BMW R1200RT/R1250RT Forum

When travelling by motorcycle outside of the UK, does your Breakdown Assistance & Personal Travel Insurance cover all eventualities?

The following quote is taken from the White Rose Tours website:-

"On all European tours (including Southern Ireland) we require clients to take out some form of Personal Travel and Accident/Breakdown cover. This is essential for repatriation of yourself and your motorcycle in the event of an accident or medical emergency. We also strongly urge you to take out insurance that includes cancellation cover in the event of accident, illness or redundancy prior to departure, and which would repatriate your bike, even if undamaged, should you not be able to ride it (many do not!)

We continue to recommend Gold Cover Travel Insurance Services as our preferred supplier of Breakdown Assistance and Travel Insurance, they provide insurance which is tailored specifically for motorcycle tours and holidays, and can be arranged on a single trip or annual multi-trip basis."

Having looked at my own European Breakdown & Travel Cover, it didn't meet all the requirements, therefore, I took out more comprehensive policies.

I know of bikes which have either broken down or been binned on Euro trips, on both occasions, it cost the owners a lot more for the repair or recovery than insurance, is it worth taking the risk?

Before I had BMW European breakdown cover I used Carole Nash for my bike, they also provide a replacement vehicle when not in the UK. Touch wood I have never needed the BMW Assistance yet and I will probably renew it when it's 2yrs old. You can get your personal cover from lots of places, the Internet is the best place to look for competitive cover to meet your needs but it's usually around £25 for a 30 day trip or £50 for a years cover.

Not forgetting your E111 of course.

I paid £75 for a year's Euro Breakdown Cover with Gold Cover, now got cover with the BMW Used Bike Warranty.

Personal Travel Insurance for rider & pillion was £130 for a year, again with Gold Cover.
Some policies don't cover riding a motorcycle & if they do, they may be limited to 125cc for example.
One of the key things for me was, would they repatriate your bike, even if undamaged, should you not be able to ride it (many do not!).

BMW cover that comes with a new bike seems to cover you and your pillion for all eventualities with the bike. You do need to take out separate personal travel insurance. Cheapest I have found that covers you on a bike is the AA, about £40 for 2 over 2 weeks. Come the 2 year old point, extended warranty included full BMW Emergency Assistance. 

DaygloDavid wrote: I paid £75 for a year's Euro Breakdown Cover with Gold Cover, now got cover with the BMW Used Bike Warranty.

One of the key things for me was, would they repatriate your bike, even if undamaged, should you not be able to ride it (many do not!).

BMW Emergency Services have confirmed that they would repatriate the bike, as above, if you were not fit to ride it.

Documentary medical evidence would need to be provided, but I guess this would be the same with all policies of this type.

Have renewed our Personal Travel Insurance with Gold Cover for another year.

On our recent tour to Austria one of the bikes developed clutch failure.  BMW Emergency Assistance provided the rider with a car for the rest of the time in Europe, amended the Eurotunnel return ticket to a car and provided him with another car in UK which he will keep until his bike is brought back to UK and fixed by his dealer. The only cover you ever need on top is medical.

Have used Breakdown Direct for Single Trip Cover in the past, https://breakdowndirect.co.uk/.

Looking at their Policy Document, https://breakdowndirect.co.uk/includes/ ... proved.pdf, they cover you, "If you become ill or injured and can’t drive".

Carole Nash offer UK & European Breakdown Cover with their Insurance Policies, it does not include the above scenario.

http://www.carolenash.com/pdfs/wp-conte ... c-2013.pdf