Check the breakdown terms!

I purchased a new Bailey Autograph 730 in November 2016. As is usual with Peugeot Boxer cabs, I got a three-year warranty and a year’s Peugeot Assistance breakdown cover.

At the end of year one, I was invited to renew the breakdown cover. The offer was supposed to be identical to the first year policy and invited me to renew for another one or two years. This I did for the two years covering me to November 2019.

As I travel to Europe and European cover was included, I deemed this to be a good deal. I understood that the cover for Peugeot vehicles, like my Boxer, was provided by the AA.

In November 2019, I was again invited to renew the cover with details exactly like previous years. As I had a small concern over renewing for one or two-year cover again, I telephoned the number on the letter and spoke to an AA Peugeot Assistance representative who seemed to indicate then that cover would end the following year and the RAC would take up the contract.

I went ahead with a one-year Peugeot Assistance cover taking me up to November 2020.

In September 2020, I was again invited to renew, but with a difference in that Peugeotbased Assistance breakdown was not available anymore, so I was advised to extend my cover with a breakdown provider.

But a major concern exposed itself. After a follow-up discussion with the AA by telephone, as suggested, to arrange a continuing cover, it emerged that, when I provided the length of my Bailey Autograph 730 at 7.6m, this was above the 6.4m maximum.

I protested that the AA, under the umbrella of Peugeot Assistance, had been providing my breakdown cover both in UK and European countries for the past four years. I was informed that nothing had changed over that period as the 6.4m maximum has been in place all that time.

The AA also stated that, if I had broken down and needed towing in the UK or in Europe, I would have been responsible for the costs.

I was referred to the Peugeot Assistance cover representative and details on size were confirmed.

Not just Bailey uses Peugeot Boxer cabs, but both AutoSleepers and Elddis do, too. To my knowledge, at least with Bailey, the majority of its motorhomes are above 7m.

Obviously I have concerns that I have had breakdown cover that, for three out of the four years that I have paid for, it wouldn’t have been of much use had I required towing in the case of a breakdown.

My concern is other Peugeot-based motorhome owners, whose vehicles are over 6.4m long, may be unaware of this. Are Bailey or Peugeot or AA to blame or just us owners for having not read the small print?

I am still pursuing this breakdown cover issue, but the AA continues to stand by its claim that I had been informed of the 6.4-metre rule. I have assured it that this is not the case and I shall be sending a complaint to the Financial Ombudsman. I will be interested in follow-up comments from my fellow motorhomers.

Norman Williams

ED Often the free year of breakdown cover that is supplied with new vehicles is for mechanical breakdowns only. This doesn’t cover costs associated with accidents and the like.

Also, non-motorhome specific policies often have weight and size limits on them, so always check the policy and ask about the cover and what conditions there are. Does anyone else have a similar experience to Norman?