RACV Total Care

ken thomas · Guru

RACV Total Care

ozi2 · Guru

ken thomas wrote:
Hello All
I suppose there are a lot of vanners out there who have total care and think they are covered with there van Please check the fine print because if the van is over 22ft from drawbar to spare wheel you are not covered.
We all need to follow this up with the relevant organisations as there are a lot of oversize vans out there
I will be emailing the RACV and putting in a complaint
Ken

G'day Ken, it does pay to read the fine print sure, but you shouldnt have too! If I could add to your comment I would advise a lot of van owners to also check the weight of their rigs as no matter where you are in need of help they wont assist if weight exceed 4.5 tonne.

jimricho · Guru

I'd be inclined to think that all (or almost all) two axle rigs would be over 6.6 metres (22ft) overall length.

gubby · Guru

Many moons ago my father had a Nissan E20 Camper Van with a pop top, both my mother and father loved travelling and at least once a year drove from Geelong up to Cairns in Qld as well as many smaller trips to other states, he always did all his own mechanical but about 20 years ago he was in his late sixty's and decided somethings were getting a bit awkward for him to do, eg. changing a flat tyre, so he joined the RACV to make things easier for himself, about a year later it happened, he got a flat tyre, so he called the RACV. When they finally arrived they took one look and said they can't change that as it's a commercial vehicle and they left, leaving dad to change the wheel himself..

This was approx 20 years ago I don't know if the same rules apply now.

The only reason that I'm sharing this is that just because you're a member of one of these associations don't take it for granted that you're covered. hmm Check it out... blankstare

ken thomas · Guru

Agree with you there. On out last trip away friend we were with lost a wheel near Beaufort Vic and the kids??? who came to help did not have a jack big enough for the offroader van and then wanted to put it under the door arch which would not support the weight of the van. After doing the job himself the RACV left him and said they had other calls. Heaven help us if we really need help

Ken

rockylizard · Guru

ken thomas wrote:
Hello All
I suppose there are a lot of vanners out there who have total care and think they are covered with there van Please check the fine print because if the van is over 22ft from drawbar to spare wheel you are not covered.
We all need to follow this up with the relevant organisations as there are a lot of oversize vans out there
I will be emailing the RACV and putting in a complaint
Ken

Gday...

Well ya made me re-read my RACV Total Care Terms & Conditions which I knew had limitations .... not in fine print but in full size type on page 20.

I must admit I only ever thought of Total Care being for my vehicle - which fits completely within their Size Restrictions as listed - certainly not over 4tonne, or 6.7metres long, or 2.7metres high, or 2.3metres wide.

As I have insurance coverage with CIL which gives me most of what Total Care gives me on the van if it is damaged etc I have just always considered if the van gets damaged then CIL would be my call ... I would only ever have thought of using RACV for the vehicle. It gets even more interesting though that if the vehicle breaks down with the van attached, then the 'whole rig' exceeds weight and length by a fair bit ..... they may say! .... and neither would be covered perhaps.

However, I also see the problem that if the vehicle 'dies' and needs towing, I am covered for my vehicle, but for the van, RACV will organise towing for it, but I would be up for "commercial rates" .... meaning I am not covered - and CIL will not cover me because the van is not 'damaged'. Although, it wouldn't need a tilt-tray/flat-top ..... coz vehicle on tilt-tray and van towed behind - hopefully.

What a curly problem ...... will love to hear what RACV respond.

Cheers and happy (safe and CAREFUL) travelling

John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Friday 20th of May 2011 08:28:50 PM

Cruising Granny · Guru

I have seen several vehicles on the back of tilt trays with the van in tow, entering caravan parks.
I would think this situation would be covered by RAC as it's the vehicle that's broken, and the van has to be secured.
Maybe the RAC gets it out of CIL or other van insurance later.

BobnBev · Senior Member

Ok ,Will have a look to see what is what. But we were taken home FROM the Nulla Bore. On a flat bed and the van was towed behind..... 1200 ks......No questions asked... Wouldnt be with out it..Van 19.6 + draw bar ??

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

About 9 years ago we left our 22ft Future System in Broken Hill while we went bush tracking, on our way back I had a heart attack at Marree, we eventually got back to the van and made our way to a Dr friend of ours and he said you are going into hospital NOW. After my triple bypass we contacted RACWA total care and were advised that as soon as I had been cleared by the hospital they would arrange for our 4x4 and van to be taken from Victoria to Perth, and they also arranged flights on Virgin to get us back to WA, all covered by Total Care. I would never let my Total Care lapse.

ken thomas · Guru

Hello all

Yes it is interesting about the limitations as I dont think there would be a van that would be under 2.3m wide, also the sales of vans seem to be 18ft or over these days and with the drawbar included over 22ft

we all need to contact our associations about this matter and perhaps they will become more realistic with their limitations

Happy travelling

Ken

Happywanderer · The Master

And they don't always come when called. Was in Kumbia last week, a caravan opposite, the owner found some of the springs broken, He rang RACQ. This was friday morning. They said you are in a queue, we will get to you next Tuesday.
Don't know what happened as I left that day. Now south of Goondiwindi with not much surplus battery on laptop. Catch you later.

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...
Now is the chance to tell me I am wrong ..... but ...... if I had broken springs on my caravan, I would have thought that firstly I would contact my insurance and confirm it was claimable .... then it would my problem to get fixed, and then lodge the insurance claim if it applied .... not a RACQ/RACV etc problem.

Place dissenting opinions here ................

Cheers

John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Saturday 21st of May 2011 06:56:30 PM

milo · Guru

i wonder why some vans are called commercial ,even if privatley owend?

dazren · Guru

Two years ago we were heading north 120 k past Pt augusta mates van done a wheel bearing, he is not in racv, as very mech/minded, so back tracked to port augusta bought new bearings, came back and we fitted new bearings [ to all 4 wheels] while on side of road, no problem 5-6 hours later off we go !! now i am not mechanically minded. but i am a long term Racv total care member, when we got back to vic went to Racv office and said if i was in the same scenario, what would my position be ??? they confirmed that although the total care package is basically for the vehicle, in this situation the van is 'attached to the vehicle' hence we would be covered, and the would put the caravan on the back of a truck, to it to to the closest town, in this case Pt Agusta where we can then arrange for it to be repaired at and if there was a delay in getting it repaired, they would also pay our accomadation costs as we are Total care package holders, they then gave us a booklet highlighting those answers to our enquiry, Total Care. DO NOT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT !! rGS DAZREN

Happywanderer · The Master

I thought the same rockylizard but didn't dare to say anything to them. They did say inasurance would cover it. I did tel lthem to ring around Kingaroy and see if there was someone in there who could help them quicker. Then I left.