RV echange : what to do in case of a breakdown ?

That’s it, you are going along the French coasts with the recreational vehicle that you borrowed from another individual. You enjoy the landscape and there, you break down ! This type of incident can happen and in order not to impact your vacation too much, we give you the best practices to follow to experience this type of event in a serene way !

What if the RV breaks down during an exchange ?

1. Notify the lender

Your borrowed recreational vehicle just broke down and after studying all the possibilities that come to your mind, you cannot get the RV to restart. Therefore, we recommend that you first contact the owner who is lending you the vehicle in order to inform them of the incident. You will be able to give them the circumstances and all the details concerning the unfortunate event.

2. Follow the lender’s instructions as to the procedure to follow

The vehicle has to be insured when exchanging an RV. It is not your responsability to take out insurance when you arrive, but for the lender to provide you with an already insured vehicle. The owner will then contact their insurance to find out the different steps to follow or if they already know the procedure, will inform you directly. It may be up to you to contact insurance. You can take a look at the different information you will find on the vehicle insurance certificate. There, you will find the contact details of the insurance company, which, once online, will tell you how to proceed.

What are the most common RV breakdowns ?

We consider that there are several types of breakdowns and they are often different depending on the type and size of the RV concerned (van, motorhome, etc.). These failures can be mechanical such as a burst tire or a cut in the immobilizer. They can also be electrical, like power failures in the cell of a motorhome or a dead battery. There are also gas failures or equipment breakdowns.

The causes may be due to the hard climatic conditions of the country in which you are located (extreme cold or heat can put a strain on the vehicle), the age of the vehicle or other external factors. But be careful, very often, breakdowns are due to careless mistakes : poor choice of fuel, lights or headlights left on which exhaust the battery … You must therefore remain vigilant to avoid vehicle breakdowns as much as possible and make sure you’ll spend your holidays without problem.

How to avoid an RV breakdown during an exchange ?

Whether you are a lender or a borrower and before any vehicle exchange, SwapTheRoad advises you to take some time to discuss, using the platform’s messaging system or directly by phone. This way, you can clarify all the information concerning the insurance guarantees and the steps to follow in the event of an incident in order to leave with peace of mind or to leave your vehicle in complete confidence.

If you own the vehicle and to put the odds in your favor so that the vehicle does not break down during the exchange, you can also :

• Clean your RV inside and out

• Check the levels: brake fluid, oil level, coolant, charged battery …

• Check the tire pressure

Basically, consider loaning your vehicle in perfect working order, as if you were going on a trip yourself. You can even have it checked by a garage near you before handing over the keys to make sure there are no issues to report. You can ask the garage for a certificate or a document summarizing what has been checked and which confirms that your vehicle is in good working order. Note that SwapTheRoad provides you with the departure and arrival inventory documents with inventory of interior equipment. If you are a Premium member, it is on the basis of these documents that your security deposit is returned.

But breakdowns are often unpredictable and to make it easier for your borrowers in the event of an incident, we also recommend that you equip your RV with fluorescent vests, for example, a road map and a traffic sign.

What are the SwapTheRoad guarantees for serene RV
exchanges ?

The community members of SwapTheRoad have all the opportunity to be certified for safety, transparency and trust when swapping vehicles. Indeed, their identity is verified as well as the added vehicle(s).

To loan a vehicle on loan to other individuals, an RV owner has the option of providing the necessary documents for its verification. At registration, there is no obligation to provide the certificate of insurance and registration, but these two documents can be provided along with the driver’s license in order to become a certified member. Before validating the exchange or when handing over the keys, do not hesitate to request verification of these documents from the owner of the RV.

To avoid unpleasant surprises, a lender must above all validate certain information with his insurance company before adding their vehicle on the platform. They must check that their contract authorizes them to lend their vehicle to a foreign third party and to request it if this is not the case. They also have to ensure what is maintained in terms of guarantees when lending their recreational vehicle.

Note that SwapTheRoad offers additional insurance for owners wishing to benefit from optimal coverage. This service is offered as part of the Premium subscription. The platform also offers to manage a deposit and a franchise on behalf of the owner, in order to best secure the loan of the vehicle. This is a real financial guarantee in the event of an incident as a breakdown.

Who has to pay if the RV breakdown requires
repairs ?

In normal times, the classic maintenance and the good working order of the recreational vehicle must obviously be ensured by the owner.

In the event that the breakdown of the vehicle is due to misuse or mistreatment by the borrower, it will be up to them to pay the bill.

With a Premium subscription, SwapTheRoad offers the owner to reimburse the excess (part of the amount up to its entirety). If, on the other hand, the borrower is at the origin of the breakdown and the amount to be paid is greater than the deductible that the owner is supposed to pay, the borrower must pay the full amount.