How much breakdown cover do I need?<\/h3><\/div>![\"Danny](\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/07\/Danny-Butler.jpg\")
<\/p>
Finder insurance expert Danny Butler<\/a> answers <\/em><\/div><\/div>That\u2019s a decision only you can make. Think about how you use your motorhome and what the implications might be if you broke down in different locations.<\/p>
If you regularly travel with kids or grandkids in tow, for example, they might have less patience to wait at a local garage while your motorhome is being repaired. In this case, national recovery (that can get you to your holiday destination if need be) could be well worth it. But if you never take your motorhome to the continent, it\u2019s probably not worth paying extra for European cover.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>
What does motorhome breakdown cover include?<\/h3>
Exactly what\u2019s covered under motorhome breakdown cover will depend on the level of cover you select. However, it will typically include:<\/p>
- A recovery vehicle coming out to where your motorhome has broken down. If possible your vehicle will be repaired at the roadside.<\/li>
- If it\u2019s not possible to repair your motorhome on the spot, breakdown cover will cover the cost of towing it to a garage where it can be repaired. How far they\u2019re willing to take it depends on the level of cover you have.<\/li><\/ul>
Are there any exclusions to motorhome breakdown cover?<\/h3>
As with what is included, what\u2019s excluded varies by level of cover, but restrictions to look out for include:<\/p>
- Breaking down at home<\/strong>. With basic roadside assistance policies, you won\u2019t be covered if you break down at or close to home; typically within a quarter of a mile, though this can vary.<\/li>
- Call-out limits<\/strong>. Some providers place a limit on how many times you can call the recovery service out per year. You may also be unable to call the service out more than once or twice for the same fault.<\/li>
- Misfuelling<\/a> cover<\/strong>. If you accidentally fill up with petrol rather than diesel, not every policy will include the cost of flushing your system or towing you to a garage.<\/li>
- Spare parts<\/strong>. If your motorhome can\u2019t be fixed at the roadside and needs to be towed to a garage, you\u2019ll usually need to pay for any replacement parts (and the labour to fit them) yourself.<\/li>
- Older motorhomes<\/strong>. Some policies may not offer cover for vehicles over a certain age. If you have a treasured classic VW campervan, for example, you may have to search a bit harder to find affordable insurance, and consider specialists.<\/li>
- Breakdowns after an accident<\/strong>. Some policies will completely exclude this; others won\u2019t rescue your motorhome until the emergency services have given the go ahead.<\/li><\/ul>
And remember that you\u2019ll need to specifically look for breakdown cover that includes motorhomes and campervans. Standard breakdown cover, the kind you\u2019d take out for a car, sometimes excludes vehicles over a certain size or weight, or those that incorporate living accommodation. Even if the policy covers motorhomes, check carefully for any maximum size limits.<\/p>
What do I need to get a quote?<\/h3>
To get a quote for motorhome cover, you\u2019ll need to tell the provider:<\/p>
- Your personal details (name, age, address and contact details).<\/li>
- The level of cover you want (for example, personal or vehicle based, roadside assistance or national recovery, etc).<\/li>
- For vehicle based cover, you may need to supply details of your motorhome, for example its size, weight and number plate.<\/li><\/ul>
Some providers may let you insure multiple drivers or multiple specified vehicles on the same policy. If so, you\u2019ll need relevant details.<\/p>
How much does motorhome breakdown cover cost?<\/h3>
Costs vary by provider, but you should be able to pay less than \u00a3100 a year if you shop around and opt for a lower level of cover.<\/p>
If, on the other hand, you choose the most comprehensive level of cover from one of the more expensive providers, you could end up paying upwards of \u00a3300 for annual cover.<\/p>
How can I save on motorhome breakdown cover?<\/h3>- Don\u2019t pay for cover you don\u2019t need<\/strong>. It could seem like a good idea to add on European cover \u201cjust in case\u201d, but if you don\u2019t end up taking your motorhome outside of the UK, you\u2019ll have wasted your money. It\u2019s usually possible to add on European cover down the line if you need to.<\/li>
- Cover your car and motorhome on the same policy<\/strong>. Some motorhome breakdown policies let you add on other vehicles, so adding on your car could work out cheaper than buying separate policies.<\/li>
- Look out for discounts<\/strong>. For example, if you\u2019re a member of a caravan club, you may be able to find lower-price breakdown cover through it.<\/li>
- Shop around<\/strong>. As always, this is probably the most important way to save money, as costs can vary significantly between providers. Make sure you\u2019re always comparing like with like, though. You don\u2019t want to think you\u2019ve bagged a bargain only to find the policy won\u2019t meet your needs in an emergency.<\/li><\/ul>
Which providers offer motorhome breakdown cover?<\/h3>
Several mainstream breakdown services offer motorhome breakdown cover, so it\u2019s worth checking these first. If you have existing breakdown cover for your car, you may even be able to add your motorhome to your policy. With some providers, motorhomes can be covered as part of their regular breakdown policies. Others have dedicated motorhome breakdown policies.<\/p>
You can also get motorhome cover from providers that specialise in motorhome, campervan and caravan breakdown cover. These might include caravan clubs, or specialist brokers.<\/p>
Bottom line<\/h3>
If your motorhome is less than perfectly reliable, having breakdown cover can save you hassle, expense and frustration if your home away from home conks out half way up the M1. As with regular breakdown cover, price and quality of cover vary substantially, and there can be some noteworthy exclusions. So always shop around and compare cover levels<\/a> carefully to secure the right cover at the best price.<\/p>Frequently asked questions<\/h3>- \n \n
\n
<\/p>
That\u2019s a decision only you can make. Think about how you use your motorhome and what the implications might be if you broke down in different locations.<\/p>
If you regularly travel with kids or grandkids in tow, for example, they might have less patience to wait at a local garage while your motorhome is being repaired. In this case, national recovery (that can get you to your holiday destination if need be) could be well worth it. But if you never take your motorhome to the continent, it\u2019s probably not worth paying extra for European cover.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>
What does motorhome breakdown cover include?<\/h3>
Exactly what\u2019s covered under motorhome breakdown cover will depend on the level of cover you select. However, it will typically include:<\/p>
- A recovery vehicle coming out to where your motorhome has broken down. If possible your vehicle will be repaired at the roadside.<\/li>
- If it\u2019s not possible to repair your motorhome on the spot, breakdown cover will cover the cost of towing it to a garage where it can be repaired. How far they\u2019re willing to take it depends on the level of cover you have.<\/li><\/ul>
Are there any exclusions to motorhome breakdown cover?<\/h3>
As with what is included, what\u2019s excluded varies by level of cover, but restrictions to look out for include:<\/p>
- Breaking down at home<\/strong>. With basic roadside assistance policies, you won\u2019t be covered if you break down at or close to home; typically within a quarter of a mile, though this can vary.<\/li>
- Call-out limits<\/strong>. Some providers place a limit on how many times you can call the recovery service out per year. You may also be unable to call the service out more than once or twice for the same fault.<\/li>
- Misfuelling<\/a> cover<\/strong>. If you accidentally fill up with petrol rather than diesel, not every policy will include the cost of flushing your system or towing you to a garage.<\/li>
- Spare parts<\/strong>. If your motorhome can\u2019t be fixed at the roadside and needs to be towed to a garage, you\u2019ll usually need to pay for any replacement parts (and the labour to fit them) yourself.<\/li>
- Older motorhomes<\/strong>. Some policies may not offer cover for vehicles over a certain age. If you have a treasured classic VW campervan, for example, you may have to search a bit harder to find affordable insurance, and consider specialists.<\/li>
- Breakdowns after an accident<\/strong>. Some policies will completely exclude this; others won\u2019t rescue your motorhome until the emergency services have given the go ahead.<\/li><\/ul>
And remember that you\u2019ll need to specifically look for breakdown cover that includes motorhomes and campervans. Standard breakdown cover, the kind you\u2019d take out for a car, sometimes excludes vehicles over a certain size or weight, or those that incorporate living accommodation. Even if the policy covers motorhomes, check carefully for any maximum size limits.<\/p>
What do I need to get a quote?<\/h3>
To get a quote for motorhome cover, you\u2019ll need to tell the provider:<\/p>
- Your personal details (name, age, address and contact details).<\/li>
- The level of cover you want (for example, personal or vehicle based, roadside assistance or national recovery, etc).<\/li>
- For vehicle based cover, you may need to supply details of your motorhome, for example its size, weight and number plate.<\/li><\/ul>
Some providers may let you insure multiple drivers or multiple specified vehicles on the same policy. If so, you\u2019ll need relevant details.<\/p>
How much does motorhome breakdown cover cost?<\/h3>
Costs vary by provider, but you should be able to pay less than \u00a3100 a year if you shop around and opt for a lower level of cover.<\/p>
If, on the other hand, you choose the most comprehensive level of cover from one of the more expensive providers, you could end up paying upwards of \u00a3300 for annual cover.<\/p>
How can I save on motorhome breakdown cover?<\/h3>
- Don\u2019t pay for cover you don\u2019t need<\/strong>. It could seem like a good idea to add on European cover \u201cjust in case\u201d, but if you don\u2019t end up taking your motorhome outside of the UK, you\u2019ll have wasted your money. It\u2019s usually possible to add on European cover down the line if you need to.<\/li>
- Cover your car and motorhome on the same policy<\/strong>. Some motorhome breakdown policies let you add on other vehicles, so adding on your car could work out cheaper than buying separate policies.<\/li>
- Look out for discounts<\/strong>. For example, if you\u2019re a member of a caravan club, you may be able to find lower-price breakdown cover through it.<\/li>
- Shop around<\/strong>. As always, this is probably the most important way to save money, as costs can vary significantly between providers. Make sure you\u2019re always comparing like with like, though. You don\u2019t want to think you\u2019ve bagged a bargain only to find the policy won\u2019t meet your needs in an emergency.<\/li><\/ul>
Which providers offer motorhome breakdown cover?<\/h3>
Several mainstream breakdown services offer motorhome breakdown cover, so it\u2019s worth checking these first. If you have existing breakdown cover for your car, you may even be able to add your motorhome to your policy. With some providers, motorhomes can be covered as part of their regular breakdown policies. Others have dedicated motorhome breakdown policies.<\/p>
You can also get motorhome cover from providers that specialise in motorhome, campervan and caravan breakdown cover. These might include caravan clubs, or specialist brokers.<\/p>
Bottom line<\/h3>
If your motorhome is less than perfectly reliable, having breakdown cover can save you hassle, expense and frustration if your home away from home conks out half way up the M1. As with regular breakdown cover, price and quality of cover vary substantially, and there can be some noteworthy exclusions. So always shop around and compare cover levels<\/a> carefully to secure the right cover at the best price.<\/p>
Frequently asked questions<\/h3>
- \n \n
\n
- Cover your car and motorhome on the same policy<\/strong>. Some motorhome breakdown policies let you add on other vehicles, so adding on your car could work out cheaper than buying separate policies.<\/li>
- Don\u2019t pay for cover you don\u2019t need<\/strong>. It could seem like a good idea to add on European cover \u201cjust in case\u201d, but if you don\u2019t end up taking your motorhome outside of the UK, you\u2019ll have wasted your money. It\u2019s usually possible to add on European cover down the line if you need to.<\/li>
- Call-out limits<\/strong>. Some providers place a limit on how many times you can call the recovery service out per year. You may also be unable to call the service out more than once or twice for the same fault.<\/li>
- Breaking down at home<\/strong>. With basic roadside assistance policies, you won\u2019t be covered if you break down at or close to home; typically within a quarter of a mile, though this can vary.<\/li>