Car insurance is downgraded when you leave UK

[Satch]

Not always the case but an increasing number of insurance companies are at it.

Mentioned this to somebody at work today and having checked his policy details was aghast: during trip through France at Easter his insurance cover for a new BMW M5 had been third party only.

You would not want to be finding that out the hard way and to top it all off he has been quoted an additional £290 to provide up to 60 days EU cover.

Car insurance is downgraded when you leave UK - Telegraph

 

[GP801]

Policies vary a lot. Our S124 has full year comprehensive cover throughout the EU. Only NFU Mutual and Stuart Collins - a broker in Swansea who uses AXA - seem to offer this. Our others with LV offer 180 days but they advise to tell them before going on the continent. Direct line and Churchill charge extra for the cover. Some also restrict the length of each trip. The message really is check before you go.

 

[gaz_l]

I've just been abroad in the Barchetta and I was careful to check that my insurers (Post Office) offered fully comprehensive cover for Europe. They do (I think 30 days max. per annum), but only if you tell them before you go.. They were fine about it, asked when I was leaving, when I was coming back and what countries I was visiting, noted it down and told me I was good to go. No "green card" necessary these days.

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[GP801]

A small tip. Try to get a copy of the European accident statement form. A blue form used throughout the EU - apart from the UK. Both parties fill it in after an accident in their own language. It will make life much easier if the worst does happen. It can be downloaded or printed off the web but your insurers should provide it if you ask

 

[st13phil]

A small tip. Try to get a copy of the European accident statement form. ... but your insurers should provide it if you ask

I agree: it's pretty much an essential document. Trouble is that lots of the direct insurers are less than willing to acknowledge that such a form even exists.

 

[corned]

I don't think 'an increasing number of insurance companies are at it'. It has never been a standard feature of UK insurance policies in general. By EU law, all insurance companies are obliged to include minimum third party cover across all member states for a max of 60 days I think, but a fully comp type of cover has always been an add-on.

Going back a few years, you always needed a green card which covered this, but since the green card fell by the wayside (probably when the EU law mentioned above came in) this minimum cover has been in place.

If you want full cover, you need to buy the add-on. There's nothing suspicious going on here.

 

[BTB 500]

It has never been a standard feature of UK insurance policies in general. By EU law, all insurance companies are obliged to include minimum third party cover across all member states for a max of 60 days I think, but a fully comp type of cover has always been an add-on.

Going back a few years, you always needed a green card which covered this, but since the green card fell by the wayside (probably when the EU law mentioned above came in) this minimum cover has been in place.

If you want full cover, you need to buy the add-on. There's nothing suspicious going on here.

Our policy with CIS (Co Op) applies across the whole of Europe. This is standard ... no add-on. We are off to Germany soon so I double-checked to make sure this hadn't changed.

But when we were insured with Direct Line a few years back it was as you say - legal minimum (3rd party) cover only outside the UK, unless you purchased an overseas extension.

 

[timskemp]

Mine doesn't cover the nordschlife

 

[Frankie]

I'm with swift at the moment. Although I understand my cover would drop to 3rd party,the way swift word it leaves you thinking you would be uninsured unless you fork out.

 

[Shude]

Mine doesn't cover the nordschlife

Explicitly mine also doesn't cover it, it's actually written on the certificate!

 

[GP801]

Our policy with CIS (Co Op) applies across the whole of Europe. This is standard ... no add-on. We are off to Germany soon so I double-checked to make sure this hadn't changed.

Thats useful to know. Do they restrict the length of each trip? Ours spends 10 months of the year outside the Uk and finding cover for that did not leave much choice.

 

[A-AvantGarde]

A small tip. Try to get a copy of the European accident statement form. A blue form used throughout the EU - apart from the UK. Both parties fill it in after an accident in their own language. It will make life much easier if the worst does happen. It can be downloaded or printed off the web but your insurers should provide it if you ask

Just looked at this and it sounds sensible, my understanding is the form provided should ideally have a carbon copy so that both parties retain the same information.

A quick web search shows some PDF's (in multiple languages), disadvantage is that you would need to fill out the form twice:

Accident report multilingual


This firm offer printed copies (although doesn't appear to support multiple languages which is a shame)

Lonsdale Print Solutions Online Shop

 

[A210AMG]

Always worth ringing to check.

I always check ours is the same level as it is in the UK have the green card etc

Its just not worth being under insured.

 

[BTB 500]

Thats useful to know. Do they restrict the length of each trip? Ours spends 10 months of the year outside the Uk and finding cover for that did not leave much choice.

Checking the CIS website the unlimited European cover only seems to apply to 'commercial vehicles'. So maybe it's a loophole ... our Vito is insured with them as personal use only (which is all we use it for).

For cars it seems you have to pay £15 a year, which covers you for up to 90 days at a time abroad.

 

[GP801]

Just looked at this and it sounds sensible, my understanding is the form provided should ideally have a carbon copy so that both parties retain the same information.

A quick web search shows some PDF's (in multiple languages), disadvantage is that you would need to fill out the form twice:

Accident report multilingual


This firm offer printed copies (although doesn't appear to support multiple languages which is a shame)

Lonsdale Print Solutions Online Shop

Yes the genuine article has a duplicate. This is what your insurer should provide. At least if you have an english download you will know what you are signing should you be involved in an accident.
Even when you are not at fault it can be very difficult proving it and getting back your excess/expenses. Our sons 300e-24 was writtten off in valencia by a drunk driver running a red light. 2 years on there was no sign of a resolution. His insurers - Direct line - were very good and paid it all themselves as they felt he would have won had it gone to court in Spain. I guess it would have cost them far more to pursue the other driver than pay out his excess.