# Urgent! Help Needed stranded in Germany



## 102159 (Dec 20, 2006)

A fellow member of this site is stranded in Germany and could do with a bit of help. Through a situation that has evolved through not reading the small print on his "comprehensive" get you home insurance policy, he now has to bring his own A class motor home from southern Germany. Has anyone ever had to bring a vehicle back on a low loader if so what is the best way to go about it, any idea of approx cost etc. I said that I would do my best to arrange something from this end.
I wont go into detail as he wants to let you all know about the small print in our policy’s on his return next week.
Would be grateful for any help


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## motorhomenicky (Feb 1, 2006)

Hi Toebar

I had a problem with my fiat in spain, I trawled the internet for breakdown recovery firms who go abroad, there are a few, as luck would have it the vehicle was covered by fiats aa assurance which covered any converted vehicle, so I used that instead of the aa 5* cover which would not cover it due to its size.

Depending on the problem maybe it is worth having it fixed over there?

Good luck anyway


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Hi toebar

Does he have a mechanical problem or is it the insurance cover that's the issue?


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## hydecolt (Aug 12, 2006)

probably at least £2000. just the cost of a ferry crossing for a commercial vehicle will be in excess of £500. he would do better trying to get the problem solved out there, sorry to be so negative


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Sorry but I have also heard the above figure quoted before now 

peedee


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## 102159 (Dec 20, 2006)

Thanks for your replys
Last week he was travelling south to the Alps in his A class motor home when approx 450 miles into his 600 mile trip, disaster struck, his engine started to rev out of control and then stopped. Not a problem he thought as he had a good level of insurance and a phone call would solve his present situation. It worked, his vehicle was towed to a local Fiat dealer who were winding down for their Christmas holiday. They inspected the van and suggested it was fairly minor and they would sort it if he left it with them. He left the van went on his way with his daughter who was travailing with him, they booked into a hotel. On returning from hols the garage suggest replacing the turbo and exhaust and have said if that doesn’t fix it they recommend a new engine. Yes that is an option but he would be back before the van and then have to pick it up etc. The low loader is an option that he has asked me to check out for him.
He is an engineer and his son is a car mechanic they could fix it without any probs if it was home. So the low loader would be an option even if it were a few thousand. 
We all think that our get you home cover would do just that . .Have you read your small print.


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

i found this if its any help http://www.simarco.com/europeanGermany.asp 
http://www.freight2mail.com/?gclid=COue-d-SxYkCFQipEAod8SehMg


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## LadyJ (May 9, 2005)

HI toebar,

Where abouts in Germany is your friend and where does he want the motorhome taking to in the UK how big is it? and when does he want it moving, I do have a friend in the buisness who might be able to put you in touch with a UK company who collects from abroad.

Jacquie


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## Superk (Aug 22, 2005)

Try: Midland International Motorhomes, Allesley, Coventry Tel: 024 7633 6411 email [email protected]. 
If my information is correct they have low loaders capable of collecting American sized RV's - they said my 33-footer would be no problem and they go all over Europe and also recover for Safeguard Insurance.


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## TonyHunt (Oct 10, 2005)

So why didnt his super fully comprehensive breakdown cover get him home, was it because he had it initially towed to a garage rather than immediatly having it towed home. A lot of us on the forum use what are supposed to be top notch companies like safeguard in the hope that not skimping on cheap cover will get us home with no problems if we break down or have an accident, what went wrong in this case?


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## Invicta (Feb 9, 2006)

We do need to know why he wasn't covered to be brought home.

I sincerely hope, along with a few hundred others who look in at this site, that he wasn't insured with Safeguard!


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## Snelly (Aug 20, 2005)

Who is he insured with?


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## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

I presume, but may be wrong, that he IS covered, but that if the van is repairable in a reasonable time abroad, that has to be done in preference to the insurance company transporting it all the way home at significant cost to them to enable a cheap DIY repair at leisure.

Both the owner, and the insurance company, are understandably trying to minimise costs to themselves, and it is the small print that articulates who wins and who loses in such scenarios as this.

Dave


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## 102159 (Dec 20, 2006)

Thank you all for you input and concern, I did communicate with the suggested web sites without any success today. As a last result I contacted the CC they couldn’t have been more helpful. They transferred me to the euro emergency service coordinator Phil. He was very helpful and gave me the contact details of the transport company who repatriate their own members vehicles. They are based in Southend Essex.
Sorry but I have left the contact details in my desk, but this company sounds well worth keeping on your mobile. They are extremely helpful, well informed and very friendly. They gave me a quote over the phone to mach the information that I was able to give them. I thought that the quote was very fare for a round trip of 1200miles a return ferry and use of low loader and driver for what would be around 4 days. The price was £1750 + vat that sounds very fare to me. He could have the van back in the UK by next week.
I had the pre-arranged call from my friend today, his position appears to be on the mend. The garage has now been able to start the van and plan to change the cat and exhaust today. He is hoping this will do the trick and get him home.
I contacted the low loader with the news, he said that if he manages to make his own way back and breaks down again, to give him a call and the price would reflect the miles left to go. I don’t think that he could be farer than that.
I will leave my friend to give you the details of his cover situation on his return next week.
Thanks again 
Toebar


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

toebar said:


> Thank you all for you input and concern,
> >snip<
> I will leave my friend to give you the details of his cover situation on his return next week.
> Thanks again
> Toebar


Is there anymore information on this yet ?

peedee


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