Insured to drive in France?
Insured to drive in France?
Author
Discussion

SpartacusF

Original Poster:

203 posts

83 months

Saturday 22nd April 2023
quotequote all
I have insurance to drive my car and third party to drive other cars loaned to me. I live in the UK. Can I legally drive in France in that loaned car without additional insurance?

What kind of paperwork do French authorities require if pulled over?

Jordie Barretts sock

6,018 posts

49 months

Saturday 22nd April 2023
quotequote all
No.

Your insurance covers you to drive other vehicles on a third party cover ONLY if that vehicle is insured elsewhere. And I'd suspect on a UK registered vehicle in the UK.

DaveH23

3,355 posts

200 months

Saturday 22nd April 2023
quotequote all
How can you expect anyone on here to give you an answer?

Read your policy or speak to them.

Nobody on here will be privy to what you're insured for without the policy details.

TwigtheWonderkid

49,158 posts

180 months

Saturday 22nd April 2023
quotequote all
Jordie Barretts sock said:
No.

Your insurance covers you to drive other vehicles on a third party cover ONLY if that vehicle is insured elsewhere. And I'd suspect on a UK registered vehicle in the UK.
The first bit is untrue. Some DOC extensions insist the other car is insured, some do not. But the DOC extension is normally restricted to the UK only.

Jordie Barretts sock

6,018 posts

49 months

Saturday 22nd April 2023
quotequote all
Fair enough. I've only ever seen DOC as long as the other car has a policy in it. And yes, agree with you, only see. UK only.

Sheepshanks

41,195 posts

149 months

Saturday 22nd April 2023
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Jordie Barretts sock said:
No.

Your insurance covers you to drive other vehicles on a third party cover ONLY if that vehicle is insured elsewhere. And I'd suspect on a UK registered vehicle in the UK.
The first bit is untrue. Some DOC extensions insist the other car is insured, some do not. But the DOC extension is normally restricted to the UK only.
The OP didn't say the car would be uninsured anyway.


I expect with a decent insurance company you'd be legally covered with DOC. In France (and lots of places) it's the car that's insured so the French authorities would probably be fine with that.

SpartacusF

Original Poster:

203 posts

83 months

Sunday 23rd April 2023
quotequote all
Thanks all, yes, the car will be insured by my wife.

Baldchap

9,629 posts

122 months

Sunday 23rd April 2023
quotequote all
SpartacusF said:
Thanks all, yes, the car will be insured by my wife.
You'll probably find (unless you have a conviction or similar) that adding you as a named driver reduces the premium. Also no questions over cover that way.

SpartacusF

Original Poster:

203 posts

83 months

Sunday 23rd April 2023
quotequote all
Her insurers (Admiral) won’t allow me to be added.

I’ve done some elbow work and quotes so far specify I’d be insured to drive other cars in the UK/IoM/Channel Islands only.

Shnozz

30,657 posts

301 months

Sunday 23rd April 2023
quotequote all
SpartacusF said:
Her insurers (Admiral) won’t allow me to be added.

I’ve done some elbow work and quotes so far specify I’d be insured to drive other cars in the UK/IoM/Channel Islands only.
I assume from that the car is U.K. registered and insured?

As another poster said, in France the car is insured. Same as Spain. Anyone over 25 can drive my Spanish car, so long as they have a licence.

QJumper

3,238 posts

56 months

Monday 24th April 2023
quotequote all
Also worth checking the level of cover, as some insurance companies only provide 3rd party cover for European travel, even if it's fully comp in the UK.

TwigtheWonderkid

49,158 posts

180 months

Monday 24th April 2023
quotequote all
Shnozz said:
SpartacusF said:
Her insurers (Admiral) won’t allow me to be added.

I’ve done some elbow work and quotes so far specify I’d be insured to drive other cars in the UK/IoM/Channel Islands only.
I assume from that the car is U.K. registered and insured?

As another poster said, in France the car is insured. Same as Spain. Anyone over 25 can drive my Spanish car, so long as they have a licence.
That has nothing to do with the Ts & Cs of your UK policy covering your UK car in Europe.

Shnozz

30,657 posts

301 months

Monday 24th April 2023
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
That has nothing to do with the Ts & Cs of your UK policy covering your UK car in Europe.
The original post was not clear if the loaned car was French registered/insured.

I don't disagree with you re a UK car on a UK policy.

TwigtheWonderkid

49,158 posts

180 months

Monday 24th April 2023
quotequote all
Shnozz said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
That has nothing to do with the Ts & Cs of your UK policy covering your UK car in Europe.
The original post was not clear if the loaned car was French registered/insured.

I don't disagree with you re a UK car on a UK policy.
I assumed that as we've now established it's his wife's car, it was UK registered and insured and he's considering driving it over to France on his DOC extension. Unless she's living in France and he's in the UK.