Relief Driver

[cresta]

Hi.

I dont know if anyone else has had to face this but as my husband tows our caravan and i do not tow, if he was unable to drive or anything worse happened if we were away, can cover be supplied to for this situation.

 

Cresta.

[Easy T]

Yes, via The Caravan Club and Mayday using Green Flag. Not sure if the ordinary Green Flag cover also offers the same. When I lost most of the sight in my right eye (permanently) on a holiday a few years ago I was unable to drive as my left eye was far weaker. The Mayday policy allowed for a chauffeur or recovery. They required a doctors note or similar but said that they would collect us if required and bill us so that we could obtain the necessary evidence at a hospital or GP closer to home. In the event I did not use the service as I was able to pick up some cheap readers that provided the required sight in my good eye in order to return home.

[Guest]

Welcome to CT. the answer is most rescue insurance do provide that sort of cover.

[Easy T]

Welcome to CT. the answer is most rescue insurance do provide that sort of cover.

I suspect so but it might depend on the level of cover chosen. I do not know about that. Also I know that if away from the caravan Mayday will allow the car and passengers to be returned to the caravan and that also to be collected. Not sure whether all policies do this

[Jaydug]

My wife died whilst we were in Spain in 2011. Red Pennant covered all aspects of the disaster. I was going to drive home but the Caravan Club suggested that I didn't; that they would send out a chauffeur to do the driving. They booked a flight for me and also asked for my car insurance policy number so that the chauffeur could be covered fully comprehensive for driving my car. The CC paid for the temporary cover. I understand that without the extension, he would only have been covered for third party claims.

[MalH]

You say your OH doesn't tow, neither does mine. However, if they have a current licence then the insurance will not provide a chauffeur if the main driver is incapacitated, apart perhaps from a case such as #5 above.

[Durbanite]

You say your OH doesn't tow, neither does mine. However, if they have a current licence then the insurance will not provide a chauffeur if the main driver is incapacitated, apart perhaps from a case such as #5 above.

Not much good if the person has never towed a caravan or trailer in their entire life and you are on the continent.

[JTQ]

You say your OH doesn't tow, neither does mine. However, if they have a current licence then the insurance will not provide a chauffeur if the main driver is incapacitated, apart perhaps from a case such as #5 above.

 

We have been exposed to two incidents of this now. The ramifications to us is very concerning as whilst my wife drives, there is nothing that could induce her to tow our unit home she even finds using my large car intimidating enough.

 

A friend died in France and his wife was expected to tow the caravan back to the UK. in the event another friend recovered her as she was so distraught that even though she occasionally towed she could not face doing so. I understand they were with recovery insurance from C&CC.

On site in France a neighbour had a heart attack, the wife had never towed but was on the car insurance and she was expected by their recovery insurance to get the unit back; in that case family members travelled out. I don't know the recovery insurance involved.

 

I have taken my wife off my car insurance based on these incidents. I take red Pennant but have not been assured by them my wife could not face the same situation should I not be able to drive.

 

I have spoken with NFU only very recently and have been assured they would in those circumstances recover the unit.

[MalH]

Not much good if the person has never towed a caravan or trailer in their entire life and you are on the continent.

 

I came across this a few years ago at a site near Cherbourg. The husband had been taken into hospital and on discharge was incapable of driving home. His OH had never towed before but the CC refused to provide a relief driver as she was in possession of a valid driving licence. In the event she took it in her stride and luckily the site was only 20 miles from the ferry, and I think she arranged for a friend to meet up at Portsmouth to take over.

[canal craft]

Britannia Rescue provide a relief driver

[CommanderDave]

The main reason why I went with Mayday as OH is insured and holds the correct driving licence the idea of a 45 ft outfit puts her off .

 

 

Dave

Edited February 8, 2017 by CommanderDave

[MalH]

Britannia Rescue provide a relief driver

Not if there is a second driver with the appropriate licence.

[JTQ]

Not if there is a second driver with the appropriate licence.

 

Is it having just the right licence? Nothing to do with the vehicle also being insured to be driven by an alternative driver?

 

If say I had died, then I could not give permission to my wife to drive under my insurance.

 

If I was conscious then I assume I don't have to give permission under any insurance, knowing the real dangers that would present to other road users and my wife to tow, having never done so?

[Tandem Man]

Yes, via The Caravan Club and Mayday using Green Flag. Not sure if the ordinary Green Flag cover also offers the same. When I lost most of the sight in my right eye (permanently) on a holiday a few years ago I was unable to drive as my left eye was far weaker. The Mayday policy allowed for a chauffeur or recovery. They required a doctors note or similar but said that they would collect us if required and bill us so that we could obtain the necessary evidence at a hospital or GP closer to home. In the event I did not use the service as I was able to pick up some cheap readers that provided the required sight in my good eye in order to return home.

 

Didn't do that with us,Mayday/Greenflag were not interested in recovering us at all till a doctors note had been produced first,not the easiest thing to get in the circumstances which prevailed at the time.

 

To cut a ( very ) long story short it developed into a right palaver,had to leave the van on site,wife drove us home and Mayday brought van back about a week later after doctors note.

 

Ian

[MalH]

If say I had died, then I could not give permission to my wife to drive under my insurance.

 

Depends on the terms of your insurance. Mine would definitely still cover MOH to drive if I suddenly expired.

[Pete112211]

I think the answer would be to post on CT asking for a fellow member to rescue and tow back. Cover expenses and a couple of hundred quid and I think there would be no issue.

[MalH]

I think the answer would be to post on CT asking for a fellow member to rescue and tow back. Cover expenses and a couple of hundred quid and I think there would be no issue.

A great idea in principle but fraught with insurance complications, in particular the couple of hundred quid notion could = hire or reward

[PandR]

I'd be more than happy to help a fellow carvanner in such a situation but appreciate it's not for everyone.

 

Funnily enough we are going through all these thoughts ourselves due to shopping around for insurance. Red Pennant looks the bees knees but it is expensive. I've actually emailed a couple of repatriation companies for advice / indicative costs because whilst I'm happy to "self insure", I'm less inclined to pay up to 500 quid a year to Red Pennant.

[Tin_Snail]

Yes, via The Caravan Club and Mayday using Green Flag. Not sure if the ordinary Green Flag cover also offers the same. When I lost most of the sight in my right eye (permanently) on a holiday a few years ago I was unable to drive as my left eye was far weaker. The Mayday policy allowed for a chauffeur or recovery. They required a doctors note or similar but said that they would collect us if required and bill us so that we could obtain the necessary evidence at a hospital or GP closer to home. In the event I did not use the service as I was able to pick up some cheap readers that provided the required sight in my good eye in order to return home.

Did you check with your insurance company that you were covered with such a vision defect in both eyes?

[Easy T]

Not if there is a second driver with the appropriate licence.

Don't tell them who the other person is!

Edited February 9, 2017 by Easy T

[Easy T]

Did you check with your insurance company that you were covered with such a vision defect in both eyes?

No. With a suitable lens I had good vision in left eye. Right eye just the top of the field (no central or below but no doubt provides some distance info). So very much as now with prescription glasses.

 

I do not contact the insurance about my eyesight now as I am passed fit to drive. With the annual opticians test, Diabetic eye test (no longer diabetic since I stopped statins ) and two hospital vision and field tests in the last 12 months and the same in the previous 2 years I am confident that I am fit to drive. It was a bit of a B this summer though when on the motorway and I got something in my left eye! With rapid blinking I made my way onto the hard shoulder

[iansoady]

You say your OH doesn't tow, neither does mine. However, if they have a current licence then the insurance will not provide a chauffeur if the main driver is incapacitated, apart perhaps from a case such as #5 above.

Britannia offer this cover.

 

We are in a similar situation in that although my wife has "grandmother" B&E rights, she has never towed and to ask her to if I was incapacitated would be crazy.

 

I asked Britannia about this and they confirmed (in writing) that they would provide a relief driver under these circumstances.

[Guest]

I suspect so but it might depend on the level of cover chosen. I do not know about that. Also I know that if away from the caravan Mayday will allow the car and passengers to be returned to the caravan and that also to be collected. Not sure whether all policies do this

With Mayday you can add extra options with the standard policy or take out the premium policy. Such as driver falling ill.

https://www. caravanclub. co. uk/insurance/uk-breakdown-and-recovery/cover-policy-breakdown/

Edited February 9, 2017 by Guest

[Durbanite]

Not if there is a second driver with the appropriate licence.

From posts it seems that the CC are quite happy to save a few bob and have a driver who is inexperienced in towing on the roads perhaps endangering other road users. My wife has a B+E licence but has never towed in her life never mind towing a large 8m long caravan which is also 2. 5m wide. I think on only one occasion has she driven my vehicle and that was only for a short distance.

We have the top level Mayday over which is about £109 and take out Red Pennant when on holiday however as said not always possible to get a doctor's note as that is the last thing to think about when there is an emergency situation with OH.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Durbanite

[Jaydug]

From posts it seems that the CC are quite happy to save a few bob and have a driver who is inexperienced in towing on the roads perhaps endangering other road users.

 

Isn't the Caravan Club's Mayday provided by Green Flag. I have my breakdown insurance through Citroen Assist which is also provided by Green Flag. They give me UK and European recovery. Looking at their T's&C's, regarding the provision of a chauffeur to bring an outfit home they say, "If there is an accidental injury, sudden illness or death which means that there is no-one who can drive the insured vehicle, we will pay for a qualified person to drive the vehicle and passengers back to your home in the UK. We will need to see all medical and other evidence."

 

Surely no insurer could insist that a passenger because they held a licence should drive an outfit against their wishes.