Hi all,
I am going to choose a new insurance for my car as I wasn't happy with the previous one. I found out that whilst insurance is basically valid in all Europe and North Africa, usually what is not covered is the 24h towing service (meaning if you have a breakdown then somebody is coming to help you). You can have it as a premium.
However, I found out that with with TCS you can get this same kind of cover for Switzerland only, not for abroad.
I was wondering: do you expats have this "towing service" coverage also abroad? If your car breaks down abroad, do you have a service that covers that? Do you know any way to get such a coverage abroad OUTSIDE of the car insurance?
In fact so far I found that with some companies they are available to offer that sort of cover ONLY if you are willing to get also other services that I really don't need. So I was wondering to get a basic insurance (without this service) and become a TCS member so that they help me if my car breaks down IN SWITZERLAND. But what about abroad?
We are insured with the Mobilliè€re and pay extra premium for emergencies/towing abroad as we travel quite a lot.
As dodgyken says, the TCS does provide cover across the border, it's simply an extra insurance called eti and costs about chf100 a year on top of your basic membership fee.
This will cover you anywhere in Europe as the TCS has reciprocal agreements with other, similar groups in other countries. You just ring the TCS on their swiss phone-number and they'll find the nearest garage/breakdown truck, etc. to help, then ring you back to tell you who to expect and how long it'll be.
I think they will also provide the option of cover outside Europe, but it's significantly dearer.
All my family are TCS members with eti cover and have used it several times over the years (we run classic Minis and they're unpredicable). Have been trucked back across the border from neighbouring France to our local garage although in theory they're only obliged to take you to the nearest possible garage if the problem's not fixable at the roadside.
InterTours Winterthur covers all family vehicles, as well as being a general travel insurance, for CHF 230/year.
TCS will cost you for each family member for the base insurance, plus the ETI family on top.
Tom
There's a discount for second, third, etc. family members at the same address. And one for co-habiting couples.
Or as my youngest insists; his 'concubine'.
It's quite possible there are other insurances that do similar cover, I just know that the TCS is reliable; at least around here (Geneva).
Didn't somebody post a while ago that ADAC was cheaper and better than TCS?
At looked at it recently and their T&Cs don't say anything about having to have an address in Germany.
I've never been a member of either ADAC or TCS, simply for (perceived) lack of need.
I run it all into Zurich Relax, covers travel with and without the car.
With some (most?) vehicle brands you get "assistance" insurance for one year after having the car serviced at an official dealer.
So, pretty much what I do with Winterthur.
Tom
Cancellation insurance, recovery, and a small amount of legal insurance. I've used it twice (in 11 years) and they've even spoken to me in English.
I suggest you re-read the TCS terms - pretty sure it's international as well.