Full green card insurance

[W1TAK]

Ive received one quote only from Stuart Collins for my UK registered car that i intend mostly using in Europe. I don't want to register the car abroad so its a special type of cover i need. I am sure there must be other companies that do this cover, for example for UK residents whom have long term holiday homes and use car mostly abroad?

I am actually based in Czech Republic and return to the UK occasionally.

If anyone can recommend another good broker pls let me know.

PS. Car is Porsche GT2, so value is north of 48k so certain companies wont touch it due to value!

Thanks
W1TAK

[Mandat]

Can you not insure it with a Czech insurance company?

[nipsips]

Most UK insurers will only allow you to insure the car abroad for a certain period of time - depends on the specific policy.

[mikef]

At one time I did it through GRE, sadly no longer in existence. May be worth checking these out: http://www.money.co.uk/car-insurance/unlimited-eur...

[Roo]

Register and insure the car where it resides.

[Denis O]

SAGA are the only mainstream UK insurer that will give you 365 days cover. LV will do 183 or similar and that's your lot. Specialist in this sort of cover are very few and very expensive.

Notwithstanding the insurance issues you will also have to abide by the import of foreign car restrictions which usually is a maximum of 6 months before needing to register the car in the foreign country.

United States of Europe eh What a crock. Do you really think a guy who lives in Belgium doesn't travel, unhindered, in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Holland etc, etc.

[Dog Star]

Denis O said:

United States of Europe eh What a crock. Do you really think a guy who lives in Belgium doesn't travel, unhindered, in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Holland etc, etc.

This "green card" issue is a real bugbear of mine; everywhere else in Europe you insure your car and it's cover extends all over Europe. Of course come to the UK and there's all sorts of pissing about in many cases - even mainstream insurers like Privilege still charging for them (I thought this kind of thing died out years ago)

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Denis O said:

United States of Europe eh What a crock. Do you really think a guy who lives in Belgium doesn't travel, unhindered, in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Holland etc, etc.

Not really the same thing is it? If you live in N Ireland you can travel down to the south unhindered. It's a land border with a foreign country who drive on the same side of the road as us. As per your Belgian driver going to Germany.

The reason UK insurers are nervous over continental European use is because their statistics must tell them there is something to be nervous about. They aren't charging extra or imposing restrictions out of spite.

If there was no difference in the risk, then the smart insurer would offer unlimited EU cover at no extra cost and clean up on all the business. There's obviously a reason why they don't want the business.

[egomeister]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Not really the same thing is it? If you live in N Ireland you can travel down to the south unhindered. It's a land border with a foreign country who drive on the same side of the road as us. As per your Belgian driver going to Germany.

The reason UK insurers are nervous over continental European use is because their statistics must tell them there is something to be nervous about. They aren't charging extra or imposing restrictions out of spite.

If there was no difference in the risk, then the smart insurer would offer unlimited EU cover at no extra cost and clean up on all the business. There's obviously a reason why they don't want the business.

That's always the excuse with insurance... "there must be a reason"

My policy covers me for 56 days continuous abroad. I'd suggest that if I didn't have an accident in those 56 days, it's likely that the chance of me having one after then is much reduced given I'd clearly have demonstrated some competence for driving on the wrong side of the road.

Euro insurance is an absolute ball ache. My work takes me to the continent at 3-6 months at a time which is both longer than you can easily get cover for on a UK policy and shorter than you'd want to go through the hassle and cost of insuring locally. If anyone else has any suggestions of insurers that deal with this type of cover then I'm all ears!

[Denis O]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Denis O said:

United States of Europe eh What a crock. Do you really think a guy who lives in Belgium doesn't travel, unhindered, in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Holland etc, etc.

Not really the same thing is it? If you live in N Ireland you can travel down to the south unhindered. It's a land border with a foreign country who drive on the same side of the road as us. As per your Belgian driver going to Germany.

The reason UK insurers are nervous over continental European use is because their statistics must tell them there is something to be nervous about. They aren't charging extra or imposing restrictions out of spite.

If there was no difference in the risk, then the smart insurer would offer unlimited EU cover at no extra cost and clean up on all the business. There's obviously a reason why they don't want the business.

So based on that logic a UK insurer would be fine with me trailering my car to Cyprus and then driving it, unhindered for a year.........not.

SAGA do give 365 days a year and don't charge extra so I guess they clean up to a certain extent.

[mikef]

Denis O said:

SAGA do give 365 days a year and don't charge extra so I guess they clean up to a certain extent.

Unless the OP is under 50 - or fronting on his gran's insurance

[Dog Star]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

They aren't charging extra or imposing restrictions out of spite.

I wouldn't be too sure.

I've worked in the insurance sector for a few years (motor and home) and I think that it must be one of the least "progressive" (ie. old fashioned) industries going, even down to the office work practices. I think they're just behind the times with certain things.

Another example - Privilege insurance. 3 days foreign cover. Free. 4 days cover £27. Can you email it? No, they don't send or receive email. They can fax certificates: £9.

Seriously - wtf? It's 2014 and that is how up to date one of the UKs biggest insurers are. Bonkers!

[CraigyMc]

How odd.

My Swiftcover (ie. AXA) policy certificate certifies me for the minimum legal cover in the UK outside of the UK (plus non-EU places like Norway and Switzerland), but doesn't put any limitations on the duration of that cover.

For the "non-minimum" (ie. Comprehensive cover) bit, it's up to 72 hours abroad unless I pay more.

I believe it's legal to drive my UK car abroad with 3rd-party equivalent for as long as I like as far as the insurer is concerned. The countries I'd be driving in would probably want the car registered there if it was in one country for a while (I think in the UK it's a year for foreign cars).

Policy Certificate said:

This certificate of motor insurance takes the place of an International Motor Insurance Card (green card) and is evidence that the insurance extends to include the compulsory motor insurance requirements of any member country of the European Union, Andorra, Croatia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland

I guess with a GT2 OP wants comprehensive cover anyway.

[mikef]

CraigyMc said:

My Swiftcover (ie. AXA) policy certificate certifies me for the minimum legal cover in the UK outside of the UK (plus non-EU places like Norway and Switzerland), but doesn't put any limitations on the duration of that cover.

I'd check the small print. My AXA policies state that I must be resident in the UK for 270 days in the year, I have to notify trips online in advance on the AXA website and they are limited to 60 days a year. Of course, none of this matters until you ask them to pay out.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Denis O said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Denis O said:

United States of Europe eh What a crock. Do you really think a guy who lives in Belgium doesn't travel, unhindered, in France, Germany, Luxembourg, Holland etc, etc.

Not really the same thing is it? If you live in N Ireland you can travel down to the south unhindered. It's a land border with a foreign country who drive on the same side of the road as us. As per your Belgian driver going to Germany.

The reason UK insurers are nervous over continental European use is because their statistics must tell them there is something to be nervous about. They aren't charging extra or imposing restrictions out of spite.

If there was no difference in the risk, then the smart insurer would offer unlimited EU cover at no extra cost and clean up on all the business. There's obviously a reason why they don't want the business.

So based on that logic a UK insurer would be fine with me trailering my car to Cyprus and then driving it, unhindered for a year.........not.

SAGA do give 365 days a year and don't charge extra so I guess they clean up to a certain extent.

I was speculating on the thinking behind it. I don't know the reasoning. But insurance is a business, and it's very competitive. The fact that so many insurers aren't happy with prolonged foreign use must be for a reason. If the risk was no more, then they would do it and clean up.

Insurers do not charge extra for cover or refuse risks out of spite. Actuaries are not idiots. There is a reason for it. And it must be higher claims costs, or admin costs in dealing with claims abroad, or both, or a third or forth reason.

[Dog Star]

CraigyMc said:

y Swiftcover (ie. AXA) policy certificate certifies me for the minimum legal cover in the UK outside of the UK (plus non-EU places like Norway and Switzerland), but doesn't put any limitations on the duration of that cover.

For the "non-minimum" (ie. Comprehensive cover) bit, it's up to 72 hours abroad unless I pay more.

That's normal. *ALL* motor policies are required, by law, to provide the minimum level of cover within the EU (usually TPO). It's extending the cover that you can get gouged for.

[CraigyMc]

mikef said:

CraigyMc said:

My Swiftcover (ie. AXA) policy certificate certifies me for the minimum legal cover in the UK outside of the UK (plus non-EU places like Norway and Switzerland), but doesn't put any limitations on the duration of that cover.

I'd check the small print. My AXA policies state that I must be resident in the UK for 270 days in the year, I have to notify trips online in advance on the AXA website and they are limited to 60 days a year. Of course, none of this matters until you ask them to pay out.

I've checked my small print and there's nothing like that in it.
As has been noted by others, the "extend your cover" thing is only to extend your cover from the 3rd party minimum up to the level you have in the UK (usually comprehensive).

You don't actually needto tell swiftcover you're going abroad at all, if all you want is 3rd party (legal minimum) cover while abroad. Your insurance certificate is a green card substitute for that purpose.

[sparkyhx]

are we talking the same thing here?

Every company I have gone with gives basic compulsory 'Green Card' insurance i.e. just 3rd party (usually with restricted time limit) and I've never had to pay for that

However if I want to cover my car that's a whole different ball game.

Edited by sparkyhx on Friday 30th May 12:26

[Motorrad]

NFU mutual provides cover as standard that includes European use with no time limits.

[Steve H]

I have access to a policy which is for UK registered cars which are kept at an EU address (Think Holiday home in France, UK car kept there all year round by its UK resident owners and only brought back to UK for MOT etc)