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Millions of Brits drive on holiday to Europe every year. So unfortunately, by law of odds, a few of us are going to end up at the roadside standing next to our broken vehicle.
We explain what you’ll be covered for when you take out European breakdown cover, from roadside assistance to courtesy cars. More importantly we tell you what insurance companies won’t pay out for. Which could help you stay cool, calm and collected on your big trip away.
You should get the same protection as you would with UK breakdown cover. So, this could mean roadside assistance to get you back up and running, or a tow to the nearest garage if your car needs a more serious looking over. Some insurers might even pay to get you and your car sent home if it’s beyond repair, which could be vital if you’re pulled over in a ditch in rural Europe, unable to even come up with the word for “help”. Plus, without insurance, you might end up blowing the whole holiday budget on getting the car fixed.
There are different types of cover depending on your vehicle, whether you want to take a car, van or motorbike. You’ll also have to decide what type of trip cover you’ll need.
However, be wary of time limits on these two types of policies. You might not be allowed to be abroad for more than 90 days in the year, or more than 31 days at a time. If you think you might break these caps then call your insurer and ask.
Some insurers will actually disqualify you from breakdown cover if you’re heading to a second home on the continent. So watch out and read the Terms and Conditions.
What’s covered varies drastically from insurer to insurer. Here’s a list of some of the features you might get:
This really depends, as some insurance companies exclude certain countries. Really comprehensive policies will offer breakdown cover for places as far flung as Turkey, Russia and Greece though.
Your existing breakdown provider may well offer European breakdown cover. And it might even give you a discount for getting its European breakdown policy.
So ask it for a quote and see what cover you’ll actually get for the countries you’re heading to. Is it just roadside assistance, or will it tow your vehicle and offer you a courtesy car too? Then use comparison sites or get quotes directly from other companies. See if any offer a better deal.
It all likelihood, yes. The Association of British Insurers is saying with a green card you’ll be able to. Even in the event of a no deal.
The ABI has said any UK car insurance policy which offers the legal minimum coverage for travelling in countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) will still be valid.
A green card is a document that serves as proof of insurance in Europe. You have to ask for one from your insurer and it shows that you have (at the very least) third-party coverage. While the UK is still part of the EU you don’t need one for driving in the European Union. Although it makes it easier when exchanging details after you’ve had an accident. Should there be a “no deal” Brexit though, it will be illegal to drive in Europe without one.
Ask your insurer well in advance of your trip. The Association of British Insurers says you should make the request at least a month before you travel. Your provider will then process your request and post the green card to you, all of which can take a while. Depending on your insurance provider, you might have to pay an administration fee to get one.
Currently 47 countries are signed up to the Green Card Scheme, including all 28 EU countries. Other countries outside of the European Union include Albania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Israel, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Russia, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine.
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