Section L - Breakdown Option
This section only applies if
you have agreed to pay any additional premium and the schedule states that this section is in force.
Definitions
For the purposes of this section only the following additional / alternative definitions apply
(and where applicable replace any definitions shown elsewhere in this policy document):
- Breakdown
-
An electrical or mechanical failure to the car, which immediately immobilises the
car.
- Claim
-
Any insured incident within the scope of the cover provided by this section of
your
policy.
- Duration
-
The period that begins with the date of your departure from the UK and ceases upon your return to the UK for a period not exceeding 90 days.
- Period of insurance
-
The period from 24 hours after the first start date of the cover provided under this section
to the end date of your
current policy (or the end
date of this section if earlier).
- Rescue operator
-
Person(s) that we will send to
attend a reported breakdown.
- Rescue team
-
The control team that you ring
to report a breakdown.
- Trailer
-
A single caravan or trailer that is attached to the
car at the time of
breakdown and
does not exceed 7.0104 metres (23 feet) in length.
- We/Us/Our
-
AXA Assistance (UK) Ltd and Inter Partner Assistance SA.
This option is underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance SA who are a wholly owned
subsidiary of AXA Assistance SA and part of the worldwide AXA Group. AXA Assistance operates
the 24-hour motoring assistance helpline. This insurance is effected in England and is subject to
the Laws of England and Wales.
There are four levels of Breakdown cover available under this section:
- Swift Roadside
- Swift Rescue
- Swift Rescue & HomeAssist
- Swift European
Swift Roadside
If your
car breaks down more than a one mile from
your home,
we will provide roadside assistance.
We will pay:
- for a rescue operator to
attend your
car
breakdown including all call
out fees and mileage charges needed to repair or assist with the
car at the roadside in accordance
with the policy;
- if, in the opinion of our
rescue operator, they are
unable to repair the car at the
roadside we will:
- pay for you and up to 6
passengers, your
car and an attached
trailer
to be recovered to whichever one of the following locations is closest and within 10 miles of
the:
- original destination;
- original departure point;
- nearest garage.
- pay any necessary ferry and toll fees as part of the recovery within the
UK only;
- in the event that you lose or break
your keys,
we will pay for the call out
and mileage back to our
rescue operator's base. All other
costs incurred will be at your expense;
- for two messages to be forwarded to either your home or place of work to advise of your situation.
We will not pay:
- for travel outside of the UK;
- for breakdown within a one mile
of your home;
- for car recovery greater than a 10 miles from your location at the time of breakdown.
Swift Rescue
If you have opted and paid for Swift Rescue,
it includes all the same benefits as Swift Roadside, plus if in the opinion of
our
rescue operator, they are unable to
repair the car at the roadside then:
We will pay:
- and arrange in the first instance for your
car, an attached
trailer,
you and up
to 6 passengers to be taken to the nearest garage able to undertake the repair.
- and arrange, if the above is not possible at the time or the repair cannot be made
within the same working day, for your
car, an attached
trailer,
you and up to 6
passengers to be taken to your home
or original destination.
- for the following services which are offered on a pay and claim basis, which means that
you must pay initially and
we will send
you a claim form to complete and return for
reimbursement. Before arranging these services, authorisation must be obtained from
our
rescue team who will only reimburse
claims when
we are in receipt of a valid
invoice/receipt.
The policy will only pay for a group 1 car
hire rate:
- if our
rescue team decide to
provide overnight accommodation, we
will pay a maximum of £60 for a lone traveller or £40 per person for one night for
you and up to 6 passengers.
The maximum per incident is £240; or
- if our repairing
recovery operator is unable to
repair your
car within the same working day or a period
agreed between you and
our
rescue team,
we will pay up to £100 (maximum)
towards the cost of alternative transport or car hire. We will also pay the cost of a single standard rail ticket for one person to
return and collect the car.
The policy will only pay for a group 1 hire
car rate and this service can
only be used to complete a journey whilst your
car is being repaired a minimum of 20 miles
away from your home address.
We will not pay:
- for travel outside of the UK;
- for breakdown within a one mile of
your home.
Swift Rescue & HomeAssist
If you have opted and paid for Swift Rescue &
HomeAssist, it includes all the same benefits as Swift Roadside and Swift Rescue plus
we will pay:
- if the car breaks down at
your home address or within a one mile,
we will pay for a
rescue operator to attend the
car
breakdown and arrange to pay call out
fees and mileage charges needed to repair or recover the car to a local garage.
We will not pay:
- for travel outside of the UK.
Swift European
If you have opted and paid for Swift European,
it includes all the same benefits as Swift Roadside, Swift Rescue and Swift Rescue & HomeAssist, plus the following:
We will provide a
breakdown service in a number of European countries
where the maximum duration of any single trip does
not exceed 90 days. Please ensure you carry
your V5 registration document with
you during your journey. We will require
detailed information from you regarding the location of
your car. We will need to know if
you are on an outward or inward journey and details of
your booking arrangements.
When we have all the required information
we will liaise with
our European network.
You will be kept updated and therefore,
you will be asked to remain at the telephone
number you called from. Countries covered for
breakdown under this cover are:
Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
For assistance in Europe call 00 44 1737-815632.
We will send help to the scene of the
breakdown and arrange to pay call out fees
and mileage charges needed to repair or assist with the car.
If during your journey
your car breaks down and it is not safe to drive, and it will take at least forty eight hours to
repair, or if it is stolen and not recovered within forty eight hours, we will arrange and pay for the most appropriate
solution from one of the following options:
1. To move you,
your passengers and luggage to where
you were originally travelling to, and then, once
your
car has been repaired, take
you back to
your
car or bring
your
car
to you.
2. The cost of hiring another car while your
car is being repaired.
We will pay up to £70 a day and £750 in total,
as long as you are able to meet the conditions of the
hire-car company.
3. We will pay for bed and breakfast costs of up to
£30 for each person each day (£500 in total for everyone in your
group) while your
car is being repaired, as long as
you have already paid for
your original accommodation and
you cannot get
your money back.
If you can't use your own car to get home
What is covered
If after a breakdown
your car is still not repaired or safe to drive when it is time for
you to go home,
we will pay for suitable transport to get
you, your passengers and your
luggage home, and up to £150 towards other travel costs in the UK while you wait for
your own car. We will select the most
appropriate solution from one of the following options:
- Your car to your home or
your chosen repairer in the
UK; or
- pay the cost of one rail or sea ticket (or an air ticket if the rail or sea trip would take more than 12 hours)
for you to go to get
your car once it has been repaired or found; and
- pay any storage charges (up to £100) while your
car is waiting to be repaired, collected or taken
home.
General Notes Relating to Europe
If you breakdown on a European motorway or major public road,
we are generally unable to assist and
you will often need to obtain assistance via the SOS
phones. The local services will tow you to a place of
safety and you will be required to pay for the
service as soon as possible. You can then contact
us for further assistance.
We will pay a maximum of £60.00 towards
reimbursement of the costs, but we will only
reimburse claims when
we are in receipt of a valid invoice/receipt.
Payment will be made in accordance with the exchange rate on the date of the
claim.
If you have broken down in a European Country during a
Public Holiday, many services will be closed during the Holiday period. In these circumstances,
you must allow
us time to assist
you and effect a repair to
your Car. We will not be
held liable for any delays in reaching your destination.
We will not pay:
- ferry and toll fees in the countries stated for the European extension of cover;
- service where repatriation costs exceed the market value of the car;
- repatriation to the UK within 48 hours of the
original Breakdown regardless of ferry or tunnel bookings for the homebound journey or pre arranged appointments
you have made within the
UK;
- repatriation if the car can be repaired but
you do not have adequate funds for
the repair.
General Notes
Uninsured service
- We can provide assistance for faults that are
not covered under this insurance policy or where
you would like
us to assist additional passengers who exceed the
maximum of 6, stated within this policy.
All costs (including an administration fee) must be paid for as soon as possible by credit or debit card. If
you wish to use this service please call 0845 604 1635
and request the "pay on use service".
Exclusions under this Section
With regard to any claim under this section:
We will not pay for:
- any repairs undertaken at the rescue operators
premises or any garage. (This forms a separate contract between you and the garage);
- any trailer
breakdown or the recovery of the
trailer if the
car does not
breakdown;
- any car not registered with
us and not described on
your
policy;
- minibuses, vans, commercial vehicles or limousines;
- any breakdown or recovery outside the
period of insurance;
- Cars over 10 years old for cover in Europe unless the appropriate additional annual
premium has been paid;
- breakdowns caused by failure to maintain the
car in a roadworthy condition including
maintenance or proper levels of oil and water. If, in the opinion of
our
rescue operator,
the car is found to be unroadworthy due to lack of
maintenance, unless servicing records can be provided, we may terminate your
policy immediately notifying
you, by letter, what action
we have taken;
- failure to comply with requests by us,
the rescue team or
our
rescue operators concerning the assistance being
provided;
- the car running out of fuel;
- services that cannot be affected because the car does
not carry a serviceable spare wheel, aerosol repair kit, appropriate jack, or the locking mechanisms for the wheels are
not immediately available to remove the wheels;
- any costs where the car cannot be reached or is
immobilised due to snow, mud, sand or flood or where the car is not accessible or cannot be transported safely and legally using a standard transporter;
- costs arising out of your overloading of the
car or carrying more passengers than it is designed to
carry;
- the cost of any parts, components or materials used to repair the
car;
- repair and labour costs other than half an hour roadside labour at the scene;
- any costs or expenses not authorised by our
rescue team;
- the cost of food, drinks, telephone calls or other incidentals;
- the cost of alternative transport other than to your
destination and a return trip to collect your
repaired car;
- the cost of fuel, oil or a hire car or insurance for a hire car;
- service if you already owe
us money;
- any costs incurred if you are unable to make a
connection to the contact telephone number provided;
- the recovery of the car and passengers if repairs can
be carried out at or near the scene of the breakdown within the same working day. If recovery takes effect
we will only recover to one address in respect
of any one breakdown;
- overnight accommodation or car hire charges if repairs can be carried out at or
near the scene of the breakdown within an agreed
time;
- claims not notified and authorised prior to
expenses being incurred;
- the charges of any other company (including police recovery) other than
our rescue operator or of car hire or accommodation charges except those authorised by
us;
- any damage to the car or
trailer, or their contents whilst being
recovered, stored or repaired and any liability or any loss arising from any act performed in the execution of the
assistance services provided;
- any charges where you, having contacted
us, effect recovery or repairs by other means
unless we have agreed to reimburse
you;
- the recovery of any trailer where the total
length exceeds 7 metres (23 feet) and where it is not attached to the car with a standard towing hitch;
- any request for service where remedial action has not been taken within 2 working days following a previous
breakdown or temporary repair being made,
unless in transit between a temporary repair and repairing garage;
- more than six callouts per policy per year;
- claims totalling more than £15,000 in any one year;
- any cost recoverable under any other insurance policy
that you may have;
- more than six callouts per policy per year;
- claims totalling more than £15,000 in any one year;
- any cost recoverable under any other insurance policy
that you may have;
- storage charges; except those specifically stated under Swift European benefit.
- cars that are not secure or have faults with
electric windows, sun roofs or locks not working, unless the fault occurs during the course of a journey and
your safety is compromised;
- assistance if the car is deemed to be illegal,
untaxed, uninsured, unroadworthy, or dangerous to transport;
- recovery of the car or
your transport costs to return the
car to your home once it has been inspected or repaired;
- any cost that would have been incurred if no claim had arisen;
- the cost of draining or removing contaminated fuel;
- a request for service following any intentional or wilful damage caused by
you to
your car;
- service where glass or windscreens have been damaged or broken as a result of an
accident, theft, or act of vandalism;
- any cover which is not specifically detailed within this policy.
- any claim where the
duration of a single trip is planned to or
subsequently exceeds 90 days.
Conditions under this Section
With regard to any claim under this section:
- We will provide cover if:
- You have met all the terms and conditions
within this insurance;
- the information provided to us,
as far as you are aware, is correct.
- You must not transfer the
policy to anyone else;
- The driver of the car must remain with or nearby
the car until help arrives;
- We can request proof of outbound and inbound
travel dates;
- We must be advised, as soon a possible at the
time of contacting us for assistance, if
your car is fitted with alloy wheels. If we are not advised and we are unable to provide the service promptly or efficiently through the
rescue operator who will be assisting
you, you will be charged for any additional costs incurred;
- Cars unable to carry a serviceable spare wheel or an
aerosol repair kit will be recovered to an appropriate local garage only. An
excess of £40.00 must be paid as soon as possible by
credit/debit card before assistance can be provided;
- If we are able to repair
your car roadside, you must accept
the assistance being provided and immediately pay for any parts supplied and fitted, by credit card;
- If a call out is cancelled by you and a recovery
operator has already been dispatched, you will lose
a call out from your
policy.
We recommend you to wait for assistance to ensure the car
is functioning correctly.
If you do not wait for assistance and the
car breaks down again within 12 hours,
you will be charged for the second
and any subsequent call outs;
- We have the right to refuse to provide the
service if you or
your passengers are being obstructive in allowing
us to provide the most appropriate assistance
or are abusive to our
rescue controllers or
our
recovery operators;
- If, in our opinion, the
car is found to be unroadworthy due to lack of
maintenance, unless servicing records can be provided, we may terminate your
policy immediately notifying
you, by letter to
your registered address, of what action
we have taken;
- The repair must be carried out if the car is
recovered to a dealership and the dealership can repair the cars within the terms stated. you must have adequate funds to pay for the repair. If you do not have funds available, any further service related to the
claim will be denied;
- You must have adequate funds to pay for alternative
transport or overnight accommodation costs. If You do
not have funds available, any further service related to the claim will be denied;
- If the car is beyond economical repair
we have the option to offer the
market value of the
car to you and pay for alternative transport home;
- The transportation of livestock (including dogs) will be at the discretion of the recovery operator. Alternative
transport can be arranged but you will need to pay
for this service by credit or debit card;
- If you have a right of action against a third party,
you shall co-operate with
us to recover any costs incurred by
us. If
you are covered by any other insurance policy for any
costs incurred by us, you will need to
claim these costs and reimburse
us.
We reserve the right to claim back any costs
that are recoverable through a third party;
- We will not be liable for any delays or losses
you incur if
you are unable to make a telephone connection to
us.
We may:
- We reserve the right to charge you for any costs
incurred as a result of incorrect location details being provided;
- We may cancel the policy by sending 7 days notice to
your last registered address.
You may:
Should you wish to contact
us, call our Swift Help Team on
0871 230 6666* or contact us via
email. Please send your correspondence to our
head office: Swift Rescue, c/o AXA Assistance (UK) Limited, The Quadrangle, 106 - 118 Station Road, Redhill, Surrey,
RH1 1PR.
Financial Services Compensation Scheme
We are covered by the Financial Services
Compensation Scheme (FSCS). you may be entitled to
compensation from the scheme if we cannot meet
our obligations. This depends on the type of
business and the circumstances of the claim.
Insurance advising and arranging is covered for 100% of the first £2,000 and 90% of the remainder of the
claim, without any upper limit.
For further information visit www.FSCS.org.uk.
Service Provider and Insurer
This service is provided on behalf of AXA Insurance by AXA Assistance (UK) Ltd, Registered Company Number 2638890 and is
underwritten by Inter Partner Assistance SA, Registered Company Number FC008998
Inter Partner Assistance SA is authorised by the Commission Bancaire, Financière et des Assurances (CBFA) in Belgium
(their regulatory arm) and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in the UK, an independent non-governmental
body, given statutory powers by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. The address of the FSA is 25 The North
Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HS, UK. Information can be obtained either by phoning to their Consumer Helpline
0845 606 1234 (local call rates) or by visiting the following website:
www.fsa.gov.uk. This document sets out the terms
and conditions of your
breakdown cover and it is important that
you read it carefully.
*Calls will be charged at 10p per minute from BT landlines. Calls from other networks or from outside the UK may vary.
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