Breakdown during the trip
In this article, you will learn what to do if the Traveller experiences a breakdown during their trip.
The first step is to make sure the Traveller is ok.
The next step is to identify the issue and troubleshoot with the Traveller. Ask the Traveller to describe the issue and send photos or videos. Perhaps the problem is user error or a small issue that can be resolved with some guidance from you. If the issue cannot be resolved remotely, you can find some useful information below.
Notify Goboony Support
Our team may need to make administrative changes to the booking, so it is important to notify Goboony Support as soon as possible if there is an issue with the vehicle that cannot be repaired right away.
➤ United Kingdom – Goboony Day Insurance provided by Riverside ⌄
The vehicle can be repaired at a local garage
If the roadside assistance technician has diagnosed an issue that can be repaired at a local garage within 24 hours, the vehicle and Travellers can be towed to the garage to fix the problem and continue with their trip. You may wish to offer a small refund to the Traveller for the inconvenience as a gesture of goodwill.
The vehicle requires further diagnosis and needs to be recovered to the Owner
If the vehicle requires further diagnosis or has an issue that cannot be repaired quickly, roadside assistance can recover the vehicle and all Travellers to the handover location.
If roadside assistance has advised long waits for vehicle recovery, it is possible for the vehicle to be returned without the Travellers. The following steps should be followed if the Travellers will not accompany the vehicle.
- The Owner and Traveller should agree on a safe place to leave the vehicle keys
- The vehicle should be towed to a safe location, for example, a free car park
- The vehicle should be locked, and photos of its location sent to the Owner
Information on refunds to the Traveller
If the vehicle has issues that cannot be repaired and the Traveller cannot continue their trip through no fault of their own, they are entitled to a refund of the hire fee for the nights that they were unable to use the vehicle as intended. The easiest and safest way to refund the Traveller is via a direct bank transfer. Goboony will also refund the service fee for the unused nights of the trip.
If the Traveller has purchased Rental Cover Excess Insurance for their trip, support must be notified as soon as it becomes apparent the trip can no longer continue. Support will adjust the booking to trigger a refund for the unused days of excess insurance.
If Goboony Riverside Insurance is present on the booking, unfortunately we cannot trigger a refund for unused days. Goboony insurance policies are non refundable after the start date has passed.
What can the Traveller do next if the vehicle cannot be repaired?
If the vehicle cannot be repaired, the Traveller has a few options.
- Return to the handover location with the roadside assistance recovery
- Continue their trip without the assistance of Goboony
- Continue their trip with the assistance of Goboony. Goboony Support may be able to assist in sourcing a replacement vehicle close to the breakdown location. Payment must be made by the Traveller for the replacement vehicle in advance of receiving any refund from you for the lost days of their trip. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee the availability of a replacement vehicle for the Traveller.
➤ Netherlands – Goboony Day Insurance provided by ⌄
The vehicle can be repaired at a local garage
If the roadside assistance technician has diagnosed an issue that can be repaired at a local garage within 4 working days, the vehicle and travellers can be towed to the garage to fix the problem and continue with their trip. You may wish to offer a small refund to the Traveller for the inconvenience as a gesture of goodwill.
The vehicle requires further diagnosis and needs to be recovered to the Owner (drop down)
If the vehicle requires further diagnosis or has an issue that cannot be repaired within 4 working days, roadside assistance can recover the vehicle and all travellers to the handover location.
It is important that the Traveller takes photos of all parts of the vehicle to document its current condition in case any damage is discovered later.
Information on refunds to the Traveller
If the vehicle has issues that cannot be repaired and the Traveller cannot continue their trip through no fault of their own, they are entitled to a refund of the hire fee for the nights that they were unable to use the vehicle as intended, but only if the insurance has not provided a replacement vehicle or accommodation. The easiest and safest way to refund the Traveller is via a direct bank transfer. Goboony will also refund the service fee for the unused nights of the trip.
If the Traveller has purchased Rental Cover Excess Insurance for their trip, support must be notified as soon as it becomes apparent the trip can no longer continue. Support will adjust the booking to trigger a refund for the unused days of excess insurance.
If Goboony IptiQ Insurance is present on the booking, unfortunately, we cannot trigger a refund for unused days. Goboony insurance policies are non-refundable after the start date has passed.
What can the Traveller do next if the vehicle cannot be repaired?
If the vehicle cannot be repaired, the Traveller has a few options.
- Return home with the roadside assistance recovery
- Continue their trip without the assistance of Goboony
- Continue their trip with the assistance of Goboony. Goboony Support may be able to assist in sourcing a replacement vehicle close to the breakdown location. Payment must be made by the Traveller for the replacement vehicle in advance of receiving any refund from you for the lost days of their trip. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee the availability of a replacement vehicle for the Traveller.
➤ Belgium – Goboony Day Insurance provided by ⌄
The vehicle can be repaired at a local garage
If the roadside assistance technician has diagnosed an issue that can be repaired at a local garage within 5 days, the vehicle and Travellers can be towed to the garage to fix the problem and continue with their trip. You may wish to offer a small refund to the Traveller for the inconvenience as a gesture of goodwill.
The vehicle requires further diagnosis and needs to be recovered to the Owner (drop down)
If the vehicle requires further diagnosis or has an issue that cannot be repaired within 5 days, roadside assistance can recover the vehicle and all travellers to the handover location.
It is important that the Traveller takes photos of all parts of the vehicle to document its current condition in case any damage is discovered later.
Information on refunds to the Traveller
If the vehicle has issues that cannot be repaired and the Traveller cannot continue their trip through no fault of their own, they are entitled to a refund of the hire fee for the nights that they were unable to use the vehicle as intended, but only if the insurance has not provided a replacement vehicle or accommodation. The easiest and safest way to refund the Traveller is via a direct bank transfer. Goboony will also refund the service fee for the unused nights of the trip.
If the Traveller has purchased Rental Cover Excess Insurance for their trip, support must be notified as soon as it becomes apparent the trip can no longer continue. Support will adjust the booking to trigger a refund for the unused days of excess insurance.
If Goboony Vivium Insurance is present on the booking, unfortunately, we cannot trigger a refund for unused days. Goboony insurance policies are non-refundable after the start date has passed.
What can the Traveller do next if the vehicle cannot be repaired?
If the vehicle cannot be repaired, the Traveller has a few options.
- Return home with the roadside assistance recovery
- Continue their trip without the assistance of Goboony
- Continue their trip with the assistance of Goboony. Goboony Support may be able to assist in sourcing a replacement vehicle close to the breakdown location. Payment must be made by the Traveller for the replacement vehicle in advance of receiving any refund from you for the lost days of their trip. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee the availability of a replacement vehicle for the Traveller.
➤ Germany – Goboony Day Insurance provided by ⌄
The vehicle can be repaired at a local garage
If roadside assistance determines that the vehicle issue cannot be resolved on-site, it will be towed to a garage for a full diagnosis. The repair process follows these steps:
- Technical assessment – A mechanic will diagnose the issue and provide a written estimate of repair time.
- Time-based decision – If repairs take less than 3 days, the vehicle will be repaired, and the Travellers can continue their trip.
You may wish to offer a small refund to the Traveller for the inconvenience as a gesture of goodwill.
The vehicle requires further diagnosis and needs to be recovered to the Owner
If the vehicle cannot be repaired quickly, Travellers can only leave the vehicle at a garage if:
- The repair time exceeds 3 days.
- Their booking ends before the estimated repair is completed.
In this case, Travellers must contact the breakdown service, which will assess the situation and provide instructions on how to proceed.
Allianz may also cover additional costs such as:
- A replacement vehicle for the Traveller.
- Overnight accommodation if the repair requires an extended stay.
- Storage fees at the garage if the vehicle cannot be moved immediately.
The Traveller must contact the breakdown service directly to check if they are eligible for these costs. If they arrange towing, repairs, or accommodation on their own, Allianz may not reimburse these expenses. To avoid unexpected costs, it’s important that they follow the official process.
Owner's right to claim vehicle recovery expenses
If the vehicle is immobilised for more than 3 days, Allianz may cover the cost of transporting the vehicle from its storage location to its regular location. The breakdown service will assess the situation and provide instructions on how to proceed.
Information on refunds to the Traveller
If the vehicle has issues that cannot be repaired and the Traveller cannot continue their trip through no fault of their own, they are entitled to a refund of the hire fee for the nights that they were unable to use the vehicle as intended. The easiest and safest way to refund the Traveller is via a direct bank transfer. Goboony will also refund the service fee for the unused nights of the trip.
If the Traveller has purchased Rental Cover Excess Insurance for their trip, support must be notified as soon as it becomes apparent that the trip can no longer continue. Support will adjust the booking to trigger a refund for the unused days of excess insurance.
If a Traveller requests additional compensation beyond what is outlined, the Owner can contact Goboony Support for advice, but Goboony does not mediate compensation claims beyond hire refunds and service fees.
What can the Traveller do next if the vehicle cannot be repaired?
If the vehicle cannot be repaired, the Traveller has a few options:
- End the trip and return home: For cost coverage, it’s important for the Traveller to stay in contact with the breakdown service.
- Continue their trip without the assistance of Goboony
- Continue their trip with the assistance of Goboony: Goboony Support may be able to assist in sourcing a replacement vehicle close to the breakdown location. Payment must be made by the Traveller for the replacement vehicle in advance of receiving any refund from you for the lost days of their trip. While we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee the availability of a replacement vehicle for the Traveller.
➤ Italy – Goboony Day Insurance provided by Bene Insurance ⌄
The vehicle can be repaired at a local garage
If roadside assistance determines that the issue cannot be fixed on-site, the vehicle will be towed to a local garage for a full assessment. The repair process follows these steps:
- Technical assessment: A mechanic will diagnose the issue and provide a written estimate of repair time.
- Time-based decision:
- If repairs take less than 8 hours (Italy) or less than 5 working days (abroad), the vehicle will be repaired and the travellers can continue their trip.
- If repair time exceeds these thresholds, refer to the next section.
The vehicle requires further diagnosis and cannot be repaired
If the vehicle cannot be repaired quickly, travellers can only leave the vehicle at a garage if:
- The repair time exceeds 36 hours in Italy or 5 days abroad.
- Their booking ends before the estimated repair is completed.
In such cases, travellers can return home using the covered transport options or continue their trip if they prefer at their insurance expense.
Owner's right to claim vehicle recovery expenses
If the vehicle is immobilised for more than 36 hours in Italy, and it has been repaired and is driveable, IMA will reimburse the Owner up to €500 for a one-way ticket (train 1st class or economy flight) to retrieve the vehicle .
If the vehicle is immobilised abroad for more than 5 working days, IMA will arrange for repatriation to Italy, covering the transport costs up to the commercial value of the vehicle after the damage .
Information on refunds to the Traveller
If the vehicle has issues that cannot be repaired and the Traveller cannot continue their trip through no fault of their own, they are entitled to a refund of the hire fee for the nights that they were unable to use the vehicle as intended. The easiest and safest way to refund the Traveller is via a direct bank transfer.
If the Traveller has purchased Rental Cover Excess Insurance for their trip, support must be notified as soon as it becomes apparent that the trip can no longer continue. Support will adjust the booking to trigger a refund for the unused days of excess insurance.
If a Traveller requests additional compensation beyond what is outlined, the Owner can contact Goboony Support for advice, but Goboony does not mediate compensation claims beyond a hire refund.
What can the Traveller do next if the vehicle cannot be repaired?
If the vehicle cannot be repaired, the Traveller must contact IMA Italia Assistance to receive authorisation for any further assistance.
The Traveller can choose only one of the following options, up to a total limit of €600 per claim:
- Return home: IMA will provide a flight (economy class) or train ticket (first class) for the Traveller to return to their residence.
- Continue their trip: Transport to the original destination may be arranged via aeroplane (economy class) or train (first class).
- Hotel accommodation: IMA will cover up to €150 per person, with a total limit of €600 per claim. This option is only available if the repair time is short and the Traveller chooses to wait.
Additional Options:
- Replacement vehicle: If the estimated repair time exceeds 8 hours of labour, IMA can provide a replacement hire car (up to 1,600 cc) for a maximum of 7 days. This option can be combined with either the return home or trip continuation options, but not with hotel accommodation.