Car Insurance and Driving Abroad

According to the AA, 250,000 British drivers will venture onto European roads this summer, and a good percentage of these will be unaware of exactly what their car insurance policy covers them for, or does not as the case may be. In other words, a great proportion of those motorists traveling through Europe could be in for an real eye-opener if they were involved in a situation which resulted in them having to make a claim on their car insurance.

Car Insurance Downgrades

The problem lies with the fact that once leaving British shores a fully comprehensive car insurance policy is immediately downgraded to basic third party, therefore leaving the motorist vulnerable to the inadequacies of a third party only insurance policy. Although still meeting the legal minimum insurance required to drive in Europe, the now less than ample insurance cover could in fact leave the motorist wide open to various unsavoury situations. One of the worst scenarios would be if the car happened to be stolen whilst abroad, for the downgrading of the car insurance like this could literally create a situation where the car was no longer insured. Likewise, depending on individual circumstances, it could also leave the policy holder at risk in cases where there is accidental damage to the car, or worse still an injury to a person.

Extended Cover for Driving Abroad

Rather than be unaware of the potential pitfalls of insurance downgrades like this, it's always advisable to check the small print on your insurance policy, especially if you intend venturing overseas with your car. For those with their car insurance shortly up for renewal, now would be a good time to seek out a policy more relevant to your needs. For instance, when applying for new quotes be aware of any plans you might have to travel, and choose an insurance policy that gives you the option of fully comprehensive insurance for your trip abroad. A lot of insurance companies will offer you this, whilst others will insist on a small extra premium be paid, and a few might even ask for travel plans and your intended destination. But whichever of these variations you encounter when choosing your car insurance, it really is worth the extra effort and/or cost to give yourself total peace of mind whilst driving abroad.

You only have to consider the cost involved of a bump involving say your car and one of the locals in your host country. With your insurance policy now downgraded and giving you the right to only basic third party insurance, you would only be covered for costs arising from the other driver. Perhaps your car was damaged and rendered undriveable, you would now probably be facing a hefty bill from the local tow company, plus costs on top of this from a garage to get your car back on the road. And what if this all happened at the start of your holiday, or worse still on the outward journey forcing you to make a stopover in a hotel while your car was repaired. It could be a case of your entire holiday being ruined, and to imagine that just a few extra pounds would have insured your car for such unfortunate events.

Belt and Braces Approach

So far we have looked into how easy it can be for car insurance to leave you wide open to all sorts of costs whilst driving abroad, and hopefully brought to the attention just how important it is to read the policy terms before setting off. However, insurance aside, there is another safety net which drivers often like to take with them for reassurance when driving abroad. The safety net we are talking about is European Breakdown Cover. While a good percentage of UK motorists already have some form of breakdown cover, the chances are this won't extend to foreign travel. But just as with car insurance it is normally very easily extended for a small extra fee. Once again though, it is well worth checking the breakdown cover terms for exactly what is included and excluded, as policies can vary quite significantly from company to company. Having European breakdown cover will inevitably entitle you to the use of a hire car in circumstances where your car is unusable. It will also ensure that the damaged or undriveable vehicle is transported back to the UK. Considering it would cost several thousand pounds to repatriate a car from the outermost regions of Europe, this belt and braces approach to holiday car insurance should alleviate a lot of worries, and allow you to concentrate on the more important things such as enjoying your holiday.

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