What to Do if You Break Down in a Hire Car Abroad

If something happens to your hire car abroad and you’ve broken down the main things to do are to stay safe, alert the correct people, and to keep a good record of everything. This guide will walk you through all the steps you should take – as well as how a ReduceMyExcess excess insurance policy can help you reclaim charges you may encounter as a result of breaking down.

1. Get yourself and passengers to safety

• Pull over safely as soon as you can. Turn your hazard lights on and move to a safe place away from traffic.
• Exit on the passenger side.
• Make yourself visible. In many countries, drivers are expected to use a warning triangle and a reflective vest.
• If you are immediate risk dial the local emergency number.

On motorways, including ‘smart’ or managed motorways, use designated refuge areas or emergency lay-bys where available. If you cannot reach one safely, stay inside the vehicle with seatbelts on and call for help.

2. Call the hire company’s roadside assistance

Your car hire company will include an emergency/roadside number – be sure to call this as soon as you have pulled over safely. The car hire provider will arrange roadside repair, towing, or a replacement vehicle where appropriate. Don’t authorise any independent repairs without the hire company’s approval as this may complicate things later down the line.

To help assistance reach you faster, you can use your phone’s map app to share your live location, the road name or number, nearest junction or kilometre post, and any distinguishable landmarks.

3. Document everything

• Take photos and videos of your vehicle, dashboard warnings, surroundings and any damage or debris
• Take notes of timings and names, including who you spoke to, when, and what was agreed
• Keep all paperwork such as recovery, towing invoices, call-out charges, parts/labour bills, and replacement car paperwork

4. Be mindful of local rules and private motorways

Regulations such as the use of warning triangles, vests, emergency beacons, and toll-road procedures, vary from country to country. If you’re unsure, ask roadside assistance what’s required.

Some motorways abroad are privately managed meaning you will need to use their breakdown services by calling the SOS phones on the roadside. The local services will tow you to a place of safety and you’ll be required to pay them on the spot for this – this is normal. Be sure to keep all receipts and evidence as you’ll need them as supporting documents for your claim.

5. On final inspection

When you hand the hire car back to the company, you’ll be provided with an end-of-hire report outlining the vehicle’s condition and any charges applied. Make sure you keep a copy of everything the car hire desk provides.

How does car hire excess insurance help in the instance of a breakdown abroad?

When you hire a car, the cover that’s included as part of the base rental price tends to leave you responsible for a high excess – this is the amount you might be charged if the vehicle is damaged or stolen. A standalone car hire excess insurance policy, like the ones we offer at ReduceMyExcess, is designed to reimburse eligible charges back to you so that you’re not left out of pocket.

Our policies can help you in the following scenarios (depending on the policy you’ve taken out):

• Misfuelling
• Towing/recovery costs – which might be required if you have broken down
• Damage to vulnerable parts – tyres, wheels, glass, underbody