Breakdown
cover

Terms and conditions

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Please read our terms and conditions for our breakdown cover insurance policies.

European cover

European coverage

All European countries are included in our European cover - the former USSR west of the Ural Mountains, the Azores, the Channel Islands, the Republic of Ireland, the Mediterranean Islands, the Canary Islands, Madeira, Iceland and Turkey.

Availability of services in Eastern Europe

Every effort is made by Norwich Union Rescue to ensure a quality service is provided in Eastern European countries but this may not necessarily be to the same standards as in Western Europe. The situation varies from country to country but time delays may occur, telephones are sometimes not available, garage facilities may be inadequate, spare parts are often not available, etc. You should also be aware that unleaded fuel may not be widely available.

Before you travel

We strongly recommend you inform your motor insurance company before taking your vehicle abroad. If you do not your insurance cover may reduce to the minimum Road Traffic Act (or equivalent) requirement in the country where you are travelling. This would provide no cover for damage, fire or theft to your own vehicle. You should also inform your insurers if you are towing a trailer or caravan.

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Terms and conditions applying to the whole policy

Our employees and contractors use reasonable skill and care when providing the service
You or someone nominated by you, must be with your vehicle when the patrol or contractor arrives. Service will then be provided in accordance with your chosen cover
Where Personal or Joint Personal cover is not included, service will be provided only to your vehicle specified in the cover details or to a vehicle that has been notified to and acknowledged in writing by us as being a permanent substitution for the previous vehicle. You should, therefore, ensure that such notification is made immediately a substitution occurs to avoid service being refused
For cover to apply the vehicle must:
- be either a car, motorcycle 121cc or over or light van registered for road use in the United Kingdom,
- carry no more than the number of persons recommended by the manufacturer (and for whom seats are provided) with a maximum of 8 personal including the driver
- not exceed (including any load carried) the following gross vehicle weight and dimensions: 3,500kg in weight, 5.5 metres in length for any vehicle other than a car and 2.3 metres in width
Any person named under Joint cover must live at the same address
If someone other than you calls us out and the service provided goes above the terms of the cover provided, you will have to pay the costs
If you pay for your cover by direct debit and no longer require cover, it is your responsibility to ensure the direct debit agreement is cancelled through your bank as no refunds will be made
We will not issue a refund of premium if you cancel or downgrade your cover, unless it is within 14 days of taking out cover
If you decide to cancel and have not utilised the breakdown service we will issue a voucher for the amount of whole months unused cover which can be used by you within the next five years against new Norwich Union Rescue cover
If you upgrade your cover a pro-rata charge will be made
We will take legal action against anyone who uses our service dishonestly
If we provide service to a child, an adult must accompany the child travelling in your vehicle
If there are any domestic animals in your vehicle, their onward transportation is at our discretion and solely at your risk. We will not insure any animal during any onward transportation we undertake. Unless there is a safety issue, guide dogs will always be transported with their owners
Following a breakdown attended by the Police or other emergency service, removal of your vehicle will not take place until the emergency service concerned has authorised it. If the Police or emergency service concerned insist on immediate recovery by a third party, the costs of this may need to be met by you.
We will not be responsible for any indirect losses that are incurred as a result of our acts or omissions
We do not guarantee carry out service if we are prevented from doing so in circumstances beyond our reasonable control including, without limitations; the activities of civil or government authorities, industrial disputes, acts of nature or severe weather conditions
We have the right to refuse to give service and/or cancel cover if anyone using our service behaves in a threatening or abusive way to our staff or contractors. We further reserve the right to refuse you service and/or cancel cover where upon attending a request for assistance you have (or any person present in the vehicle has) displayed such behaviour to our staff or contractors in the past
Upon renewal of your Norwich Union Rescue cover, the services that you will receive will be those set out in the terms of cover current at the time of such renewal
In the event that you require vehicle recovery following a road traffic accident and you have fully comprehensive motor insurance with Norwich Union we can arrange this for you. If you have Third party fire and theft cover with Norwich Union we can arrange this, but you may be charged for this service. If your motor insurance is not with Norwich Union and Norwich Union Rescue arrange recover for you we will not be responsible for meeting the costs involved, and it is your responsibility to ensure that you properly comply with any requirements of your motor insurer in making a claim under your motor insurance policy. If Norwich Union Rescue agrees to arrange recovery you will be required to pay Norwich Union Rescue's or any attending garage's applicable charges.

Your breakdown entitlement:
Depending on the cover option you have chosen, you have the right to call us out a number of times in each period of cover if you break down as follows:

Cover option chosen	Rescue only	All other UK options
Vehicle	2	5
Personal	2	6
Joint Personal	3	7

Each call out as part of this entitlement reduces your "no call out" discount, by a set amount, at renewal.

If no call outs are made in a period of cover, your no call out discount will be increased by a set amount at renewal, up to a maximum of 40%

You will have to pay an additional charge set by us for any additional call outs. This additional charge will be no less than £75 plus VAT. You will have to pay this additional charge by credit or debit card when you telephone us to request assistance

Battery related faults - our initial attendance for a battery-related fault is included in your entitlement. Our patrol will test your battery at that initial breakdown attendance and if the battery is no longer serviceable and so fails the test you will be advised to replace it. If you call us out again and we identify the same fault as a problem caused by the same battery, you will have to pay an additional charge set by us which will be no less than £75 plus VAT (this call out will not affect your no call out discount). If we do not receive payment within 14 days of the invoice date we will cancel your policy without refund.

Your breakdown entitlement may increase or decrease if you change your cover options. However, you cannot change your cover option during the current period of cover if you have reached your maximum entitlement to call-outs

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General Exclusions

Norwich Union Rescue does not cover

Any breakdown that occurs during the first 24 hours after joining, reinstating or upgrading cover (including adding any extra person under Joint Cover) - except the Rescue service which is available immediately
Vehicles that were broken down or unroadworthy at the time of joining, upgrading or reinstating cover, unless we agree to provide service and an appropriate charge is made
Vehicles which have broken down as a result of taking part in a motor sport event which takes place off the road and/or is not subject to the normal rules of the road. (Vehicles participating in a treasure hunt, touring assembly or navigational road rally which takes place on the road or public place and comply with the normal rules of the road, are covered.)
Note: Cover will not be extended to vehicles that have broken down as a result of a motor sport event which takes place on a permanent, or temporarily constructed race track (eg Snetterton, Oulton Park) or rally circuit
Vehicles being demonstrated or delivered under trade plates
The transportation of any vehicle or trailer that contains horses or livestock
The transportation of any vehicle that we suspect is loaded over its legal limit.
The cost of draining or removing contaminated fuel (we will arrange for your vehicle to be taken to a local garage for assistance, but you will have to pay for any work carried out).
Any costs incurred without our prior consent. All requests for service must be made directly to Norwich Union Rescue.
Costs where Specialist equipment (if in our view, equipment not usually carried by our patrols or contractors) is needed to move a vehicle which has left the highway, is overturned or from which wheels have been removed. We will arrange removal, however, you will have to pay the costs involved direct to the contractor. Once the vehicle has been recovered to a suitable location, service will be provided according to your entitlement under this policy.
Any costs incurred as a result of you failing to carry a serviceable spare tyre and wheel appropriate to your vehicle, caravan or trailer.
Note: motorised vehicles that are manufactured without the provision of a spare wheel will be considered on their individual merits.
Assistance in changing a wheel is only covered within your breakdown entitlement if you are carrying a serviceable spare as specified above
The cost of a locksmith, body glass or tyre specialist. We will try to arrange these services if needed but you will have to pay for them
Vehicle storage charges
The costs of ferry crossings, unless otherwise specified

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Breakdown cover from Norwich Union

For further information on our breakdown insurance cover, additional options and policy benefits:

If you can't find the answer you are looking for please call us on 0800 096 4704 and we will be happy to help you with any Breakdown insurance questions you may have. (lines available Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm)

Get a Breakdown cover quote and apply today
Buy Breakdown insurance online and save £5 off Call Centre prices.