Insurance. Incidents abroad

asking for a friend! Really. 

motorhome hit while it was parked legally and "safely" by a nutter in Spain. The culprit was sober and just daft. Also fully insured. Nevertheless weeks later my pals vehicle sits in a garage awaiting parts (not an AS) His insurance company have been rather vague on the European travel deal although paid for 1 week car hire. Im about to renew with Caravan Guard, same premium pretty much as last year. Does anyone have good or bad experience of incidents abroad and insurers' performance?

I don't drive abroad so can't comment directly on that point. However, you don't say whether the MH sits in a garage back in this country or Spain.  Whilst geographical location of the vehicle awaiting repair may have some part to play in the acquisition of replacement parts to carry out the repair, their availability will generally be beyond the control of the insurer and indeed may even be beyond the control of the garage carrying out the repair.  If they are having to wait for parts from the MH converter, as opposed to the base vehicle manufacturer, especially if they have to be shipped out to Spain from say the UK, then it can take time.  Further, the converter of the MH may not carry stocks of the relevant parts if the MH is of some antiquity.

This situation can apply regardless of how good the actual insurer is at authorising repairs although I would expect them to intervene and try to expedite parts if the delay was dragging on too long.

One other point.  Your reference to the insurer paying for a week's car hire seems a little odd as generally hire cars would not be covered by a standard comprehensive motor policy. It may be that he is not dealing there with an actual insurer but a claims management company who have hired the vehicle out in the hope they can pursue an inflated claim against the culprit's insurers for credit hire.  If this is the case, repairs are likely to take much longer than dealing with the actual insurer direct.