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Carnet de passage UK: RAC withdraws bank guarantee Carnet de passage UK: RAC withdraws bank guarantee
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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
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  #1  
Old 8 Jan 2013
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Carnet de passage UK: RAC withdraws bank guarantee
Quick update on the carnet de passage in the UK:

This cropped up on another part of the Hubb but it is worth mentioning here - the RAC has just withdrawn the bank guarantee option. Reason given was that banks were wanting to specify their own terms rather than accept the RAC legal wording.

This makes the whole idea even more frustrating because the only 2 options now are the insurance indemnity or the refundable deposit (only to a max. of £10,000). So they are virtually forcing people to go down the expensive insurance route. The whole thing stinks in my view and there is little incentive for the normally law-abiding traveller to enter into such a costly and one-sided proposition. I had quite a heated "discussion" with the RAC this morning on this. I spoke to my bank and I can get quite a good deal on a bank guarantee which turns out to be much cheaper than the insurance route. I will persevere with the RAC and see what can be done.
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  #2  
Old 8 Jan 2013
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I'd be interested to know how you get on.

I find the excuse about the banks wanting to change the wording a bit odd. The bank is counter-indemnified by you in exactly the same terms as the guarantee given to the RAC so as long as it feels it has sufficient financial cover I doubt it would be too concerned.

Can you get confirmation from your bank that they will accept the RAC's standard guarantee wording? If so, it's difficult to see what the RAC's objection could be.

If they insist on this line then they should at least increase the limit on the deposit they will accept. I've never understood the reason for this ceiling.

In practical terms this could scupper people who want to cross Egypt and therefore need cover for 800% of their vehicle value. If I had had to go down the insurance route for my 3 year trip rather than the bank guarantee it would have cost me a fortune.
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Old 9 Jan 2013
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I agree with your comments Itchy and yes, the insurance route could be very expensive. Am still persevering with the RAC although they seem to have been rather busy during the last two days! Paul Gowen is the man to talk to and have left messages for him. Will post a further update once I finally speak to him.
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Old 9 Jan 2013
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I understood Paul had left the department.

Margaret
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Old 9 Jan 2013
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Certainly in 2010 the legal department of my bank were not happy with the RAC wording about the guarentee of money to be paid by the bank should the money need to be paid.
The bit concerned was the Customs and Excise valuation. In the very small print is says something like " Customs and Excise" can value the vehicle themselves to what the think the vehicle is worth. To the bank that seemed to say that a vehicle valued at £3,000 meant nothing as C+E could ask for more money from the bank than had been deposited.

It was sorted then and we got our carnet after we signed an indemnification for the bank.

I can see this being the end of our trips to Africa as no way can we afford the insurance route.


MIKE
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  #6  
Old 9 Jan 2013
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Was there not some discussion on the HUBB a few years ago about UK riders/drivers getting carnets through ADAC, I'll look for it later but as of now here in sunny Colombia it's time for a leisurely lunch at a beach bar. Ride safe.
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  #7  
Old 24 Jun 2013
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It will be interesting to see your two quotes, one from rac and other from aaa to see what is cheaper/ best value for money.

Remember Rac do rough estimate valuations not book prices so give your estimate as if the bike has come back from a big trip with epic mileage and scratched to buggery ( as I like my bikes, not men ;-) ).
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Old 25 Jun 2013
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"interesting. 70% of bank guarantees not paying out...

how many overland vehicles do not make it 'home' or as a final import into final country"

Read Fern's comment above with interest - could this apply to those vehicles (of all types) being driven down and either "stored" , sold or dumped.

Another instance of those of us doing the right thing paying over the odds for it.

Margaret
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Old 22 Jul 2013
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I've got a motorbike and I got a carnet thru the ADAC for a Dutch registered motorbike for trip thru Africa in 2010.
No hassles at all.
They have a deal that because the Dutch AA does not issue carnet's then ADAC will.

I didn't use a bank guarantee: I gave a deposit of Euro 3,000. ADAC's prices and requirements for deposits etc are really reasonable. Nice people too. If you go to Munich you can even get it same day.

I've heard all sorts of bad stories about the RAC and carnets. I'm in UK now and will try my best to avoid them next trip.

But I think you REALLY want a carnet for an African trip, especially if it goes thru Egypt. Egypt customs is HORRIFIC, even if you have a carnet. If you decide not to get one and want to go thru Egypt then you need to REALLY make sure of how to do it.

I wonder if it's worth complaining to the Swiss company that runs the carnet system about the RAC. The AA's in each country only administer it for this company.
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Old 26 Jul 2013
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Boo Hoo to RAC
Hi everyone
I have been travelling from UK to Iran and back on my bike and car for nearly 20 years with
relative ease and using Carnet obtained from RAC, going down the Bankers Guarantee route.
Paul Gown of RAC had been very helpful. (We want him back). This year to my shock I found out that I have to fork out nearly £3500 cost! This is extortionate by any standard! I guess RAC now have the "monopoly" on Carnet. Perhaps time for the monopolys commission to look into it.
I have decided to write to the Iranian supreme leader and explain the situation in the hope maybe they will take it on board and make life a bit easier for fellow overland travellers. (Keep you posted of the outcome).
As for me, this time, I am taking a risk and going mid-august with no Carnet. I think I will get better treatment from Iranian border custom officials than RAC.
In the mean time I have to say, will not buy or use any RAC products, and make sure no one I know will do so either.
Regards Hibble.
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  #11  
Old 22 Jul 2013
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Any idea why the RAC have taken this stupid decision? Is it just a way of making more money? Isn't this something we need to take action on? Protest en masse? Lobby MPs?
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Old 21 Aug 2013
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After 3 emails over the last 2 weeks, I finally got confirmation from the RAC that they had received my CDP the first week in May ! They have assured me that my refund is on it's way, let's see !
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Old 26 Jul 2013
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Kind of agree, Hibble, the RAC have getting progressively worse for many years now. I gave up on their recovery stuff a while ago and now this Carnet stuff means I doubt they'll be getting any more custom from me.

There must be something we can do en masse to fight this.
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Old 31 Jul 2013
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RAC, refund delays ?
Hey, just wondered if any other people are currently trying to get their money back using the insurance indemnity?
RAC confirmed they received the carnet back on the 1st june and after about 4 weeks I got the RAC 350 portion back but they say they are experiencing delays on the insurance refunds as a result of changing procedures!!
How long does it normally take to get your money back?
Cheers all
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  #15  
Old 1 Aug 2013
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I'm about to send mine back so I'll be watching this thread closely...
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