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Is volcanic ash the only worry?
May 20, 2010
Volcanic ash cause more to think of driving on holiday. Be wary of the dangers of breaking down abroad
Annually,
hundreds of thousands of
Britons will be driving to the Continent for a holiday but this year
figures are forecast to rise steeply as wary travellers try to stay one
step ahead of the volcanic ash. However research reveals that many of
these
motorists are unprepared for the consequences of breaking down on the
Continent.
European Breakdown Cover reserarch says that 45 per cent of drivers
dont remember to take an emergency breakdown kit and only 25% are fully
aware of the driving rules and regulations in the countries they intend
to visit. Many also fail to check their cars before leaving, with 20%
forgetting to check the oil and 15% their tyre pressures.
Breaking down
in a foreign country can be stressful
with the language barrier an extra complication, and extremely
expensive. The average cost of breakdown repairs in Europe is more than
£500 but the the costs of breaking down vary
from one country to the next. In Italy, for example,replacing a tyre
typically costs £140, but could be doubled in France. Motorway recovery
to a local garage in Italy could cost less than a
£100, while in France it costs £125 during the week and £155 at the
weekend.
"It is really quite surprising the
number of people who travel abroad without european breakdown cover. Of
course if your car needs to be
recovered back to the UK, you would be looking at even more expense.
This could cost anything up to £2,000, which is sure to spoil any summer
holiday," says Paul Quigley from Online Travel Insurance.
Standalone European breakdown cover
can be purchased, either
as a single-trip policy which can costs about £30 for two weeks cover,
or as an annual policy. www.European-Breakdown-Cover.com, for example, offers
premier breakdown cover in association with Green Flag from £65 a year
and it does include roadside assistance, repatriation, hire car
and accommodation costs.
In terms of what to expect
from a policy, look for a provider who includes roadside assistance and
labour costs as
standard. Other features to look out for are an allowance for
replacement car hire, and hotel allowance if you are left stranded.
"You should
expect emergency accommodation if you have
to wait for repair work to be completed, but you may also want the
policy to help out with hire cars so you can continue your trip.
Potentially you may have spent a small fortune on your holiday and its
important not to let an issue like this spoil the trip," says Paul
Quigley
Mark Harrison
