minnie Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Does anyone know of any french insurance companies who have a breakdown system which enables the car to be relayed to your home area, as opposed to the nearest convenient garage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 No such thing in France as far as I know. My insurance Co. said if you are near home and ask the recovery service they MAY take you home. I suggest you look at ADAC, I have been a member for a couple of years now and recently a friend of mine used that service, he was repatriated home off the motorway and given a hire car to complete his journey . See the thread below for past discussion:http://services.completefrance.com/forums/completefrance/cs/forums/2937002/ShowPost.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnie Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 Thanks Jay. I do actually belong to ADAC though I've not yet needed to use them. It was just a thought that it might be cheaper as an add on to insurance, if it was available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 My car broke down and I had to ring its French insurer's help line. They were most efficient and towed it to a garage (of their choice), then sent a taxi to convey me back to my house, about 30km away.When the car was ready, the insurance company sent another taxi to collect me and take me to retrieve it. Obviously I had to pay for the actual repair.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnie Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 When ours broke down 4 years ago (before joining ADAC) we were about 400 kms away. They authorised a tow to a smallish garage (owned by the tow man) though we wanted to go to the main Citroen dealer less than 20kms away. When we got to the small garage it was obvious that this guy wasn't going to be able to fix the car for weeks (major problems) and so we had to pay for him to take us to the main dealers. By the time he got us there it was after 5pm. The insurers had given us the choice of hire car or accommodation. We plumped for the hire car and paid our own accommodation so that we could get a devis from the garage in the morning. The job was destined to take a week (engine out). We then had to return to collect it by taking train and taxi. Hence my original enquiry. Locally the problem is minimal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 So what is the problem with ADAC? My only objection is paying for the recovery service included in the insurance premium but cannot think of any other way around it. At least a breakdown near or at home is covered by the insurance whereas ADAC only starts 50km from home, so in effect all contingencies are covered. If you had been covered by ADAC at the time of your breakdown you would not have had any problem with recovery to home, hire car etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnie Posted April 19, 2014 Author Share Posted April 19, 2014 I have no problems at all with belonging to ADAC. It was just thinking whether I could cut costs. It is immediately after our experience of a breakdown away from home that we actually researched and joined. My only reservation is whether at the point of telephoning from a breakdown there'd be somebody who could speak either English or French as my German is virtually non-existent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 My friend's recovery was flawless. He spoke to ADAC on four different occasions while in France (they phoned him three time to make sure he was getting the service he wanted) and once from the UK. Each time there was an English speaker available. I've spoken to two different people there this week to pay my premium and they both spoke perfect English.I would like to know why we cannot have much better service in France? If I'm away form home in France, Spain, UK, Italy or elsewhere I don't want my car taken to a local garage, I want repatriation for both family and car to my home or a garage of my choice. Your experience only reinforces the need for a decent recovery service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 Direct Assurance claims that if you pay for their add-on "serenité" they will take the broken-down vehicle wherever you wish. There are others who offer similar possibilities, but the majority seem to just take you to the nearest garage (though some qualify this by saying the nearest qualified garage or else saying that they will take you in preference to a garage of the appropriate marque (concession) if possible). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 [quote user="Jay"]My only objection is paying for the recovery service included in the insurance premium but cannot think of any other way around it.[/quote] Although it's usually included by default it's actually an optional extra so just tell them you don't want it !I have ADAC but haven't had to use them yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 [quote user="AnOther"]Although it's usually included by default it's actually an optional extra so just tell them you don't want it ![/quote]Well I didn't know that. I'll have to see how much that costs and decide if it's worth it for recovery within 50km of home. I suspect I will still have to keep that option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 I have just had a look at the ADAC membership webpage and it states that you have to be a German resident. In the grey section above the charthttp://www.adac.de/mitgliedschaft/adac_membership/default.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 It doesn't say you have to be resident in Germany to become a member of ADAC, it says you have to be resident in Germany to use the online subscription service. If you don't have an address in DE you have to arrange your membership over the phone, is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 Ahhhh. These senior moments of mine are getting more frequent me-thinks. Ta for the explanation ET. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 's ok, I remember experiencing the exact same senior moment last summer when I decided to join ADAC for my motorhome, and then thought it was telling me I couldn't. Nice to know it's not just me :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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