Motorway breakdown, France

[audlin]

On Saturday I had a problem with my van and had to pull off onto the hard shoulder of the VERY busy A9 motorway in south east France. I phoned my insurance company and was told that I had to phone the emergency services on 112 for help. Fortunately, I only had to wait 30 minutes until, not the emergency services but a passing motorway patrol van stopped to ask what the problem was. He told me that the motorway patrol and NOT the emergency services deal with breakdowns on French motorways. The good news is the motorway patrol fixed my problem and I continued my journey but with absolutely no thanks to the insurance company paid to help in that situation. I don't remember the motorway patrol number, but I write this to warn others heading off to France.

 

[Podney]

Please tell us who you are insured with.

Glad you got sorted.

 

[audlin]

Until the company has replied to my complaint, I'd rather not say. However, it is a company used by many funsters which is why I decided to give them a try.

 

[Spriddler]

They'll get fed up with you breaking down twice within 5 minutes.

 

[chaser]

The insurance folks are dead on, if you read the small print in insurance and breakdown policy's it tell s you you have to ring the patrols with the phone on the road, nothing they can do about it , it's french law.
But if you keep all the bills they will pay you back.

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[DBK]

If it was a péage motorway, recovery is controlled and you have to use the designated recovery organisation for that bit of road. You also have to pay them and then try to recover the cost from your UK policy.

 

[audlin]

The insurance folks are dead on, if you read the small print in insurance and breakdown policy's it tell s you you have to ring the patrols with

By 'patrols' are you referring to the highway patrols? I was told by insurance company to call 112 emergency services. (I'm writing this on my phone and just about managing!)

 

[meanders]

If it was a péage motorway, recovery is controlled and you have to use the designated recovery organisation for that bit of road. You also have to pay them and then try to recover the cost from your UK policy.

Nothing to do with tolls. It applies to all French motorway as we found out a few years ago.

 

[Roger20]

So if you have broken down how would you find the number of the recovery firm? Did 112 contact them and the motorway patrol wasn't just passing?

 

[carolyn]

You dial 112 for the emergency services or use one of the phones at the side of the road. They contact the designated recovery service for that bit of motorway who come out to you. It happened to us 10 years ago. I could explain that we had a flat tyre and where we were in my limited French. I suppose “what 3 words” might help now. A patrol car passing in the OPs case was just good fortune , as was the fact that they got it going. You pay the local recovery firm , they have cash card machines, send the receipt to your insurance company and they refund your money.

There’s another similar thread. I didn’t realise this so had phoned Safeguard first. Once we were on the move again and got to the campsite I phoned Safeguard again and they gave me an Incident number for the breakdown. I’ve only just remember this. It was so that we could sort it out after our holiday. Took 6 weeks to get the money back but it was August when we claimed.

I think I am very good at reading the small print and had driven a car in France many times but that bit had not clicked. It has caught many people out so don’t beat yourself up about it. It was scarey at the time trying to make myself understood at the side of a motorway with lorries thundering past.

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[Lenny HB]

I don't see the problem, in France private breakdown/ recovery services are not allowed to operate on the Autoroute you have to use their recovery service and pay them reclaim from your insurance. It's always been that way.

 

[chaser]

I don't see the problem, in France private breakdown/ recovery services are not allowed to operate on the Autoroute you have to use their recovery service and pay them reclaim from your insurance. It's always been that way.

Neither can I ,the insurance firm did all they could , they informed you who to ring to get you on your way.
Nothing else they could do by law.

 

[carolyn]

I don't see the problem, in France private breakdown/ recovery services are not allowed to operate on the Autoroute you have to use their recovery service and pay them reclaim from your insurance. It's always been that way.

I agree, it’s not a problem at all once you know that France has a different system on it’s motorways. I was trying to be kind and reassure the OP that they’re not the only one to have missed this bit on the insurance documents!

 

[Mr and Mrs O]

We are sorry that you broke down but happy that the French patrol got you back on your journey!
Thanks for posting as we would have done the same as you and called our insurance company!
Just goes to show that everydays a school day!
Safe travels!

 

[SpeedyDux]

The nice French motorway patrol bloke was very helpful and helped me change a wheel (on a nearby aire not hard shoulder) after a blow-out. The wheel bolts were too tight for me to undo with my limited tools. In that situation there was no need to call out the designated breakdown service for that part of the motorway.

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