European breakdown cover

You should find that your European breakdown cover is still valid, and your provider should still come and assist you. However, you should read your policy documents carefully or get in touch with them to confirm, before you travel. You should also check for any local restrictions in the country you’re travelling to.

For travel advice on your destination, check the FCDO for the latest information.

Your breakdown cover policy will offer the same level of protection as before Brexit (unless your provider has contacted you to say otherwise). If you’re at all unsure, check your policy documents or contact your provider.

If you were to break down in Europe without the right cover, not only will you have to pay for repairs and call-outs, you’ll also have to organise everything yourself, in a country whose language you might not understand.

Add on the unfamiliar rules of the road and a lack of local knowledge, and breaking down overseas becomes even more stressful than it would be on home turf. So if you’re off to Europe for business or pleasure, it’s a good idea to reserve part of your budget for European breakdown cover.

Fortunately, there’s plenty of options available from breakdown insurance providers, and you can often add European cover as an extra to your existing policy.

European cover could be included as part of your existing breakdown policy – check the policy documents or terms and conditions. Some policies will include it, but for very short trips only and at the lowest level of cover, so make sure it meets your needs.

If it’s not included, you can buy European breakdown cover as a single, standalone policy.

Yes, single-trip policies are available for European breakdown cover. You could even get single-trip policies for as little as a day, so you can really tailor it to fit your trip. European breakdown cover is usually covered across all of Europe, or in certain zones. This means you won’t normally be able to get cover for just the country you’re travelling to.

It depends on the type of European breakdown policy you get, but most standard policies will cover you for driving in the UK, as well as Europe.

Yes, ‘vehicle repatriation’ is a common inclusion with European breakdown cover. Vehicle repatriation can cover some, or all, of the costs to bring your car back to the UK, if it can’t be fixed where you’re currently travelling. While vehicle repatriation is a common inclusion, make sure you check whether repatriation is also covered for you and your passengers, otherwise it’ll only be the car that’s paid for.

While you’re thinking about breakdown cover, take a look at your main vehicle insurance policy too. Some UK car insurance policies may automatically cover you to drive within Europe, but it’s best to check what level of cover you have before setting off to see if you need to increase it.

Some countries require you to carry proof of your insurance, so you might need to take your UK policy with you. Now that we’ve left the EU, you’ll also need a Green Card to drive in Europe. This will prove that your insurance offers the minimum cover for the country you’re driving in. Ask your car insurance provider to issue you with a Green Card.

You might also find that your policy requires your car is serviced before you travel.

In a few cases, you might need an International Driving Permit as well as your UK driving licence.

If your vehicle breaks down and you don’t have cover, your first step is to find a recovery company, then a reputable garage to repair your car.

You’ll have to pay all the charges, which can be hefty. For example, the cost of towing a car off a French motorway ranges from around €127 to €236, which could leave you seriously out of pocket. In a worst-case scenario, you’ll also need to pay for your vehicle to be brought back to the UK (repatriated) – which can be very expensive.

If you’re intending to drive in France, it’s also worth knowing that only specific companies can tow you off a motorway – and you need to pay them regardless of whether you have breakdown cover or not.

Most companies have a maximum limit for claiming these expenses back, so you should look at your policy documents to check the amount you may be covered for. Once you’ve been towed safely off the motorway, you can contact your breakdown provider for further recovery services, if needed, and you can reclaim the costs from the French operator.

All UK car insurance policies will include third-party cover to drive in EU countries as standard. However, if you’re looking for more comprehensive European car insurance, then you should get that added as an extra, or on a separate policy. If you only need temporary car insurance to drive in Europe, then this can be taken out, too.

An annual policy will typically offer breakdown cover in Europe up to a maximum of 90 days a year, and you might be asked to provide proof of your travel arrangements.

Some providers won’t cover you if you regularly drive to a holiday home on the continent. And if you usually bring your caravan, check that’s covered, as it will be much trickier to tow and some providers will exclude it.

Pay and Claim is common with European breakdown policies. For example, if you’re towed off a motorway in France, you’ll need to pay the breakdown company then claim back the cost from your breakdown provider.

Most European breakdown policies include a 24/7 English-speaking helpline and multi-lingual operators. They’ll organise the help you need, so you shouldn’t need to worry if you don’t speak the local language.

Some policies will cover the costs of getting your vehicle back to the UK if it can’t be fixed before your planned return.

Depending on the policy you choose, this may also include the use of a hire car and the costs of getting you and your passengers home

If you choose vehicle and passenger repatriation, read the policy details before you buy as cover and limits vary between breakdown insurance providers.