Information Sheet for RH European Breakdown

[Association Secretary]

Advice to members about RH European Breakdown Recovery Scheme – 13.3.25 

A7CA representatives recently met with RH Specialist Insurance to discuss the types of breakdown cover they offer for clients travelling in Europe. 

RH use DAS and ERS to oversee the recovery service in mainland Europe and you can choose the service you wish to take out, during your renewal conversation with RH. 

During our meeting with RH it became clear that they consider ERS suits the needs of Austin Seven owners better. If using ERS, there are several procedures and choices to be made which are illustrated in the flow chart below1 .

The key point to emphasise is that to be eligible for any onward travel you must allow RH to identify a local garage, have the car recovered to it and then let the local garage decide whether they can repair the car or not.
 

   

[Robert Leigh]

I feel that your key point has not been satisfactorily emphasised by RH at renewal time. It appears from what you say that we have a choice of DAS and ERS. I cannot remember seeing anything from RH saying this, or explaining that there is a choice. I think I told the call handler that I thought my problem would not not be a local fix, but I was not told that it had to be examined by their choice of local garage if I was to be provided with a hire car. At this moment just out of hospital I don't feel like going through the fine print, so I may be wrong. I would be happy for chapter and verse to be pointed out to me.

[Old Dave]

A very useful flow-diagram if the worst happens - thank you. I have not seen the restrictions before and I was unaware that there was any choice.!!!!!

I agree with Robert that finding info on the breakdown recovery is difficult. I remember when I first insured the car with RH about 7 years ago there were some details including telephone numbers, but this information doesn't seem to be confirmed or updated at renewal. About 4 years ago I called RH and confirmed that the details I had were correct and those are in "Alice's" glovebox. It is an area that needs tidying up and included at each renewal.

[Chris KC]

I concur that I've never been asked at renewal which breakdown service I wanted - perhaps they apply ERS by default (as it "suits the needs of A7 owners better") but you could have DAS if you knew to ask for it, and could see some benefit to doing so.

Two things catch my eye about this flow chart -

1. That you can, it seems, decide yourself that the car "cannot be repaired" & you wish to have it and yourself repatriated. This differs from the UK scheme, where it was the mechanic / truck driver sent out who made that call (although the one time it happened to me, I found the chap most obliging, and receptive to my own input about this). On balance of probability I think it quite unlikely that I'd want a foreign garage to repair my car (unsupervised, at least) in the event of a significant breakdown or accident; if only because they'd round off every nut they touched with their metric tools...

2. There is no mention of the possibility that you might get the car going again yourself with, say, replacement parts sent out from the UK by courier. I guess this <might> be negotiable if you had confidence and could demonstrate that the cost would be less than repatriation. Whilst this would always be my preferred course of action, having the right tools, adequate know-how, and a suitable place to work are prerequisites. I have at least once come to an arrangement with a local garage to work in their space with a bit of help from a mechanic, albeit at cost.

I guess the great majority of RH customers do not use this facility, so while I'd love to see a nice booklet sent out with renewal, I'm not greatly surprised that there isn't. It seems fairly typical now of online insurers that you pay your money and get nothing at all that would assist you in making a claim. I'd certainly welcome such an initiative - I'd love something simple to throw in my glovebox "just in case". Meanwhile perhaps this flow chart will suffice.

What I must add is that in the past I have called Emma prior to travel and asked for clarification of a few things, and she has bent over backwards to get answers for me. If planning a 'big trip' I would recommend doing the same.

(Robert, I don't think this addresses your points - but in any case, best wishes for a speedy recovery).

[Association Secretary]

It is perhaps worth pointing out that it was only as recently as last November that RH started using a second underwriter to ERS, which gave rise to the A7CA seeking clarity about the breakdown procedures.

[Chris KC]

It is perhaps worth pointing out that it was only as recently as last November that RH started using a second underwriter to ERS, which gave rise to the A7CA seeking clarity about the breakdown procedures.

Ah, OK - that would explain why people have renewed "recently" - mine was August - without being offered an option.
But also underscores that we are all by default with the service which RH considers a "best fit" for A7's.

[Old Dave]

All round I think it is something I will check carefully at the next renewal in July. I have the UK and European contact numbers that I know in my mobile phone and intentnd to verbally confirm and make sure I have contact numbers for RH as well just in case.

On the basis that if you are prepared you won't need it - Oh dear that is probably tempting fate!!