Minimum car insurance cover

Information and questions about the Law in Spain and Andalucia.
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gruff
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Minimum car insurance cover

Postby gruff » Tue Sep 18, 2018 4:23 pm

Is third party car insurance the same in Spain as it is in U.K?

elusive
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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby elusive » Thu Sep 20, 2018 10:59 am

I think so yes. Have a look on linea directa english website

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gruff
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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby gruff » Thu Sep 20, 2018 11:50 am

Thanks. It's just that we are planning to drive to Spain for 110 days come Winter and trying to find the best way of doing it. Direct Line only allow 90 days on the comprehensive insurance.

Gasman
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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby Gasman » Thu Sep 20, 2018 12:55 pm

Gruff - note that a Spanish insurance company can only insure a spanish registered vehicle - same across the EU. Most UK insurance only allow 90 days , but someone may come on here with exceptions to this.
So, are you bringing your UK registered car which will have to be insured in the UK?

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gruff
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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby gruff » Thu Sep 20, 2018 1:23 pm

Ah, thanks Gasman. The reason for my post was that Direct Line say that if I just go over with basic "third party" cover it is only as good as the necessary third party cover in that country, hence to find out if there is a difference..

elusive
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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby elusive » Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:13 pm

Saga do more than 90 days.

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peteroldracer
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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby peteroldracer » Thu Sep 20, 2018 7:01 pm

We found little difference in premium with full comp or third party, and the coverage very minimal.
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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby 1bassleft » Sun Sep 23, 2018 11:29 pm

I've bought a LHD UK car for driving down here, occasional use (I have a Spanish vehicle) and returning within the 6 month window for foreign-plated cars. I looked around the UK insurers before deciding to stick it on a multicar with my current insurers of the car I keep in the UK.

Saga (although it's not immediately obvious looking at the website) will comprehensively insure the car throughout the EU and EEA without limitation. I'm sure their target market encompasses a fair number of people planning on clogging the autoroutes, bahns and vias of Europe with their new Sprite Commode all year so they're quite familiar with the process. Other companies can be a bit hazy and not clued up when you contact them.

Aviva can do comprehensive up to 6 months. Many (including mine) up to 90 days, some much less. I thought about bringing mine back inside the 90 days rather than the six months. However, when I contacted them to say I was popping out of the Chunnel, they said I was covered for third parties as a matter of course. If I wanted comprehensive abroad, I would need to pay extra. Seeing as the car's value isn't great (it's on comprehensive because other policies are no cheaper or more expensive) I just thought "Fine. That's all I need and I don't have to be tied up by your 90 day limit."

I'd be less relaxed if the car were actually worth a lot, of course. Also, I do wonder (sorry to bring up the B word) if 3rd party cover as standard when driving in the EU will stick around after March 29th, or if they'll revert to looking at you funny when you say you want to drive abroad like you're Marco Polo or something.

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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby Paddy Pumpkin » Mon Sep 24, 2018 5:37 pm

gruff wrote:Thanks. It's just that we are planning to drive to Spain for 110 days come Winter and trying to find the best way of doing it. Direct Line only allow 90 days on the comprehensive insurance.
I had Direct Line in the UK in 2010 and was in the same position. Back then they would only allow coverage for 30 days abroad in one journey. I called them up explaining I was going for 7 weeks around Europe and could I pay more to get coverage. They gave me and extra 30 days no problem and no charge. The lady on the phone said that they could do it for me every year for a one off holiday they just did not want people insuring cars in the UK and spending all their time abroad hence the 30 day rule in the policy. So in short give them a call if you get a 30 day extension like I did then you are all done!

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gruff
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Re: Minimum car insurance cover

Postby gruff » Wed Sep 26, 2018 5:27 pm

Good replies, thank you all. Must admit when I phoned DL a couple of days I got the impression 110 days was no problem. However I recall going down this track a year ago and the guy on the phone was adamant about the 90 day limit.


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