Car Insurance for Overseas Travel

With spring approaching many of us are keen to cast away the shadows of winter and make plans for our summer breaks. For an increasing number in the UK, that will involve ferry travel to France or Belgium where they can effectively pack their car up and take it with them.

There is a lot to be said for the joys of overseas motoring where you can view some spectacular scenery, cruise along a coastline or just quickly transport yourself from city to city. However, there are also a number of potential bumps on the road. As you’re driving in unfamiliar territory, and usually on a different side of the road, you are more prone to accidents and car insurance claims. However, your insurer may not offer the cover you were expecting should a claim be necessary.

What car insurance cover is available for overseas driving?

Most car insurance providers include a ‘green card’ as part of their policies, although it is no longer a legal requirement. The green card, which can be requested from most insurers, merely indicates that you have the minimum level of cover in place to legally drive in the European Union (EU).

If your insurer only offers a green card within its policy then this means that even if you have a comprehensive policy for UK driving you will only get the equivalent of a third party policy while overseas. This will cover any damage to other vehicles that you are involved in an accident with, as well as injuries to third parties. However, it will not cover any injuries you sustain or any damage to your car.

For more extensive coverage you will usually have to pay an additional premium to an insurance provider. Most companies now offer cover for overseas driving for a limited number of days – typically 90 days maximum – as an optional extra. You should check the terms and conditions of this cover before accepting it as an add-on to ensure that you have the same cover while away as you do at home.

In particular it’s worth looking out for the length of time you’re covered for; whether you will still receive options such as a courtesy car in the event of an accident; whether it covers the costs of transporting your vehicle back to the UK; and whether you are covered for personal injuries and treatments in overseas hospitals.

It’s also worth looking for European breakdown cover too, which many car insurance providers also offer for additional premiums. Even if drivers have upgraded their insurance cover, they should still look for roadside assistance in the event of a breakdown and the opportunity to have emergency repairs dealt with on the spot as dealing with overseas garages could prove to be a hassle.

How can you avoid overseas car insurance claims?

While it’s important to equip yourself with thorough car insurance cover just in case, in an ideal world you won’t suffer an accident and so can avoid making an expensive claim that could wipe out your no-claims discount and bump up your renewal quote.

As such you should take steps to ensure you’re well prepared for overseas driving.

Familiarise yourself with road signs and also look into the legal limits for alcohol in the blood in foreign countries. For example, in France, the legal alcohol limit is 50mg in every 100mg compared to 80mg in the UK. If drivers are found to be over the limit they face fines, having their licences confiscated and even time in prison.

Be aware of changing speed limits, particularly when moving from a fast country road through to a village. The speed limit can drop sharply from around 90km/h to 50km/h with only the village “welcome” sign as a warning.

In case of a breakdown it is now law to wear a high visibility jacket as well as carry a warning triangle. The jacket must be worn when you exit the vehicle following a breakdown while the warning triangle must be placed at least 30 metres from the vehicle – if you break any of these rules you could face on-the-spot fines.

How much will overseas car insurance cost?

Generally you will have to pay extra to secure comprehensive car insurance cover overseas. However, you can drive down these costs if you following a few money saving tips.

For example, if you fit security devices to your car, park in a garage at night, pay your premiums annually instead of monthly and increase your voluntary excess you could quickly save enough money to cover the additional cost of European cover. Make sure you compare car insurance online too, to ensure you’re getting a competitive deal.