Green Flag European breakdown cover comparison with the RAC
If you’re expecting to drive in Europe soon, then arranging sufficient breakdown cover should be an important part of your pre-travel to-do list. A pleasant drive in a fascinating new country can turn into a very different experience if the vehicle you’re driving breaks down on an unfamiliar road and you have no means of calling for help. Being stranded on the side of a French or Spanish motorway can be an unsettling experience.
If you have UK breakdown cover in place, be aware that this won’t cover you in Europe. So, you should seek separate European breakdown cover instead – and make sure it’s valid for the country you’re driving in, and the time you’re driving. In other words, if you’re on a two-week holiday in France and using your car, ensure you’re covered during your dates of travel.
The RAC is a provider of European breakdown cover, as is another well-known provider, Green Flag. But, how does Green Flag European breakdown cover compare to the RAC?
Contents:
Comparing European breakdown cover reviews
Type of European breakdown cover
European Countries where cover applies
RAC European Cover vs Green Flag European Cover
Comparing European breakdown cover reviews
Reading policy document details and terms and conditions is certainly a must before you take out European breakdown cover with any provider, but customer recommendation is also a powerful way of assessing reliability and reputation. Hearing the views and verdicts of drivers who have had experience with a breakdown cover provider can give you an important insight into what you might expect in terms of response and service. Every experience is different, of course, but it’s a useful reference.
The RAC and Green Flag are both reviewed and rated on Trustpilot. As new reviews are added, often on a daily basis, scores can change regularly so you might like to keep checking over a period of time. Also, bear in mind that reviews are not exclusively related to RAC and Green Flag European Breakdown Cover but breakdown cover in general for each of these providers.
Green Flag vs the RAC*
Cover Details: | Green Flag European cover | RAC European cover |
Are there age restrictions on the vehicles covered?1 | Yes | No |
We’ll cover all costs to tow your vehicle2 | Up to £250 | Yes |
We’ll help towards the cost of repairs by paying for labour costs up to 7 hours3 | No | Yes |
Whilst your vehicle is repaired we’ll provide a hire car and accommodation4 | Will only provide one of these services | We provide both |
We’ll cover all costs to get your vehicle home5 | No | Yes |
*Comparisons based on the top cover levels from the Green Flag Short Term European Cover and RAC Comprehensive Plus on 22/05/22.
Green Flag Terms & Conditions: https://www.greenflag.com/breakdown-cover/policy-pdfs/european-breakdown-policy-booklet.pdf
RAC Terms & Conditions: https://assets.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltf298597f74081431/bltbf0395f7c2f71a5b/6559db5f81b93ec0daa17bf1/CRS-2911_EBC_Policy_Booklet.pdf and here
1) Vehicle age restrictions
RAC Source: RAC website here
Green Flag source: Green Flag terms and conditions page 10
2) We’ll cover all costs to tow your vehicle (excluding your specialist resource)
RAC Source: RAC terms and conditions page 7 and here
Green Flag source: Green Flag terms and conditions page 11
3) 7 hours of garage labour included (RAC will cover up to a maximum of £1,000)
RAC Source: RAC terms and conditions page 7, 8 and here
Green Flag source: Green Flag terms and conditions page 11
4) Hire car and accommodation whilst your vehicle is repaired
RAC Source: RAC terms and conditions page 7, 8 and here
Green Flag source: Green Flag terms and conditions page 12
5) We’ll cover all costs to get your vehicle home
RAC Source: RAC terms and conditions page 7 and here
Green Flag source: Green Flag terms and conditions page 12
Need European breakdown cover from the RAC? Get a quote online here.
Type of European breakdown cover
Because many motorists may only need breakdown cover in Europe for a short period of time – just long enough to cover a two-week holiday or even a long weekend – cover is usually available on a flexible basis.
If you need annual cover – you might drive frequently in Europe and prefer the security of knowing you’re always covered, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year – you can, of course, have that. But you can also arrange cover on a short term basis. How short term? Well, European breakdown cover with the RAC starts from just a single day.
Green Flag’s European Breakdown Cover is available as Short-Term Euro Cover. This is also a flexible breakdown policy, available for cover a single day, too.
With either provider, you have the ability and freedom of choice to tailor your European breakdown cover to your travel plans and schedule.
European countries where breakdown cover applies
It’s really important that you’re covered for the country you’re driving. This might sound simple, but it’s easy to assume that your breakdown cover automatically covers you, wherever you are in Europe. That’s not always the case. You should check, with your provider, exactly where you are covered to drive.
With a single trip policy, you’ll need to make sure that cover applies specifically to the country you’re visiting. If you drive into another country that isn’t included within that breakdown cover policy, you may not be covered. Check before you take out your cover.
Both the RAC’s and Green Flag’s European Breakdown Cover span across an extensive range of European countries. RAC covers 48 Countries, Green Flag covers only 39 countries:
RAC
Zone 1: Andorra, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Republic of Ireland.
Zone 2: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Gibraltar, Italy, Liechtenstein, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Spain (with the exception of Ceuta, Melilla or the Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City.
Zone 3: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus (South), Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakian Republic, Slovenia, Turkey (in Europe plus Uskudar), Ukraine.
Source: https://www.rac.co.uk/breakdown-cover/european-breakdown-cover
Green Flag
Countries covered: France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Andorra, Austria, the Balearics, Bulgaria, The Canary Islands, Corsica, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Sardinia, Sicily, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Republic of Ireland.
Source: https://www.greenflag.com/breakdown-cover/policy-pdfs/european-breakdown-policy-booklet.pdf
RAC European Cover vs Green Flag European Cover
As well as checking the range of coverage, in terms of countries, it’s also advisable to review the level of cover before making a purchase decision with your European breakdown cover. Bear in mind that prices can always change, most likely because of personal circumstances, the length of time you want cover to be valid for, and the countries you’re driving in. You should review policy prices thoroughly, but also ensure you get a specific quote for the cover you need.
It’s always useful to see what is included in your European breakdown cover policy – as a guide, here’s a quick summary of what is typically included with both providers.
With the RAC, European breakdown cover is available in two different formats – Comprehensive and Comprehensive Plus. For the purposes of comparison here, we’ve looked at the RAC’s Comprehensive Plus and Green Flag’s Euro Plus.
Need European breakdown cover from the RAC? Get a quote online here.
Frequently asked questions
Are there age restrictions on the vehicles covered?
There’s no age limit on the vehicles we’ll cover.
Find out more about vehicles eligible for RAC European Breakdown Cover
Are the towing costs included in the European breakdown cover?
Yes. If we can’t fix your car at the roadside we’ll tow it to a garage nearby – or if it can’t be fixed during your trip, we’ll take your car back to the UK.
Which is better Green Flag or RAC?
RAC European Breakdown Cover is more comprehensive than Green Flag’s cover. We’ll cover all costs to tow your vehicle all the way home if necessary, and pay towards garage labour costs, a hire car and accommodation if you need. Green Flag only covers up to £250 to tow your vehicle, and won’t pay your garage labour. On a Green Flag policy you’ll also have to choose between getting a hire car or accommodation.
Does European breakdown cover include getting your vehicle home?
Yes – with Comprehensive cover we’ll pay up to the market value of your car to get it back home (if it can’t be fixed during your trip). And with Comprehensive Plus, we’ll get it back no matter the cost, so you can get it fixed at home – as long as it’s not beyond economical repair.