Recovery Services

There are problems getting recovery that's effective because many providers will tell you that you're covered until you actually need it, then they'll point you to their list of exclusions. Pay specific attention to the terms and conditions, especially if you're towing which is almost always excluded.

Be careful with affiliates who promise motorhome coverage, for example the caravan and camping club, or saga or other insurers, they are only resellers and can't be held accountable because as usual there's terms and conditions to that effect. Its fairly evident that none of these companies want to quote you online, instead wanting you to call them, which avoids them having to provide any documentation pre-sale, which despite deceptive is legal to do. If at all possible, avoid purchasing anything over the telephone unless you can record your own phone calls. If you must or have purchased over the telephone, then email them (most won't allow or accept this) or write to them giving full details of your motorhome, its size, weight, and asking them to confirm its covered.

There are two distinct types of recovery services, firstly we have in-house, where the company with which you have recovery provide the actual recovery, and secondly there are recovery insurance, where the recovery is provided by a network of independent third parties who will get paid from an insurer for they effort. We'll refer to these as in-house and 3rd-party respectively going forward.

IMPORTANT: Do not trust internet sites or forums, many of which are decades or more out of date and will give misleading advice. Every single page on our wiki shows the last updated date at the bottom, and we revisit every page regularly to keep it up to date.

In-House; The AA will tell you that you're covered, and assuming your in a campervan you should be, but for motorhome's especially larger ones, you ARE NOT covered. Check the policy wording to confirm this.

In-House; The RAC will tell you that you're covered but ONLY when sold through affiliates, they won't sell direct, and the actual scope of coverage is vague at best with the RAC themselves declining to comment on what they will and won't cover when contacted.

3rd-Party; Provide insured recovery for Vans and Campers but not for motorhomes of any size. They do have a page on their site that suggests that they have a policy that supports motorhomes of any size, and with towing anything but if you wander into the small print you realise that (a) you have to be a member of a club, and (b) that it does in-fact not cover any size or towing anything.

Uses an insurance company to underwrite, and general exclusions include any vehicle over 15 years old, anything over 7m, breakdowns caused by failure to maintain, and most importantly; Small Motorhomes exceeding 3.5t, Small Motorhomes more than 8.5m long, 2.5m wide and 3.5m high, and large Motorhomes more than 12m long. It does not specify what a small and large motorhome is.

Confort Insurance, for example, offer breakdown UK and Europe with no 'limits' for about £75 a year, which is pretty good, but you have to take out their insurance and have to take this out at the same time (i.e. You cannot add it on later). They are not alone, several insurers from our Insurers section sell the same, but before taking it make sure you ask them to confirm that your vehicle will be covered.

If you have a car or campervan then getting roadside recovery isn't that hard, but for those of you with vehicles over 3.5t, with more than 4 wheels, or longer and wider, there really isn't an easy option from the big three, and you don't want to find out you're not covered at the roadside. Whatever you select, CHECK and DOUBLE CHECK that your specific vehicle is covered and will be serviced at the roadside.

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We really want to know your experiences with any of the above, or anyone else?