The AA and similar organisations quote around £60 or $90 for six months cover, however, if you plan to take a trip of more than three weeks duration then you would need the next level of cover which is around $150. If you are already a member of the AA or similar organization then most of them offer a ten percent discount on this price for their existing members.

Those people who are planning to drive through France might find that breakdown cover roadside assistance is unavailable and you might find that you have to phone the police for assistance. If you are driving back to the UK from Europe then your breakdown cover may not be operable, as most of them say that you have to be leaving the UK rather than returning in order to get that cover.

Should you plan to hire a car when you arrive in Europe, then do your homework first. You will save yourself a lot of trouble if you choose a rental company that offers inclusive cover where you won’t be charged excess in case of damage or theft.

Driving across Europe can be a lot of fun, providing you make sure that your auto insurance and breakdown cover are up to date and valid in the company in which you are driving.

People tend to assume that because the UK is part of the European Union, if they have breakdown cover in the UK then they are also covered when they drive to Europe. However, unless your breakdown cover actually states that you are covered for driving through Europe, then you are not covered.

While breaking down in the UK might be a problem that is nothing compared to the trouble you could be in if you breakdown when you are abroad. The expersts suggest that when it comes to UK cars that are three years old or more, the chance of a breakdown is at least once a year. In Europe, where the temperatures are much higher and you could be waiting in traffic for long periods the chance of a breakdown is significantly increased – if you break down in Europe it could cost you hundreds of pounds to get your car brought back to the UK. If you don’t want this to happen then you really need to check whether or not you have European breakdown cover. An increasing number of countries are now offering European cover at competitive prices so it is well worth looking around to find the best deal that you can get. Whatever the cost of the breakdown cover, you can rest assured that it won’t be anything like as expensive as breaking down in Europe.

There is a tendency, particularly among UK drivers, but also among drivers from the United States, to think that because they have breakdown cover they will be ok wherever they are driving. Thinking like this is a mistake, if you want to make sure that you are really covered in case your vehicle breaks down then you need European breakdown cover. It’s bad enough when your vehicle breaks down in your own country, but imagine breaking down on a Swiss mountain or the German autobahn without any breakdown cover.

When you are shopping around either for International cover or for European breakdown cover you should check carefully what that cover entails. In some cases the insurer does not cover you for roadside assistance, this could be disastrous if you are miles from anywhere in the middle of the night. Get your insurer to tell you just what services you are paying for with European breakdown cover or you may not be as well insured as you think you are. It makes sense to ensure that you have the right kind of auto insurance cover before you take off for your vacation. You should never plan on driving through Europe without your breakdown cover – treat your breakdown policy documents with as much care as you would your passport. If you want a disaster free, enjoyable holiday then treat European breakdown cover as a must