###### UPDATE 11/10/02 ######
The next installment:
Green Flag took the van away to a garage (yesterday afternoon) for an estimate on repair costs. They explained that it was too late to have a thorough look at it so they would do it in the morning. (If they hadn't messed about so long it wouldn't have been too late).
Pete is now stuck in the house (which is in the middle of nowhere!) with no food or drink (ok, there's apples on the tree in the garden and water in the tap!). He has a dead mobile phone battery, no way of charging up his phone (as he was using the vanscigarette lighter), and we have no land line in the house, so he can't even phone for a taxi. GF know all this but won't let him have a hire car until they know if he's going to get the car repaired!
So, this morning we find out that the garage need to take out the
engine (2.5 hours work) before they can give a quote but they think it's going to cost more than the value of the van. GF will only pay the first £100 towards the cost (and we have already given them £75 of it!!) and have now refused to ship the van back to the UK because it will cost more than the van is worth???
Loss of vehicle use
If your car is not roadworthy you can choose one of the following options:
c). Car Hire - up to £850
You are covered for costs up to £850 for the hire of an alternative vehicle OR extra accommodation costs - limit £225 per person. Additional accommodation costs to £45 per person per day.
This apparently doesn't count unless you have the car repaired there so he would have to pay out over £900 just to get free car hire which would be about £150. It would probably also apply to having an accident - if you right the car off they won't give you a hire car as you wouldn't be having it repaired!
Pete decided he would have the van back to the house and leave it in the barn so he could come back and
fix it another time. Now, they have agreed that he will need a car to get back to the ferry and have arranged for a taxi to pick him up and take him to the car hire place (an hour away) and to drop it off at the ferry.
I have had to take messages for him (as his phone is dead) and have spoken to the lady who is arranging the car hire. She is lovely!! This is apparently another department of GF. What a difference, lol.
So apart from the cock up with the policy, one very rude and unhelpful operator, the things they don't tell you before you begin your journey and the small print (which gets them out of almost anything!), they are at least going to get my hunny safely back to me :o)
I must say, this part of the rescue has almost redeemed them - I said ALMOST!
Take care all, tease x
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This may be a little harsh because I'm still fuming!!
My partner and I bought a house in France in February and, knowing that we would be driving backwards and forwards for at least a year, wanted a yearly policy.
I got on the net and began my search and out of the various options Green
Flag seemed the best for price and cover.
This is taken from the page I booked on:
ANNUAL MOTORING ASSISTANCE
Now you can cover yourself all year round
with just one payment of £75.
You may take an unlimited number of trips,
subject to an annual total of 90 days.
Each individual visit should be no more than 30 days.
And here is the cover:
SUMMARY OF COVER - Vehicle
RescueCover before commencement of travel - up to £850
If your vehicle is immobilised by breakdown, accident, fire or theft during the week before departure, up to £850 will be provided to help you arrange a replacement vehicle.
Personal accident -
cover up to £15,000
Amounts are limited to £1,000 for children under 16.
Emergency Roadside Repairs
You are covered for both emergency roadside repairs and for towing to a local garage.
Emergency Labour Costs - up to £100
(Excluding spare parts)
Location and despatch of spare parts
These will be despatched if not available locally.
Loss of vehicle use
If your car is not roadworthy you can choose one of the following options:
a). Vehicle Transportation
The cost of transporting your party to the original destination and subsequent transport back to the car's location OR repatriation back to the UK.
b). Vehicle Repatriation
The cost of transporting the car to the UK or the cost of rail and/or sea fare for the insured, or named driver, to return to collect the vehicle after local repairs.
c). Car Hire - up to £850
You are covered for costs up to £850 for the hire of an alternative vehicle OR extra accommodation costs - limit £225 per person. Additional accommodation costs to £45 per person per day.
Provision of Chauffeur
The cost of a chauffeur to drive the vehicle to the UK if the only driver is too ill to drive.
Legal Expenses
In the event of a road accident, you're covered for the provision of legal defence up to £25,000.
Advance of
funds - up to £4,000
To enable the insured to provide bail or security to a judicial authority, to secure the Policyholder's release following a road traffic accident.
Credit Facilities - up to £400
Theft damage - up to £175
Provided if the vehicle is immobilised by theft or attempted theft.
Caravan/Trailer Cover
Additional cover for a Caravan or Trailer is available at a cost of £20 (click the box in STEP 2 if required).
Principal Conditions of Breakdown Cover
All vehicles must be in a roadworthy condition at the start of the journey and regularly serviced in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.Cover is limited to hire, company and
private cars, motorised
caravans,
estate cars, not exceeding 3500kg Gross Vehicle Weight, and
motorcycles over 250cc. Vans, mini buses and
motor homes may attract an increased premium at the discretion of the insurers. Contact Green Flag for details.With the exception of roadside repairs, assistance will only be provided where the immobilisation of the vehicle exceeds 8 hours.
Principal Exclusions of Breakdown Cover
Any use of the vehicle for competitions.The cost of any spare parts used and workshop labour.
I thought 'Great!'. So I booked with them, no problems, and before we travel we feel it's safer just to give them a ring and check that everything's in place.
We haven't needed to use it so far this year but Pete (my partner) still made sure he checked before he left last week, and was told "yes, everything is in order, all you will need is your policy number and this
telephone number: 00800 4000 6000". Perfect! (or was it?).
Unfortunately, Pete broke down yesterday but not to worry, he has the policy number on him....he phoned them up, gave the details and...."I'm sorry, that policy number doesn't exist" WHAT???
He gave them his address, post code,
number plate, date we took out the policy, how much we paid (which she said wasn't possible, it would cost at least £100) then he gave them my name and number plate..."oh yes, we have that name but the policy expired 3 years ago" HUH??? I've never been with Green Flag until this year!!
"Basically, unless you can prove to us that you have a current policy, or you can give us the name of the person you spoke to, we can't help you". GGGRRRRR!!
After phoning me to sort it out this end (UK), only to find I was out (awww bless his heart!), he had to do a make shift fix it job himself and poodle home (45 miles) at about 10 mph.
So, this morning I get the full story from a very unhappy bunny and ring up GF to find out what's going on. I phoned up, gave all the details and get the same response...doesn't exist. The woman I spoke to said she remembered dealing with the phone call yesterday and there was nothing she could do.
"where did you book it?" she asked. "online at Green Flag" was my reply. "well that proves it doesn't exist as you can only book it through DirectLine or (somewhere else, sorry can't remember!), Green Flag don't have a website". Just shows how little she knows about her job...I took the above details, and booked my policy, from www.greenflag.com !!
She went away and came back a few times - me still insisting we are covered and her still insisting I was wrong - until after 5 or 6 mins on hold, she finally says "I've managed to trace your details. You have a temporary holiday travel policy, not a full membership policy" *steam coming from my ears* I said calmly "you're not very well organised" but instead of an apology I got told off for not calling it by it's proper name!
I know it's unfair to judge a company by one operator but wouldn't you be annoyed? As it stands now, they are dealing with it. I can't tell you the outcome as it's still going on but I will update this op (or moan!) when I know more.
Meanwhile, if you're off on holiday and you rely on GF, just make sure you know where and how you booked your policy, EXACTLY what it is called, who you spoke to and what colour underwear they were wearing at the time!! Happy travelling :o)
Green Flag UPDATE 
