European Car Insurance

If you’re planning a European road trip, or even just a quick weekend away in your car, you’ll no doubt have plenty to think about and while it might not be the first thing you think about, getting the rightcar insurance should absolutely be a priority.

Driving on the other side of the road, in unfamiliar territory and tackling a language barrier are just a few of the things that make driving on the continent different and often more difficult that at home.

Your current policy is unlikely to cover you for driving abroad and so the likelihood is that you’ll either need to temporarily extend your cover or take out a specialist European insurance policy before you go away.

What kind of cover do I need to drive in europe?

The most basic level of European car policy available is known as a ‘green card’ or motor insurance certificate. However, this can sometimes not even offer the same level of cover as a basicthird party only policy, and so it is often worth going up a level to guarantee the level of insurance you need.

Most providers will offer European driving cover to the same level as any policy you could take out at home; you just need to shop around to see what kinds of deals are available.

How does european car policies work?

Most straightforward European insurance policies will limit the amount of time you can be covered for, generally up to 90 days. You can always get cover for longer than this by opting for an extended policy but you should check with your provider to see if this is necessary and/or how much it would cost you.

Conversely, if you’re only planning a short trip away, you can get temporary European driving cover for up to 28 days and anywhere in between.

Many policies you take out will only cover you for driving in countries in the EU, so this is something else to be aware of if your travels take you further afield.

Optional extras

One of the major extras that can be added to European car insurance is Europeanbreakdown cover. This can be a necessary helping hand, particularly if you’re taking a longer trip in an older vehicle. The last thing you want is to break down in the middle of your trip and find out that you’re not covered and have to fork out half of your budget to get your car repaired.

Of course, European breakdown cover will increase the cost of your policy but you should weigh this up with the potentially much higher costs of having to pay for repairs yourself in an unfamiliar country.

How can I get a cheap european car policy?

Whether you need basic ‘green card’ cover, orfully comp; whether you want a bare bones policy or want to add European breakdown cover; you should always shop around online to get the best deals on the market.

Bycomparing car insurance policies with Money Expert, you can be sure that you’ll have your pick of the best and cheapest policies available, at no extra cost to you.