also asked if they would cover the cost of AA Five Star breakdown cover in Europe (Actually most of Europe..not just EU) but they wouldn't. I asked them to stop the misleading advertising but haven't yet.

DISAPPOINTING
I asked AA for Five Star breakdown cover, but they won't cover me for more than 90 days. I assumed that if I bought it they would cover the first 90 days, but obviously they don't want the business, otherwise they'd have proportionally increased the charge and duration of cover.