I’ll be taking the NC over to Spain and Portugal in June and as the car is now coming up 11 years old, specific breakdown cover is getting higher on the priority list. Who do other members use, and what are your experiences, good or bad? Who should I avoid? etc etc. I want fully comprehensive cover and am prepared to pay for it for peace of mind. I have been quoted, including AA member discount, £164. TIA.
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Head over to https://www.comparebreakdowncover.co.uk/ and put your details in. I always manage to find decent cover at the right price there!
£12 a month for FlexPlus account at Nationwide includes Euro breakdown/recovery. Plus other benefits.
Relied on it for years, but never had to use it.
Try Start Rescue Car Breakdown Cover & UK Wide Recovery from £19.75/year | startrescue.co.uk
They are a Which Magazine etc. best provider. They provide various levels of cover and are much, much cheaper than the AA. I use them for both our cars, with the MX-5 on European cover.
Hey Ralph. I’ve recently taken out full domestic AA cover (we know why), so was a bit taken aback by the price of their members discounted European cover. I definitely want everything, from roadside to repatriation, to cover any eventuality. Speaking of which, I took it out for a 70 miles run today, and sat at a red light 1/2 mile from home, it lumped again! I’ve done nearly 600 miles in it since it last did it. I despair!
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I’ve already tried them with only 7 results and half of those are inadequate cover.
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Not sure if your insurance is due any time soon but I extended the basic breakdown cover included with my insurance policy to full european get me home cover for just £60.
No European cover included with my insurance with Performance Direct. I’m with them as the car is modified but I also have a 3000 mile limit that I’ll have to increase to 5000 for the holiday. I’ve already spoken with them and it’s just a £25 admin fee.
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I’ve always been confident with the car (I’ve owned from new) and been happy to take more basic cover when abroad, but as I mentioned previously, it’s getting on a bit now and although it’s always been meticulously maintained, I’ve had some issues with it of late (today included), so nothing less than a comprehensive policy will do.
Thanks for that recommendation First Rider, I’ve just taken out cover including home start with them. Also got a 15% discount so paid £26.18.
I tried your suggestion and my car isn’t eligible for European breakdown cover with them, it must be too old. 
Coop Everyday Extra current account for me.
£15 per month so £180 per year. Don’t need to have any direct debits or transfer any other account. We only have it for the perks.
Worldwide travel insurance provided by AXA.
UK and European breakdown cover by RAC.
Unlike most other similar accounts this one provides cover until 80th birthday for no additional fees.
While you do have to declare pre-existing medical conditions for the travel insurance these were covered for us with no additional fees which wasn’t the case with our previous Nationwide travel insurance.
Hi.
Please feel free to take a look at our breakdown offering if you wish.
Regards,
Dan.
But also get in touch with the Mazda MX-5 / Miata Club of Spain (https://www.clubmx5.es) . Great club, great people, I met up when I took my 30 year old NA around Spain. I looked at their meetings and met for a picnic and then met a member further down in Spain. They would also know where to go for repairs. Just watch the heat on your instrument panel, it was 56 degree air temp so the panel must have been more, wrecked the PVC so had to have it re-trimmed in black stitched leather - looks great! I had Carole Nash recovery on my insurance.
A lot of the breakdown companies use local garages to cover abroad as we found out whilst in the Pyrenees when two cars needed help for breakdowns
First problem was it took ages to get through on the mobile followed by the fact that all local garages were shut from sat lunch until Monday
We have an Aa driver asa member and he tells us that they send Aa vans over to Europe in the summer to provide better availability
You only get what you pay for!
I used the Aa cover last summer
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Thanks Dave. I think I’d already made my mind up anyway to pay a bit more and go with the AA. Reliability anxiety abroad is bad enough when the car is running fine so I could do without this recurring PITA.
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Slightly sideways but… if you were a member of The Caravan and Motorhome Club - about £56 per year- you would have access to their ‘Red Pennant’ scheme of overseas holiday cover. It comes as either motoring or medical or both. It’s sold on a daily basis though various annual versions are available. It features full repatriation if repairs cannot be done in a reasonable time, sometimes even a replacement car. The medical cover is excellent too, particularly if you have existing conditions.
You don’t have to own a caravan/Motorhome, I have a friend who joins just for the travel cover.
We have taken several trips in Europe without the caravan, but always used the cover.
Worth a look, www.CAMC.com click on insurance then overseas insurance and you can actually get a quote online.
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I have never had any issues with AutoAid. And they cover my 18yo NBFL with no issues at all. https://www.autoaidbreakdown.co.uk/
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