Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Hi all,

Has anybody got recommendations for Insurance companies/brokers that offer European Breakdown cover as part of the policy? I'm going to Le Mans Classic this year so would be useful!

Thanks in advance.

Mine is with Routen Chaplin and includes european recovery, but I thought they all did.
I have not tested their effectiveness yet.
Eric in Burnley
S3SE DHC

Thanks Eric, I'm currently with Routen so have asked the question.
I'm hoping not to test the effectiveness either!

I insure all my classics through Hagerty classic insurance which has 28 day European recovery as standard.

Jerry

I am with Classicline at Hinckley good price and I have had to use the European breakdown twice (ironically not for the Lotus ) very helpful service regular calls to make sure everything is OK throughout the process and the journey home.
Ian

Perhaps you could explain a little on how your policy worked Ian.

I have European cover with DAS at the moment, and on reading the policy detail, it appears that I would have to pay the ferry fares, both ways, for a recovery truck to come and collect the car, should it break down on mainland Europe. Did you have to do this Ian, and / or did you have to pay any monies over and above the original cost of your policy ?

Leslie

Leslie sorry I had not seen your post. I have a multi car policy with classic line covering all my cars this covers uk breakdown included . The European cover last time was ?38 which was for a 2002 TVR Tuscan the car was recovered by their French contractor we were supplied a taxi to Alecon where we picked up an hire car for the rest of our trip this was dropped off at Le Havre a couple of days later they supplied a taxi to the port all costs covered. We had an hire car waiting at Portsmouth so we were on our way after completing paperwork dropped car off at branch around corner from work. Car was returned to home or garage of your choice on a transporter all covered. Only bit I was not happy about was DFDS charged us ?10 per person to change to foot passenger and not take the car. Insurance would have paid this also but could not be bothered with the paperwork for ?20
Ian

Hi,
Carole Nash are good and include a good level of European breakdown...

Carl

I'm with Carole Nash. Posted a reply the other day, but it disappeared.

A thing to consider is that apparently there is a rule in France that if the garage takes the car in for repair, it must fix it. So basically no garage is going to take in an Elan under these circumstances, So it's recovery to the UK. Back to Le Harve and push it on the ferry? Better get a tow as the ramp is quite steep. Just make sure there are points and condenser in the glove compartment.

Thanks for coming back Ian.

It appears that I must have cheap and cheerful foreign breakdown cover, as it has always been included in the policy, at about ?130. It seems you paid a premium but received a better level of cover, if you had no more money to shell out when you needed to call on the policy. That seems to be the way to go, will look into it when up for renewal.

Ivor wrote:
A thing to consider is that apparently there is a rule in France that if the garage takes the car in for repair, it must fix it. So basically no garage is going to take in an Elan under these circumstances

I would not let the car go into a garage in France for a minor repair, I would fix it myself. I carry more spare parts on foreign trips than Matty has currently in his stores! inc donuts.

And: 'Back to Le Harve and push it on the ferry?

We always go from Poole to Cherbourg, and on from there. Better class of passenger

Leslie

I had a problem a few years ago when the two small screws holding the rear of the starter motor fell off.. Luckily we were on the way home after a trip to Switzerland

We stopped for petrol and the car would not start, felt under the car and wondered why the rear plate on the starter motor felt loose! Called up the breakdown service and a man in a van appeared reasonably quickly. We push started the car and drove back to Calais and onto the ferry without stopping, luckily only 90 miles. We needed a push start at the other end and and drove the 135 miles home without stopping the engine, we had to stop for petrol but kept the engine running ..

One thing worth checking, one of my classic car policies covers me aboard but not on the N?rburgring.. It's specifically mentioned, sometimes they just say 'not on private roads' ... Just in case you are tempted..

I used to have all my classic cars & motorcycles insured with Carol Nash, mainly for the Euro recovery they offered. However, when I needed it, I found it useless. I wasn't in the Lotus, but on a Norton Commando, & had an electronic ignition box breakdown, a bit annoying as I always carry a spare, but had lent it to someone else. I was only about twenty miles from my destination in the Dordogne, & new that once there I could get another box sent to me, but C N flatley refused to take the bike to where I was going, but instead wanted to ship the it home to Norfolk (best part of 500 miles). I tried explaining/pleading etc, but they were not having it, apparently onward travel was NOT an option. They did send a French recovery truck, & I asked him if he could take me the twenty miles rather than to Calais, which he was happy to do. Great, got there, got another box & we were away. Then I got a very snotty phone call from C N saying I had breached an agreement & they were canceling my insurance with immediate effect. Left me having to sort out some insurance to get home. Not a happy bunny & will never go near C N again & take every oppertunity to tell others how they treated me. I was insuring 3 cars & 5 bikes with them, & had been for several years. That's gratitude for you.
Best of it was, I swapped everything to Footman James, who promised the same would not happen with them & saved over ?50 in to the bargain. Have now moved to Heritage but can't comment on either's breakdown service as haven't had to use it.