living in a motorhome + insurance

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teresa366
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living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby teresa366 » Wed Aug 29, 2018 2:59 pm

My husband and i want to live in Spain touring around in a motorhome. As we hope to do it full time we were thinking of trading in our motorhome in Spain but I was wondering what we would need to do this and would we be able to get insurance for the camper without a permanent address . We hope to get our NIE before leaving Ireland and both have income from pensions

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gerryh
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby gerryh » Wed Aug 29, 2018 3:17 pm

Hi and welcome to the forum.
There aren't many insurance companies here in Spain that will insure a motorhome.
When I had a motorhome here I was insured with https://www.zalba-caldu.com/
I suggest you contact them, I found them very helpful, and ask them about the possibility of insuring your motorhome which you will be living in full time and will not have a permanent address here in Spain.
Why are you thinking of trading in your motorhome, is it to get a Spanish registered motorhome?
Cheers
Gerry
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby Paddy Pumpkin » Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:12 pm

I did this for a while on a foreign registered vehicle. I found there are a lot of implications to other oarts of your life by becoming Spanish resident. In the I drove around on foreign plates..just make sure you are not in the same area for months on end. Is there a particular reason you want a Spanish number plate?

El Cid
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby El Cid » Wed Aug 29, 2018 9:58 pm

Possibly because if you spend more than 6 months in Spain, it is a legal requirement.

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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby TorreDelAguila » Thu Aug 30, 2018 7:41 am

The attraction of 'living below the radar' is still alive and kicking. Meanwhile, the rest of us pay our dues and function as legal citizens.
Chris

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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby wollie » Thu Aug 30, 2018 8:22 am

Do you mind if i ask the type and if it is a big camper or a little one? I am asssuming the steering on right side...

The reason i ask is i know someone who brought a jeep several years ago to bring to Spain.
They had to sell it again as because the sides did not have glass it was deemed as being unsuitable in Spain.
I do not know the exact detail as i am just repeating what i was told, the people here will likely confirm if this
is correct.
I can understand the logic of this, i am thinking the camper may fit into this box...

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gerryh
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby gerryh » Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:32 am

That is correct. In theory a RHD motorhome should not be able to be registered on Spanish plates.
All to do with visibility from the drivers seat.
I posted about this previously when there was a query. Don't have time now to search for the post.
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Gerry
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby Gasman » Thu Aug 30, 2018 11:21 am

There may also be something about the sliding door, or even opening door for access to the living quarters, being on the wrong side - ie opening into passing traffic - not sure on this one but worth checking ... Rematriculating a camper in Spain from abroad is fraught with disaster and implications. Certificate of conformity, gas regulations, suitability of extra battery/s and connections ...
May be better to sell your camper in Ireland, and invest in one in Spain, once you have had a look round over your first couple of months.
I understand that for resident/tax-resident and even health cover purposes you should imagine that you are in a boat, and follow the way they do it - you establish a "port of attachment" which serves as your address in Spain - perhaps a campsite that you would return to on a regular basis, or a friend might allow you to use their address? Have you also looked at the various Motor-home magazines who may provide information about long-term insurance/health cover/ etc abroad ...

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gerryh
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby gerryh » Thu Aug 30, 2018 11:51 am

Gasman wrote:Rematriculating a camper in Spain from abroad is fraught with disaster and implications. Certificate of conformity, gas regulations, suitability of extra battery/s and connections ...
No problem getting my UK plated motorhome onto Spanish plates.
Very quick and easy.
Cheers
Gerry
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elusive
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby elusive » Thu Aug 30, 2018 5:04 pm

I would agree re the sliding opening door. White van types have the same issue and cant be changed over from what ive read. No issues with your doors gerry? Agree also re needing a address inorder to do all the legalities as a spanish resident

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gerryh
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby gerryh » Thu Aug 30, 2018 6:34 pm

My motorhome might have been UK plated but it was a LHD one so the habitation door was on the correct side for Spain. :wave:
Cheers
Gerry
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby Manchesteral » Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:32 pm

This is an interesting subject, I thought about this years ago when I was in a position buy a Winnibago really cheap.
I'm not sure how things are today but when I analysed the practicalities of it I dropped the idea. It's not easy finding somewhere to pitch up, you would have to pay (probably) then there is the problem of obtaining or being close to freely available fresh water and electricity also the problems of getting your laundry done, I'm sure there are myriad other day to day things to attend to, It's a nice idea but In my opinion not practical, that's my view anyway :-)

teresa366
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby teresa366 » Sun Sep 02, 2018 1:13 pm

Many thanks for all the replies they have been very helpful. We currently have a left hand drive Irish plated motorhome and it is good condition but is now 18 years old. I want to do everything legal as I love Spain so would prefer to go by their laws. We have sold our home but I am unsure about where I would like to live in Spain so I thought we could tour about a bit then maybe rent if living in the motorhome is not for us. Because of our age and i have had cancer I don't want to commit to buying a house and anyway I believe the healthcare is a lot better in Spain than Ireland and we have private healthcare in Ireland, over half the population have it. All your advice has helped so I think when we get to Spain we will look into buying a motorhome there and will look into the insurance that gerryh put up or maybe the 'port of attachment' that gasman mentioned if not we will may be have to rent a while to get an address. Great forum. Thanks again

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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby wollie » Sun Sep 02, 2018 9:19 pm

I am thinking you need sort out the health care first, you need to talk to your healthcare insurer in Ireland and ask if the health insurance you are buying provides continual care in a different country.
I just use Spain for trips and have a EHIC which is free but it is a temporary thing, My understanding of the Spanish system is we need to become a resident before we can access the health system in its totality.

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gerryh
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby gerryh » Mon Sep 03, 2018 7:40 am

Teresa can I make a suggestion?
Why don't you drive over and stay for 3 months and see if you like living here in a motorhome?
Your present insurer and your health insurer should both cover you for a 3 month period here in Spain.
Also it is worth spending 3 months in the winter here, it can be very cold in some parts of Spain and also 3 months in the Summer, it can be very hot in some parts of Spain.

Cheers
Gerry
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby Gasman » Mon Sep 03, 2018 10:10 am

Following Woollie + Gerry's advice ... if you did find you particularly liked an area that you might like to call your base for the future, you might have time to search out a gestor, english speaking if need be for you, and discuss your tax situation and when is the best time to move regarding your assets, port of attachment while remaining mobile, health service access, vehicle ownership, etc etc ... that gestor might charge for such a complicated consultation but it might be worthwhile, and may even be free as an introduction with the expectation that you will use their services once you decide to make the move more permanent.
Good luck with your plans and do let us know how you get on, and if we can help you along the way.

teresa366
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Re: living in a motorhome + insurance

Postby teresa366 » Mon Sep 03, 2018 3:28 pm

many thanks guys for the great advice. Lucky enough our insurance will cover us for living abroad at the same rate that they cover us in Ireland and taking that a GP visit in Ireland is usually 60 euro and a visit to A and E is 100 euro I would say we will be alright. We were over in Spain from Feb to May while I was waiting for an operation but we moved around a lot, we stayed for a while in Puerto Santa Maria and really liked it but the weather was good at the time. I will take your advice gasman and stay a bit longer different places.We used to take our family hoildays every year in Vilanova Y La Geltru in Catalonia but I have really fell in love with Andalucia and its people. Also thanks for the advice about the gestor that would be a great help
Many thanks guys


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