1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. Tips and ideas
  4. Safety and Security
  5. Why you should take out travel insurance at the point of booking a trip

Why you should take out travel insurance at the point of booking a trip

Taking out appropriate travel insurance when embarking on a trip is essential for several important reasons. But did you know that having it from the point you book your trip is just as important?!

This will maximise your coverage and protect your financial commitments, but only from the time you take out the insurance, as we explain below. 

The Club sells a European travel insurance and European vehicle breakdown cover known as Red Pennant, designed for touring holidays and enabling you to pick the level of cover you need for your trip. We also have a 24-hour multi-lingual Emergency Assistance Team, who are on hand should you run into any difficulty before or during your trip. 

The following outlines just some of the benefits of our combined European travel insurance and European breakdown cover (Red Pennant Motoring and Personal Cover). 

Cover before you go:

Trip Cancellation or Cutting Short Your Trip

  • If you need to cancel or cut your trip short due to illness, a family emergency, or other covered reasons, Red Pennant can reimburse non-refundable costs like Channel crossings (Ferry or train), flights (Plus Cover only), campsites, hotels, and excursions.
  • After an accident, fire or theft, or attempted theft of the insured vehicle occurring within 14 days prior to your planned date of departure and the repairs cannot be carried out/vehicle has not been located in time for you to start your trip, you could be reimbursed for your unused travel and accommodation expenses. 

Missed Departure from the UK 

  • Red Pennant will pay additional travel and accommodation costs to get you to your destination if you are delayed on the way to your departure point in the UK and this causes you to miss pre-booked transportation. Or
  • If the only reasonable alternative transport means you lose more than 50% of your trip, you can claim for unused travel and accommodations costs

Motor Breakdown in the UK  

  • If your car, motorhome, campervan or caravan were to breakdown within 48 hours of your planned day of departure Red Pennant would cover the cost of assistance or recovery to a local garage, it will even contribute towards the emergency labour costs.    
  • If it can’t be repaired in time for your trip you could be reimbursed your non refundable costs (Channel crossings, campsites, hotels, excursions) or it could contribute towards additional costs such as crossing amendment fees, alternative transport costs and alternative accommodation costs to allow you to continue your holiday by other means.   
French Alps. Photo by Marcus Leach

Cover while you are away: 

Medical Emergencies Abroad

  • Red Pennant can cover emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, ambulance transport, and even medical repatriation (bringing you home). 
  • Should you need to be medically repatriated we would take care of packing up and returning your car, motorhome, campervan or caravan to you safely.

Personal Belongings, Money and Travel Documents 

  • Protects your belongings, baggage, money and travel documents against loss, theft or damage whilst travelling 

Motor Breakdown in Europe  

  • If your car, motorhome, campervan or caravan were to breakdown whilst on holiday in Europe we will arrange assistance and recovery to a local garage if necessary. Our multi-lingual emergency assistance team will liaise with the recovery companies and garages and assist in managing the repair. 
  • If the vehicle can’t be fixed on the same day, you can utilise both the alternative accommodation and alternative transport benefits to allow your holiday to continue. 
  • If the vehicle can’t be repaired before your booked return date we will get you home by other means and arrange for your outfit to be transported to your home garage.

Peace of Mind

  • Knowing you're financially protected and that the Club’s Emergency Assistance Team are just a phone call away lets you enjoy your trip with less stress.
  • Travelling without the appropriate cover could be expensive.  Here are some of the average assistance costs in 2024
    • Average breakdown assistance cost - £430
    • Average onward travel and accommodation cost - £1,650
    • Average repatriation cost - £3,030
    • Average medical cost - £2,500 

In Summary

Travel insurance isn’t just an optional extra—it’s a smart, essential part of planning any trip. It protects your health, your money, and your peace of mind when the unexpected happens far from home.

 

Published July 2025

Red Pennant

Red Pennant overseas emergency assistance from the Caravan and Motorhome Club provides a range of features to keep you protected while you’re travelling across Europe. We’ve been insuring members for over 50 years, and our cover is very much tailored with members in mind. Our in-house Emergency Services Team offers 24-hour, multi-lingual support and they really understand the needs of those touring abroad with caravans and motorhomes.

Red Pennant offers three types of overseas cover:

      • Motoring Cover - European breakdown assistance.
      • Personal Cover - European travel insurance.
      • Motoring & Personal Cover - providing both European breakdown assistance and travel insurance.

Plus you can choose annual multi-trip or single-trip cover - whichever best suits your plans. 

For more information and to get a quote, visit our Red Pennant insurance page. 

Red Pennant is underwritten by Tedaisy Underwriting Limited as Underwriting Agents for Astrenska Insurance Limited. Astrenska Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority; Registered in England & Wales; Registered Number 01708613; Registered Office: Cutlers Exchange, 123 Houndsditch, London, EC3A 7BU. FCA registration number 202846.