23 Jul 2014 7:11 AM:
Abbygate? Before you renew or insure with them consider the following after reading of my experience with them.
Because they are a UK based firm do you expect that if you experience any problems you will automatically be dealing directly with English speaking assisters?
Do you expect wording in English to be of a true meaning? At this point let me interject about my language skills as an Englishman, O level English (this probably puts me slightly above average amongst English speakers), and Conversational Spanish (this probably puts me well above average amongst English ex-pats).
Let me recount wordings on policy’s, at the moment I insure four vehicles on policy’s with Abbygate and on preparing to insure the fourth I read the details of another of my cars and on the question does the insured have the use of other vehicles they had inserted No. Because in their advertisement’s they claim to give extra discount’s for you second and subsequent vehicles I questioned Adam (Cadiz office) about this and his reply was that I was getting the discount and what it really meant was that the insured was not insured to drive vehicles belonging to someone else (normally on UK policy’s you have third party cover on a vehicle not owned by you if you are insured fully comprehensive).
At this stage alarm bells should have rung? If you ask Abbygate for a quote they will give it to you verbally but not by email they are also very slow and I believe reluctant to answer any emails.
My big problem with Abbygate stems again on the wording in the breakdown cover wording interpretation which states that if a breakdown occurs, if the repair can be made at the roadside within 30 minutes the repair will be made with the cost of parts being charged for, if the repair is not possible within thirty minutes the vehicle will be transported up to a maximum distance of 150 kilometers at a maximum cost of 300 euros. The first part, roadside repairs, implies to me that someone with mechanical knowledge will either drive or accompany the tow vehicle, Abbygates answer to this was, not all drivers are registered mechanics. Then reword the conditions so we know what quality of service we are going to get for our money.
Now to my story, I have an agreement with an English friend that he can have the use of my finca in Cordoba and my Mazda pickup to transport, breed and fatten his Tamworth pigs. The agreement includes me having half of the meat produced for my family, friends and myself.
After an uneventful journey through France and into Spain he stopped at a petrol station forecourt at Miranda de Ebro, Burgos for the smokers to partake of their chosen drug, on restarting the engine instead of idling it repeatedly revved up to 3,000 rpm and then died down again. My friend telephoned for assistance and when the breakdown truck arrived was given the following option; take the vehicle minus the trailer to the maximum 150 Ks or 300 euros and the passengers to Madrid.
In 30 something years driving in the UK I fortunately never required road side assistance but in Spain I have had to call for roadside assistance on numerous occasions and without fail they the drivers have wanted to take me to a garage, on one occasion all I required was the use of a jack do suspect that the drivers or even the breakdown company do receive some sort of remuneration when they deliver a breakdown.
On receiving a phone call at 4 pm Sunday my concern was for the animals and so with the aid of a Spanish friend set of for Miranda (800 kilometers). On arrival we spoke to the break down service (the local one, not Coris) who started off with a quote to tow the Mazda back to Cordoba with a quote of 500 euros which then went up to 1,000 which I reluctantly accepted only then threw in that some one must wait until 8 pm( bearing in mind that this is Spain this could be any time) to hand over the keys. Once again thinking about the animals I decided to abandon the Mazda and seek assistance from Abbygate/Coris on arrival at home.
The first thing they threw at me was because the trailer with pigs was being towed it must be business and that I was only insured, social, domestic and pleasure (I must admit I talk to the pigs social? domestic, they do finish up in the freezer, Pleasure, yes I do enjoy keeping pigs and eating them.
A quote from the great sir Winston Churchill, cats look down on us, dogs look up to us but pigs treat us as being on the same level. I digress.
At some stage I was passed on to a Christina who I believe she did her best for me, to whom I suggested that the key be sent by courier to the whoever was nominated by them to take the mazda to the nearest garage for repair. This was rejected because they required the key to be handed over personally. The self same thing I have arranged with a garage in Miranda and something they could have done much easier because of their contacts.
At a later date I sent an email to Adam(Cadiz) which was eventually answered by someone else, who once again came up with the Social, domestic & pleasure plus, possibly the problem was caused by towing an overloaded trailer? In my opinion of interest to Trafico if that was the case and not the insures?
How would I have gone on without my Spanish and indeed without Spanish friends?
Before posting this I will submit it to Abbygate to see if they would like to comment.
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abbygate lnssurance
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