What is motorhome breakdown cover?

Breakdown cover for your motorhome gives you fast roadside assistance if your vehicle breaks down. It helps you get back on the road as quickly as possible and typically covers roadside recovery, roadside assistance and repairs, and transport to a garage if required.

If your motorhome can be repaired by the side of the road, you’ll be back driving in no time. If it can’t, having breakdown cover in place means it will usually be towed and repaired at a nearby garage.

Do I need motorhome breakdown cover?

If you drive a motorhome, you must have motorhome insurance to legally drive on the road.

Motorhome breakdown cover isn’t a legal requirement, but it’s something you may consider if you’re going on holiday or driving long distances.

As you’re not driving your motorhome every day, it may sit unused for a significant portion of the year. Breakdowns can be more common with poorly maintained or older motorhomes.

Yet even if you keep it maintained, breakdowns can happen. With motorhome breakdown cover, you’ll be back on the road as soon as possible.

What’s covered in motorhome breakdown policies?

There are different types of motorhome breakdown policies to choose from, each offering varying levels of cover. All will provide roadside assistance, but you can likely add other options on top.

• Roadside assistance: If you break down, you can call for assistance at the roadside. The recovery agent will try and fix your vehicle there and then to get you back on the road. Usually, they will spend around an hour trying to get your vehicle started at the roadside.
• Roadside recovery: If it can’t be fixed, it will most likely be taken to a nearby garage to be fixed there.
• Onward travel: If your vehicle can’t be fixed either at the roadside or in the garage, onward travel helps you get where you’re going with other transport options. This could be a replacement vehicle or public transport. It helps you get home or to your destination.
• European breakdown cover: Breakdown cover if you’re travelling within Europe in your motorhome.
• Pre-departure cover: If there’s a problem with your motorhome before you travel abroad, you’ll be covered for any costs to make changes to your holiday.
• Parts and garage cover: For the costs of repairs and replacement parts at a garage.
• Misfuelling cover: If someone accidentally puts the wrong fuel in the motorhome, whether you or another driver.
• Key cover: Locksmith assistance if you lose the key to your motorhome or lock it inside.

Size and weight limits

This breakdown covers motorhomes up to a maximum of:

• 8 metres in length, or
• 7.5 tonnes in weight

To be covered, motorhomes must also be a recognised make and model which has been coach-built for that precise purpose.

Types of cover

Breakdown cover for motorhomes include:

Roadside cover

Roadside cover lets you make up to six callouts a year. You’ll be covered anywhere in the UK if you’re at least a quarter of a mile from home.

Maximum vehicle age for new cover is 10 years old.

UK breakdown cover

If you break down anywhere in the UK, roadside assistance can be provided to your motorhome and recovery to a local garage if needed. It also includes Home Assist to get you going if your motorhome won’t start. Hire cars or alternative transport can also be provided as standard.

European breakdown cover

European breakdown cover is ideal if you’re taking your motorhome to Europe in the next 12 months. You’ll get all the benefits of UK breakdown cover – like roadside assistance and alternative transport – when you’re driving on the continent.

European motorhome breakdown cover

Motorhomes are made for hitting the open road and exploring foreign countries without a care in the world. But you do need to care about breaking down.

European motorhome breakdown cover means you’ll be covered for breakdowns in Europe as well as the UK. Most will offer 24/7 assistance with an English-speaking helpline so you’re not left stranded when you can’t speak the language. Depending on the policy you choose, you’ll be covered for roadside assistance and recovery to a nearby garage if needed. Many policies will also cover you to get your motorhome back to the UK and for your onward travel expenses.

Do I need additional motorhome cover if I already have a breakdown policy?

If you already have a breakdown policy for your car, you will still need a separate breakdown policy for your motorhome.

If you pull a caravan behind your car, the caravan will be covered by your car breakdown insurance. This differs from a motorhome as a motorhome is considered a separate vehicle. You may, however, be able to take out a breakdown policy that covers both your car and your motorhome.