Well I spoke to Aviva my insuraers and asked about their breakedown cover and asked specifically if it covered the Eriba. YES was the reply and I then checked again witht hem before adding it to my policy. Low and behold first year no need to use it. Then a few months back I had a flat and called the service and an RAC man came and fitted the spare and I went on my journey.

Last night when heading home from a weekend away someone flashed me and signalled to me. So I pulled over off the M4 and got out to check and the electric cable had pulled out of the socket and had dangled quite a bit of the way home to find it bent and scuffed and no repair would be possible. As it was dusk I called the breakdown service only to be told that I was not covered for the Caravan in tow. Back to Aviva, yes you are covered I will call you back (as my phone battery was low) RAC man called back to report the problem. He said your caravan is not covered! Could not get back to Aviva and so I was left in a lay-by off the M4 towards bath on a dual carrigeway until first light where I could head home cautiously with no brake lights and no indicators.

Unbelievable very sloppy service from all. I spent the night with no food only water (or wine to drink) huddled in car cathing sleep intermittent.

Any advice as I have to take this sorry situation up with Aviva as the service was so poor to leave a woman in a layby overnight with no provisions and a possible flat phone as I explained to RAC and the emergency number could not get inn touch with Aviva as the options took you back to where I started back with the RAC who were a joke!

Hi Randa, no they said I WAS covered but only if the car broke down and that the Caravan was not covered in their breakdown policies. I drove home keeping within a safe distance and allowing plenty of gaps for manouvering land changing etc and made sure most of my turns were left hand so I could slow traffic right down first as they couldnt see any signals. Was a bit daunting when I know I had no rear indicication.

Left Bath junction at 5.30 at first light and managed to get home befor rush hour traffic and got the Eriba in off the road and left everything, jumped in the shower and went to work.

The service from both parties is pretty dismal when I have been paying a policy for breakdown cover after they said the caravan was covered.

After I gave them a sharp talking about the position they have left me in in a lay by alongside a dual carriageway an hour after I hung up I think they sent a van as it pulled in orange with chevrons on rear door who stayed five mins then did a u turn so I think they were checking the situation as damage limitation should anything have happened to me there.

so I had a sandwich at 4pm Sunday and nothing else until this mornings breakfast in work. Luckily I had water in the Eriba so popped in there to use theloo and get a glass of water.

Had it happened earlier I could have pulled into leigh delamare and parked up for the night and slept in teh Eriba and been able to buy food.

Hello Taffy,
Sorry to hear about your ordeal. I have a 13 pin connection which has to be screwed in and turned through almost 90 degrees to effect a complete connection, then a cap engages as secondary security .Suggest this as your fix and you can forget about this happening again.

Highmiler.

Hi Taffy,
I can understand just how you feel. However, the ball is in your court and unless you take it further, nothing will happen and more customers will be treated the same way.

I can't tell you what to do because everybody is different. So i'll tell you what I would do in your situation. Since Aviva are the insurers, and they confirmed that the Eriba was / is included in the breakdown cover as part of your contract with them, then they are entirely responsible for that.

I would write to the CEO of Aviva by recorded delivery, and explain the appalling and potentially dangerous situation that I was forced to endure because they failed to ensure that the breakdown cover which is a significant part of my contract with Aviva, was not in place. I would also tell him that under "The Insurance Producer's Common Law Duty of Care" Aviva have failed to ensure my well being, causing me, a lone female traveller, an immeasurable amount of stress and anxiety. I would then provide any names of the RAC personnel and phone extensions.

If I failed to reach a satisfactory outcome with Arriva, I would ask for a letter of "Failure to Agree" and take it up with the Ombudsman.

I would also write by recorded delivery to the CEO of the RAC explaining the potentially dangerous situation that they allowed with full knowledge to develop. A precedent of which exists when a female traveller, stranded on the M4 was murdered just a few short years ago. If I wasn't satisfied with their response I would again request a "Failure to Agree" letter and write to the Ombudsman.

Please see the names and addresses for both parties below:

Mark Wilson, Group CEO, Aviva PLC, St Helens, 1 Undershaft, London, EC3P 3DQ

Christopher Kevin Woodhouse, CEO RAC. RAC House, Brockhurst Crescent, Walsall, WS5 4AW.

I hope this helps. If after say 5 days you've not had a response, write in again starting "Further to my unanswered letter to you dated,,,,copy attached. Although you should get a response very quickly.

Good luck

PS since starting this reply I was called away and just returned to see your reply to Randa.

Thanks for that Barney, perhaps my post rambled and after pulling off the M4 at around 9pm last night as it was only 10 mins of light left before night time driving, I was forced to stay in the layby napping as my car was packed full so I couldn't recline the seats. I did have a female friend with me plus my dogs (in fact they were the only ones with food)!! we starved. `However we parked up and then had to wait until 5.30 before we had sufficient daylight as the sunrise to make it home with not indicators or brake lights.

When I called the RAC I asked if anyone of the breakdowns had the boards with emergency lights to get me an hour home, or if a van could tail me home to protect the rear of the Eriba. Alas RAC dont carry anything like that and the caravan was not covered under the policy.

I will take it up, as approx 2-3 years agao I think it was the RAC who failed to respond to an emergency breakdown on the M4 hardshoulder in the early hours which resulted in a motorhome being driven into and several dogs killed and life changing injuries for the 3 occupants with the motorhome disintegrated upon impact.

I know they should never have sat there in the vehicle and all occupants and dogs should have been outside away from harm, but an investigation said the breakdown company had failed their duty of care and the time taken to attend the call was far to long.

I shall follow it up tomorrow when I have recovered and so now to sleep.

Thanks for the advice.

Highmiler what sort of connections is yours. I had one like the picture which turns and then the cap cmes over but what happened for some reason with mine was the plastic collar was still held by the locating cap but the wires heads and pins had pulled away and had dangled on the road while travelling.

CARA_STECKER_13P.jpg - Bild entfernt (keine Rechte)

Don't know how long or where it happened as I always check through my safety stuff, indicators, check, lights, check, brake lights, check, hazards, check, before setting off and also check the fridge is on the 12v for running while towing and all was well setting off. Shame they dont give an audible noise to alert if it diconnects so we would know immeadiately.

Is there any safety attachment that would stop cable dragginf on floor if it was to disconnect?

This is an appalling lack of care by both parties. Despite the fact that you weren't a lone female, there being two of you, you were both at risk. If you don't get some immediate response and compensation from one or other of the RAC or Aviva I would shout loudly to the media, social media and anybody else who will listen. Big businesses hate bad publicity and this situation could have had an awful ending.
So glad that you, your friend and the dogs are all ok, I don't know how I would have coped in that situation and you have my admiration.
Julie.

I was thinking of putting the interior lights on at the tail with the curtains open for travelling but didn't want to chance it getting to dark and a full car so the safest option was to wait till morning light and head off carefully and slow traffic in plenty of time have never been more releived to get home and my poor dogs took it all in their stride and slept after their food until home.I hasten to add that I use crates for travelling and they love them so they are contained in a car.

I thought an audible or visual trailer confirmation of indicators working (or not !) is a legal requirement (and now possibly part of the 13pin electrics MOT Test ?)

I would still write to both parties, A) advising Aviva of your predicament and the negative response from the RAC who could have supplied a "ad hoc" solution. Also, remind him of the potential cost, should the worst have happened.

B) Write to the RAC and ask why they would'n't offer a "ad hoc" solution even if you paid for it and negotiated later, after the event.

C) Name and Shame on FB &Twitter.

I wonder if Aviva got their wires crossed and assumed that your car was covered even if you were towing a caravan but not the caravan?

I really cannot believe Aviva. I was just on the phone making my complaint and was speaking to Customer Services person, Rob. He said that the caravan would not be covered for breakdown only if your car breaks down they would take your caravan home with your car.

I explained the situation I was abandoned in and said in that case I have been mis sold a policy and Aviva has misrepresented the sale. He asked if I could hold while he got my details up, listed to plonky music then guess what... their customer service was cut off. The cut the call. What a shambles of an insurance company. I shall do as instructed and write the letter as clearly it is a waste of time trying to get any customer satisfaction.

I made my complaint with Aviva Tuesday after speaking to another call handler there, only to be informed that they have 5 days to reply and will investigate the cover situation and this now is near the 5 days today but being Sunday perhaps it doesn't count.