Repartition of bike if driver is ill

[Berin]

Where would this be covered?

Breakdown, travel or bike insurance?

This is in case the rider is taken ill, not as a result of an accident.

 

[OnHellas]

I don’t imagine that it would be the travel insurance as that is nothing to do with the vehicle.

My only experience of this was in 2014 when my late wife crashed her bike in Italy.
The travel insurance paid (eventually, another story) for her repatriation and other stuff but I just got a UK based bike transportation company to pick the bike up and take it home. From memory it was £300 and took about a week.
I didn’t look in to claiming from anyone, breakdown or bike insurance, it didn’t seem worth it for the price and more importantly, a fractured spine and coccyx.

Why? What happened to you, where is your bike?

 

[DJ123]

Breakdown cover is where this would be covered.

extract from the GreenFlag European Cover;

SECTION 5. PROVIDING
A CHAUFFEUR TO RETURN
YOU HOME
Your policy provides cover only for the sections of cover as shown on your Schedule/Insurance Plan

1. If there is an accidental injury, sudden illness
   or death which means that there is no insured person with the insured vehicle at the time who can drive the insured vehicle, we will pay for
   a qualified person to drive the insured vehicle and insured persons back to your home in the United Kingdom. We may ask to need to see all medical and other evidence. We will not pay the cost of any fuel used or road tolls.
2. We will also pay your accommodation costs on your return journey, provided these costs would not have been necessary if the trip had gone ahead as planned. The most we will pay is £45 a day per insured person, for up to two days.

https://www.greenflag.com/breakdown-cover/policy-pdfs/european-breakdown-policy-booklet.pdf

 

[wessie]

My LV Britannia breakdown policy has similar wording to that in post #3

As ever, check the policy wording before you buy. Some of the cheaper policies on comparison sites might not have this element of cover.

 

[slimpickings]

I would be very interested to see how this develops

I had exactly the same problem last year

Insurance company were not interested in bringing my bike back Carol Nash ( not cheap)
There was no damage to the bike

I had it brought back by a bike collection specialist. cost around £500.

By the time I figured my excess and insurance hike for next 5 years I came out in front

 

[OnHellas]

I would be very interested to see how this develops

I had exactly the same problem last year

Insurance company were not interested in bringing my bike back Carol Nash ( not cheap)
There was no damage to the bike

I had it brought back by a bike collection specialist. cost around £500.

By the time I figured my excess and insurance hike for next 5 years I came out in front

This. And you have some choice over who you chose to transport the bike.

 

[snelly]

Where would this be covered?

Breakdown, travel or bike insurance?

This is in case the rider is taken ill, not as a result of an accident.

I've been there a few years ago whilst in Chimay; there's a Hospital next to the campsite and i refused to go; luckily my mates wife is a nurse so was able to help; i managed to get home under my own steam and to this day i don't know how i managed to ride; no sooner was the bike in the garage and the mrs was whipping me of to hospitable and three days in intensive hooked up to al sorts trying to sort out the infection i had picked up whilst working on the bike. Just for the record i had no extra insurance ti cover me anyway; never have; the bike was old enough to put in a skip if need be.

 

[Berin]

Thanks, I’ve now discovered that it is, as has been pointed out, with the breakdown company.

I took out European cover with PJ Hayman, which are the EU cover arm of Gem.

On the phone they said there’s no repatriation benefit, but the wording says they’ll provide a chauffeur if there’s no other driver available and I confirmed this on the phone.
So it’s up to them to find someone with a bike licence!

 

[wessie]

So it’s up to them to find someone with a bike licence!

it will be put in a van, same as if it was poorly

 

[Pepsi]

Just as a general observation in case it’s of any relevance to anyone. If anyone were ever up in The Lakes or Scottish Border area and they needed their bike recovering to a safe location, I would happily assist in that for nothing more than the cost of a bit of fuel.
After a 14 hour wait last year with the RAC to get me home a mere 175 miles I bought a van, ramp, straps etc to avoid any reoccurrence of what I can only describe as a bloody nightmare.

 

[leadfarmer]

After a 14 hour wait last year with the RAC to get me home a mere 175 miles I bought a van, ramp, straps etc to avoid any reoccurrence of what I can only describe as a bloody nightmare.

Should’ve just bought a better bike instead of that lot

 

[Wapping]

Just as a general observation in case it’s of any relevance to anyone. If anyone were ever up in The Lakes or Scottish Border area and they needed their bike recovering to a safe location, I would happily assist in that for nothing more than the cost of a bit of fuel.
After a 14 hour wait last year with the RAC to get me home a mere 175 miles I bought a van, ramp, straps etc to avoid any reoccurrence of what I can only describe as a bloody nightmare.

Which is generous, assuming the plaintiff call doesn’t come in, just as you are stepping out on holiday.

PS How are those in distress on the roadside, meant to contact you? Smoke signals? Semaphore?

 

[Pepsi]

Should’ve just bought a better bike instead of that lot

It would have been cheaper

 

[Pepsi]

Which is generous, assuming the plaintiff call doesn’t come in, just as you are stepping out on holiday.

 

[Pepsi]

Which is generous, assuming the plaintiff call doesn’t come in, just as you are stepping out on holiday.

PS How are those in distress on the roadside, meant to contact you? Smoke signals? Semaphore?

They could try smoke signals but I can’t guarantee I would see them. The best way would be to drop me a message prior to setting off and I would share my contact details just in case things went tits up. That would probably work better than the smoke signals.

 

[Wapping]

They could try smoke signals but I can’t guarantee I would see them. The best way would be to drop me a message prior to setting off and I would share my contact details just in case things went tits up. That would probably work better than the smoke signals.

Messages (PM’s) are not possible, as you are not a site subscriber.

 

[Pepsi]

Messages (PM’s) are not possible, as you are not a site subscriber.

At the moment.

 

[Jesim1]

OK, here is my tail of woe

Last week I started a three week trip to Europe covering about 14 countries on the way ........................ I got as far as Canterbury

After just over 500 miles over two days (from Scotland) I got up to get the ferry and put my back out - that was it, biking over, I could barely walk let alone get my leg over a bike.

The reason for the thread is not sympathy however, I contacted my travel insurance company as I could not continue, and had to get myself, wife, and bike back to Scotland. They wanted me to go to A&E - no chance, I could not walk! So they would not help me or agree to anything as I was "not cooperating". I've had this a few times in the past, so I know what's it is and what happens, and sitting in A&E for 15 hours in agony after trying to get in and out of taxies and walk through their door was a non starter. So I told them I'd do what I wanted and then argue with them later when I was home and got a note from my own doctor - this was after 3 hours on the phone speaking to 7 people

The travel insurance company would not get the bike back home in any case as although I was unfit to continue, they did not cover the bike (through Carol Nash BTW). The breakdown cover I have through BMW would not cover the bike either, as it had not broken down, it was ridable, but I was injured, so neither of the two insurances I had for the trip would transport the bike back to Scotland, and I ended up getting a mate to come down and take it back in a van - god knows what would have happened if this had happened in the middle of Italy??

So what's the answer? has anyone come across insurance that covers this kind of eventuality?

I'm hoping to try again at the end of August depending how my back is, but would like to make sure I'm covered for this just in case

 

[wessie]

My LV breakdown policy states, "Supply a Relief Driver if the only able and legal driver of the vehicle cannot continue a journey because of illness or injury. Documentary proof of the illness or injury must be supplied to us if you are not to be charged for this service"

In reality, they are likely to use one of their recovery contractors. This applies in the UK and Europe for my policy.

Note the underwriter wanting medical proof that the driver/rider is incapacitated so your fate was sealed once you refused to seek a medical opinion.

Understanding the T&C before you travel is always a good idea.

 

[John Armstrong]

I too have the LV breakdown insurance as I'm pretty sure that it'll also recover an accident damaged bike1 as well. Must make sure before September!