Driving abroad: Why you need breakdown cover

Having your vehicle break down is never something you expect and when it does happen it’s frequently at the most inconvenient time. Green Flag’s Sam Jackson explains how having breakdown cover can transform what would have been a difficult experience into a minor adjustment to your trip, even if you’re in foreign climes. 

“Driving on the Continent, whether in summer or winter, is invariably a family trip that has been saved for, planned and looked forward to. The car breaking down can turn this into a nightmare that might cause you to think hard about ever driving abroad again.”

You need breakdown cover… to account for different scenarios
“Going on holiday is one of the more traumatic things we do in life. Breaking down in a foreign country where you might not speak the language and you’re possibly some distance from home and your intended holiday destination isn’t a welcome thought. Every breakdown abroad is different; there is never a standard incident because everyone’s intentions, plans and passenger requirements are different. Green Flag offers local knowledge, expert care and a network that takes care of travel, accommodation and recovery. We pride ourselves on recognising that it’s the customer’s destination that is important ‘no matter what’.”

You need breakdown cover… to avoid huge costs
“Owning and maintaining a vehicle is costly for every household. Your vehicle breaking down can be an unexpected additional expense. It’s not just about trying to sort out repairs to it. What if the vehicle has broken down on the way to the destination? How do you complete the journey? Or if you are at the destination are you going to be marooned? Green Flag European breakdown cover will find a solution to keep your holiday on track, whether that’s emergency accommodation while your car is repaired, or an alternative so that you can still get around until your car is fixed. In some circumstances your vehicle may need to be transported back to the UK and this can cost thousands of pounds. In this situation Green Flag European cover will pay for the repatriation of you, your passengers, luggage and vehicle.”

You need breakdown cover… to cross the language barrier
“Green Flag has a team of bi-lingual advisers so you don’t have to worry about not speaking the language when you go abroad. Unless you’re a mechanic, it’s highly unlikely you’ll know exactly what needs fixing. Green Flag’s dedicated advisers deal in local garages’ own language and act in the customers’ best interests to ensure that you know what the problem with the vehicle is, how much it will cost to repair and the time it will take to get it back on the road.”

You need breakdown cover… to deal with the police
“Vehicles that breakdown on a motorway in France have to be recovered from the motorway by a police-appointed recovery vehicle. But that’s okay because Green Flag covers that, reimbursing any charges you incur. Sometimes the police-appointed breakdown company is a Green Flag agent. If that’s the case, we can arrange for them to bill the charges directly to us.”

You need breakdown cover… to continue your holiday
“When you breakdown on the way to your destination, your vehicle may not be repaired until the following day. Green Flag will either arrange overnight accommodation or reimburse your costs. That means what could have been a major incident on your holiday becomes a few hours’ delay before you are back in your vehicle and enjoying your holiday. If your vehicle has a more serious fault and can’t be repaired before the end of your holiday we can get you home and then bring you back to collect your vehicle when it’s repaired. The most important thing is that your breakdown has a minimal impact on you enjoying your holiday.”

Sam Jackson is Green Flag’s Rescue Claims Operations Manager