Towing a car with an A-frame (1 Viewer)

[frequent fryer]

Hi - I've now had two holidays in our motorhome - a tour round Scotland and again in South East England. We both absolutely loved it and will be life long M/H users. However I am disabled and have realised the importance of having alternative transport with us on holiday. Can anybody tell me if towing a Citigo by A-frame should make any difference in insurance for the motorhome, and do we have to inform the insurance company? We have already told them we have a trailer with scooter to help with my difficulties. Also, do we have to tell the car insurers that it will be towed in this way? Thanks for your help.

 

[pappajohn]

When the car is hitched its own insurance is NORMALLY invalid.
Your vans insurance normally covers towing a trailer (the car becomes a trailer in the eyes of DVLA) when hitched but usually on a 3rd party basis.
All this depends on your insurers policies.

 

[busby]

Hi - I've now had two holidays in our motorhome - a tour round Scotland and again in South East England. We both absolutely loved it and will be life long M/H users. However I am disabled and have realised the importance of having alternative transport with us on holiday. Can anybody tell me if towing a Citigo by A-frame should make any difference in insurance for the motorhome, and do we have to inform the insurance company? We have already told them we have a trailer with scooter to help with my difficulties. Also, do we have to tell the car insurers that it will be towed in this way? Thanks for your help.

Best thing is ring them and ask.
All will then be legal and transparent.BUSBY.

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[pappajohn]

Don't forget, you may not have the train weight capacity to tow a car.
Look at your VIN plate to find out.
It will be the highest number on the plate, possibly marked as MCVW or MCVM.
Deduct the vehicle gross weight from this figure. What you have left is the max allowed towed vehicle weight.

 

[frequent fryer]

@Pappa John
Yeah we've checked that and we're ok thanks

 

[bigtwin]

Don't forget, you may not have the train weight capacity to tow a car.
Look at your VIN plate to find out.
It will be the highest number on the plate, possibly marked as MCVW or MCVM.
Deduct the vehicle gross weight from this figure. What you have left is the max allowed towed vehicle weight.

This is true only if the MH is running at its MGW. If it is running below its MGW then every Kg below that max is an additional Kg that can be towed.

See para 7.3 in the link below:

DfT Guidance on .Gov.uk Website

Ian

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[Kev and Carolyn]

Hi Guys.

If you are to have the car altered to have the A frame fitted , the professional company who will do it for you, will supply you with the certificate to put to your Car insurance company for them to address where they seem fit. Normally its not a problem to most if not all insurers has the car has actually been improved on rather than made a liability.
The car will be classed as a trailer behind your motor home and will be seen as 3rd party only regarding insurance.
Pulling the vehicle will not be an issue to you if the vehicle you have to pull it with is the correct train weight as pappajohn as mentioned.
Your motorhome insurance should not become a concern as long has the towed car is either mechanically braked or electronically braked . It will become a problem though if the A frame fitted does not have the capability of applying the brake to the towed car in either manner. Common sense I know but sometimes over looked!
There are plenty of companies out there supplying and fitting these A frames . Just do your research and you will be fine

Kev

 

[PeteH]

Putting a search in top right.. Will bring up numerous postings, some very long an meandering on this very subject. It has been done to death on this and other forum. Re legality, practicality. Et al. It's all opinion. And the greyest of grey areas. I do it, in fact I am away at present ant the car is parked alongside but many choose not to.

 

[Pickygame]

The key is, the car becomes a trailer and has to abide by the rules as signposted earlier. Dodgy a frames could make you illegal so make sure you check out fitting.

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[emjaiuk]

It is important to tell your car insurance co. that it has a front tow bar fitted. In my experience it makes no difference to quote. We unfortunately had a no fault write off with a previous car (solo) amd the settlement had the cost of conversion added to car valuation wiyh no problem

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

I don't know if your car is an automatic but if it is it might not be suitable for a-framing.

 

[pappajohn]

This is true only if the MH is running at its MGW. If it is running below its MGW then every Kg below that max is an additional Kg that can be towed.

See para 7.3 in the link below:

DfT Guidance on .Gov.uk Website

Ian

Agreed Ian, but there has to be a benchmark figure to start with.
And I doubt there many that aren't at or above the gross weight.

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[Lorryman100]

I do it, in fact I am away at present ant the car is parked alongside but many choose not to.

Was that yourself I spied in County Durham on Sunday with a Picanto parked along side?

 

[frequent fryer]

Thanks for your help everybody. We checked with the m/h insurance company, then decided to insure the car with them. They gave us a good quote, and they know everything about the two vehicles so all is good! Ready for my next holiday now!!

 

[PeteH]

Was that yourself I spied in County Durham on Sunday with a Picanto parked along side?

No. I'm on a cl near York.

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