Check your insurance policies…ASAP

[soulstyledevon]

If anyone saw the post a few days ago, about the couple with a Hymer 4x4 who toppled onto its side in Spain.
It might be worth checking your insurance policies about the level of cover you have when driving in Europe.

This couple had fully comprehensive cover and believed they were covered fully for any incidents in the UK and Europe. Turns out the policy with LV only covers Europe for third party cover. Something in the small print which they were not made aware of…

They really have had some bad luck.
It’s worth checking the level of cover you have if heading over to Europe…

Here’s a link to their Vlog

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[JuanVecino2023]

That is bad luck. They are very calm about it, good to see it back up & running.

On a partially related note re insurance, I realised coloured vinyl wraps could be an issue with insurers.

Comfort also classifies PPF & ceramic coatings to be modifications which null & void your policy. According to the lady who quoted for me last week.

 

[dspuk]

Just checked our LV policy. All covered in the EU, no issues. One assumes that the policy they have is quite complex, specific and based on the Hymer and length of time travelling / countries, hence exclusions.

As they have proven, a Hymer reversing backwards up a hill in the desert is not a great insurance bet.

 

[andyinluton]

This couple had fully comprehensive cover and believed they were covered fully for any incidents in the UK and Europe. Turns out the policy with LV only covers Europe for third party cover. Something in the small print which they were not made aware of…

AS a LV customer I thought I had better check & it seems their standard terms are that within the EU and those following EU directives its the same cover as in the UK for up to 180 days per year. There is a full list of countries listed elsewhere.

 

[soulstyledevon]

It’s criminal.
They’ve took out the policy as a comprehensive policy which covers Europe and then in the small print, European cover is the minimum requirement.
Easily missed, and I feel they’ve been mis-sold the policy as the insurance company understood the intended use and didn’t make them aware of the European caveat…

That’s why everyone needs to check their own specific cover and ensure it states fully comprehensive cover for all intended travel countries…

 

[CamperFam]

Just checked our LV policy. All covered in the EU, no issues. One assumes that the policy they have is quite complex, specific and based on the Hymer and length of time travelling / countries, hence exclusions.

As they have proven, a Hymer reversing backwards up a hill in the desert is not a great insurance bet.

I'd be more concerned if they somehow managed to reverse forwards.

 

[CamperFam]

It’s criminal.
They’ve took out the policy as a comprehensive policy which covers Europe and then in the small print, European cover is the minimum requirement.
Easily missed, and I feel they’ve been mis-sold the policy as the insurance company understood the intended use and didn’t make them aware of the European caveat…

That’s why everyone needs to check their own specific cover and ensure it states fully comprehensive cover for all intended travel countries…

To be fair, that sounds like there could be grounds for an E&O complaint in which the business failed to inform the policy holder of a condition of the policy cover which would make it unfit for the stated purpose, but that's generally if it's broker related. However if it was self-service (ie - e-trade), then the policy holder is responsible for inputting the information and by virtue, the output.

 

[66tim99]

AS a LV customer I thought I had better check & it seems their standard terms are that within the EU and those following EU directives its the same cover as in the UK for up to 180 days per year. There is a full list of countries listed elsewhere.

View attachment 119769

Yes, mines the same. Called LV and whilst she couldn’t discuss their case (of course) she did say it sounded odd, because
- LV don’t offer third party insurance, only Third party, fire and theft. (Probably was shorthand for that anyway)
- LV would not sell a policy for fully comprehensive cover in the U.K., and Third party fire and theft in Europe.

If you stay in Europe for more than 180 days in a calendar year, your policy would be void, she said, it wouldn’t revert to Third party fire and theft.

 

[Ch1pbutty]

Always read the small print before you sign anything, simple as that.

Probably worth sticking to tarmac in future. Driving a 4 x 4 does not make you invincible, no matter how much you paid for it. Need to take responsibility for your own actions, rather than jumping on the social media train.

 

[Corradobrit]

The exceptions statement on the paperwork they showed looks very strange. I've not seen similar wording on any other LV T&C's. Did they inform LV they would be out of the country for more than 180 days, thus triggering the exception. I haven'ty followed the vlog so unsure what they had planned for this trip. Were they going to Morocco to exit the Schengen Zone before the 90 days was up? Wait 90 days in North Africa and then re enter the Schengen? There is more to this story me thinks.

 

[Corradobrit]

Always read the small print before you sign anything, simple as that.

Probably worth sticking to tarmac in future. Driving a 4 x 4 does not make you invincible, no matter how much you paid for it.

And their setup looked less than ideal. Very narrow axle width plus a top heavy, high center of gravity, motorhome is a recipe for disaster on terrain like that.

 

[Mansfieldman750]

Yes, they are on YouTube. They are ” travelling around the world slowly “
That‘s not the same as parking your van on your drive overnight and going to Europe once or twice a year for a holiday.
Like the others I am with LV and I have the same level of cover ( fully comp ) in Europe that I have in UK for up to 180 days per year.

 

[Nik_campervan]

Their use case is pretty unique, clearly anyone travelling for extended stays needs to check smallprint.

 

[soulstyledevon]

The exceptions statement on the paperwork they showed looks very strange. I've not seen similar wording on any other LV T&C's. Did they inform LV they would be out of the country for more than 180 days, thus triggering the exception. I haven'ty followed the vlog so unsure what they had planned for this trip. Were they going to Morocco to exit the Schengen Zone before the 90 days was up? Wait 90 days in North Africa and then re enter the Schengen? There is more to this story me thinks.

I’m not sure what arrangements or terms they made with the insurance company. However, watching the Vlog, they do seem genuinely caught out by their insurance provider…

 

[pjm-84]

Its in the wording. Third party cover is typically provided if you're driving a vehicle that you don't own but is insured and your policy allows you to drive said vehicle (but cover is limited to the minimum..i.e third party).

However I suspect in this instance it is because its off road and as such the risk is hard to quantify and therefore cover reverts back to the minimum required by law.

I know from 4x4s or my Africa Twin that I wouldn't be covered for any damage, to my vehicle, which occurred off road.

 

[B J G]

Not checked lately but--

In the Green Card days it stated that Insurance was to that level required in the Country being visited.

Very non definitive. A case of assume the worst and hope for the best.

 

[Californication69]

Just checked our LV policy. All covered in the EU, no issues. One assumes that the policy they have is quite complex, specific and based on the Hymer and length of time travelling / countries, hence exclusions.

As they have proven, a Hymer reversing backwards up a hill in the desert is not a great insurance bet.

They were reversing down the hill and the front right wheel hit that boulder they missed going up.
Bloody lucky they didn’t go over the side of the valley. Could have been fatal.
Snap the neck and you’ve had you’re chips.

 

[dspuk]

They were reversing down the hill and the front right wheel hit that boulder they missed going up.
Bloody lucky they didn’t go over the side of the valley. Could have been fatal.
Snap the neck and you’ve had you’re chips.

Saw. Pretty inexperienced driving tbh. Up and down. As others said, she should have got out and been a spotter on something as hairy as that. Same comment on the insurance and as others said, more to this story. Likely lucky they got insurance at all for that sort of trip. The pile on vitriol for LV in their comments predictable but uncalled for IMHO.

Morocco also not Europe. They will likely have the same 180 days we all have in EU fully comp but will have a special clause for Morocco which is TP only.

 

[soulstyledevon]

They were reversing down the hill and the front right wheel hit that boulder they missed going up.
Bloody lucky they didn’t go over the side of the valley. Could have been fatal.
Snap the neck and you’ve had you’re chips.

Not the sort of vehicle I would use for that sort of terrain.
I’ve had a few moments in a California, but it weighs half as much, half as high and a lot more sure footed than something like the that.

At least there appears to be full praise for the Hymer build quality, post repairs.

 

[chockswahay]

Nowt to do with insurance..... but I'm really surprised to see that the mirror was ordinary float glass! Surely it should be laminated........ so in my view......having owned a Hymer before the VW ......I don't really think Hymer are so good....... 'Jus sayin'

 

[chockswahay]

OK, I have just watched a few of their video's........... showed the one involving the incident to my wife........ "Complete Idiots!" was her first comment I gotta agree! I'm thinking along the lines of 'All the gear and no idea!'

They had it coming!

 

[Corradobrit]

OK, I have just watched a few of their video's........... showed the one involving the incident to my wife........ "Complete Idiots!" was her first comment I gotta agree! I'm thinking along the lines of 'All the gear and no idea!'

They had it coming!

Is there one showing them reversing? I couldn't see it on IG, just the aftermath.

 

[chockswahay]

Is there one showing them reversing? I couldn't see it on IG, just the aftermath.

Yeah but you will need to view it on Instagram (which I hate but have to use with younger members of my family)

 

[Corradobrit]

Yeah but you will need to view it on Instagram (which I hate but have to use with younger members of my family)

Found it. Well they agree it was driver error due to inexperience. Not sure someone getting out and spotting would have helped in that situation as they were effectively out of control and hit the rock in the downhill reverse slide. At least it was slow topple which minimised the impact and subsequent damage. Overall quite lucky as they could easily have slide off the track and down the mountain. Scary situation.

 

[RockinNRollin]

Watching how it happened, looks to me like they were hugging the uphill side too tightly (presumably nervous about the drop) but in doing so were hitting the lumps and bumps at the bottom of the slope where it meets the track.

The whole thing just strikes me as being a case of running out of talent; a vehicle that's not really up for the job being driven by people who aren't really up for the job. They were very lucky indeed as above, that could have gone a lot worse.