- Jan 12, 2020
- 284
- 986
- Funster No
- 67,962
- MH
- Burstner i681
- Exp
- Since 2018
Hi,
I’m sure there are a lot of members who having bought Breakdown Insurance and often wondered what would happen when the worst happens. This year we placed our trust in LV as we needed a Green Card for Morocco. LVs approach to motor home insurance is unusual, those that have used them will know what I mean but having had a good experience several years ago with travel insurance I went with them.
This is our story. (This has ended up a bit longer than anticipated…..)
Holiday all going well back from two months in Morocco when 50km short of Salamanca we encountered a strange noise instantly followed by all the lights on the dash coming on and we coasted to a halt on the hard shoulder. Fluorescent jackets on, triangles out and a quick look under the bonnet revealed a partially shredded auxiliary belt and possibly/likely cam belt issues as well. The Spanish police arrived within 10 mins to check we were okay, repositioned the triangles, gave us our exact position on the motorway and off they went. I contacted Britannia who promised to have some one with us in an hour. A motorway services chap then turned up and coned off 75 yards behind us for extra safety.
More or less on the hour the recovery truck turned up, it looked a bit small for our 4 tonne Burstner i681 + bikes. However shortly after the owner of the recovery firm also turned up in a van and extra blocks and with great care it was loaded. Off we all go to as it turns out the recovery service property not a garage. Britannia after much discussion with me earlier are trying to find a suitable commercial/motorhome garage. After a 2 hour lunch and brief wait Britannia issue instructions and we are taken to a main Isuzu commercial dealership which does PVC conversions as well. To make sure the motorhome is off loaded correctly the recovery company owner follows in his car and supervises the offloading.
Some more discussion with Britannia, the Ops Manager at the garage recommends a hotel, they agree to book us in. The mechanic takes off the cam belt cover and the belt is hanging loose. We all make dead, kaput, fooooked type gestures!!! Britannia insist on a full engine inspection before anything else can be done. After much discussion where the English speaking manger assures Jane that the mechanic is a fine chap, people come from France and Belgium to get work done by him, they will only do the necessary work etc, etc. At the same time the mechanic shows me a photographic record on his phone of a previous similar incident, an A Class from the 1990s, they dealt with last year, it took 20 days, because parts were scarce. We then have to commit some cash, we discuss what needs doing, engine out and dismantle. I say how much and after a few calculations they come back with 3+ days and an oddly accurate approx figure of give or take €1008. A taxi then turns up provided by Britannia and we are off to the hotel.
What happens over the next 5 days including a weekend is obviously stressful, I’m of the opinion that the engine is finished as is everyone I speak to. We were travelling at 65mph when the incident occurred, the Fiat 2.8 is an interference engine how could there be good news. Why am I spending €1000 to find out the obvious? Plus getting the a recon 2.8 if mine I a complete write off is a non starter in Spain so I’m told. I have to say at this point everyone has been great and made things easier.
Having discussed the options with Britannia over the weekend, I had nothing else to do, they assure me if it can’t be fixed and is worth more than the repatriation cost, c.£3500, they will bring it back to the UK.
To cut to the chase once the engine was dismantled the damage was limited and can be rebuilt, total cost all in £5000 a bit pricey but versus other options not to bad. It should be ready in just over two weeks.
Britannia have been great throughout so far they have done a great job on the recovery, garage choice, picked up taxi and hotel bills, paid for a hire car for us from Salamanca to Madrid, flights from Madrid to Gatwick and a taxi from Gatwick to the south coast. They will then fly me back to pick up the motorhome once it’s completed later this month. To say I’m delighted would be an understatement .
Sorry for the length of this but I thought there would at least be some who would be interested in the full experience.
I’m sure there are a lot of members who having bought Breakdown Insurance and often wondered what would happen when the worst happens. This year we placed our trust in LV as we needed a Green Card for Morocco. LVs approach to motor home insurance is unusual, those that have used them will know what I mean but having had a good experience several years ago with travel insurance I went with them.
This is our story. (This has ended up a bit longer than anticipated…..)
Holiday all going well back from two months in Morocco when 50km short of Salamanca we encountered a strange noise instantly followed by all the lights on the dash coming on and we coasted to a halt on the hard shoulder. Fluorescent jackets on, triangles out and a quick look under the bonnet revealed a partially shredded auxiliary belt and possibly/likely cam belt issues as well. The Spanish police arrived within 10 mins to check we were okay, repositioned the triangles, gave us our exact position on the motorway and off they went. I contacted Britannia who promised to have some one with us in an hour. A motorway services chap then turned up and coned off 75 yards behind us for extra safety.
More or less on the hour the recovery truck turned up, it looked a bit small for our 4 tonne Burstner i681 + bikes. However shortly after the owner of the recovery firm also turned up in a van and extra blocks and with great care it was loaded. Off we all go to as it turns out the recovery service property not a garage. Britannia after much discussion with me earlier are trying to find a suitable commercial/motorhome garage. After a 2 hour lunch and brief wait Britannia issue instructions and we are taken to a main Isuzu commercial dealership which does PVC conversions as well. To make sure the motorhome is off loaded correctly the recovery company owner follows in his car and supervises the offloading.
Some more discussion with Britannia, the Ops Manager at the garage recommends a hotel, they agree to book us in. The mechanic takes off the cam belt cover and the belt is hanging loose. We all make dead, kaput, fooooked type gestures!!! Britannia insist on a full engine inspection before anything else can be done. After much discussion where the English speaking manger assures Jane that the mechanic is a fine chap, people come from France and Belgium to get work done by him, they will only do the necessary work etc, etc. At the same time the mechanic shows me a photographic record on his phone of a previous similar incident, an A Class from the 1990s, they dealt with last year, it took 20 days, because parts were scarce. We then have to commit some cash, we discuss what needs doing, engine out and dismantle. I say how much and after a few calculations they come back with 3+ days and an oddly accurate approx figure of give or take €1008. A taxi then turns up provided by Britannia and we are off to the hotel.
What happens over the next 5 days including a weekend is obviously stressful, I’m of the opinion that the engine is finished as is everyone I speak to. We were travelling at 65mph when the incident occurred, the Fiat 2.8 is an interference engine how could there be good news. Why am I spending €1000 to find out the obvious? Plus getting the a recon 2.8 if mine I a complete write off is a non starter in Spain so I’m told. I have to say at this point everyone has been great and made things easier.
Having discussed the options with Britannia over the weekend, I had nothing else to do, they assure me if it can’t be fixed and is worth more than the repatriation cost, c.£3500, they will bring it back to the UK.
To cut to the chase once the engine was dismantled the damage was limited and can be rebuilt, total cost all in £5000 a bit pricey but versus other options not to bad. It should be ready in just over two weeks.
Britannia have been great throughout so far they have done a great job on the recovery, garage choice, picked up taxi and hotel bills, paid for a hire car for us from Salamanca to Madrid, flights from Madrid to Gatwick and a taxi from Gatwick to the south coast. They will then fly me back to pick up the motorhome once it’s completed later this month. To say I’m delighted would be an understatement .
Sorry for the length of this but I thought there would at least be some who would be interested in the full experience.
