Can I drive in any country with my car insurance?
The simple answer to this is that the details will depend on your chosen car insurance policy,
although
there are some basic rules to understand.
All UK insurance for vehicles will give you a minimum of third party cover, allowing you to drive in
some European countries. At the time of writing, these were
Your insurance may also offer extra cover for damage to your vehicle or theft. It is also worth
checking out the most recent government advice before you leave.
The easiest way of finding out what your car insurance covers you for when abroad is by contacting
your
insurer or reading your policy documents. Make sure to take note of the details. Even if your policy
says that you will be covered for driving abroad, you need to be aware of the level of cover offered
and
the time limits on any cover.
Don't just assume that you will get fully comprehensive cover when you are abroad just because you
have
it in Britain as many policies will only provide basic cover when overseas.
There may also be limits as to how long you will be covered when driving abroad. It may be what is
known as a continuous limit, such as no more than 14 consecutive days in a row, or it may be an
annual
allowance.
You will also need to consider whether you need a green card, which was first designed to make it as
simple as possible to drive between European countries.
At the time of writing this guide, you don't need to have a green card to drive in these countries,
either, but you will in the likes of Albania, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Turkey, Ukraine, and
Russia.
The green card is a means of proving that you have adequate vehicle insurance when you are driving
abroad.
If you are driving in the rest of the world, you may have to carry the green card to prove that you
have the particular country's minimum required insurance cover. This includes when driving in the
likes
of Tunisia, Morocco, Israel, and Iran.
You can contact your insurer in order to get a green card and they will either post one to you or
give
you instructions on how you can download and print one. If you want one sent by post, make sure that
you
leave at least six weeks before you travel. You should also be prepared to pay an admin fee.
You might also require extra insurance for caravans, trailers, and your vehicle. You can check out
the
travel advice for particular countries on the government website at
www.gov.uk.
You may have to show this green card if you are stopped by the local police, if you are involved in a
crash, or if you are crossing borders between countries.
