Earlier than you begin packing up the automotive to drive to mainland Europe, there are a few issues to think about – particularly insurance coverage, breakdown cowl, and the way you’ll pay for any tolls.
All UK automotive insurance coverage insurance policies mechanically give third-party cowl whereas in EU international locations, plus a number of others, together with Switzerland. Nonetheless, most individuals will need to take their complete cowl with them, which means they could want to speak to their supplier. Loads of insurers, amongst them LV=, mechanically embody driving elsewhere in Europe for as much as 180 days with their complete cowl. Different insurers will give as much as 30 days’ complete cowl however it’s usually a rechargeable add-on. Examine your coverage and prime up if required.
Relating to breakdown cowl for mainland Europe, the primary query to ask is: are you already coated? Lease automobiles are sometimes coated by the producer’s breakdown cowl that normally applies to the entire of Europe. Many UK breakdown insurance policies and automotive service plans mechanically embody the remainder of Europe as effectively. Nationwide’s FlexPlus present account consists of complete European breakdown cowl, and so do another paid-for accounts.
When you have no different cowl and you want having the peace of thoughts, two weeks of ordinary cowl will usually set you again £30 to £80.
A Evaluate the Market comparability of insurance policies for a 2017 automotive spending two weeks in mainland Europe in August carried out this week discovered the most cost effective £31 coverage was from Nova Direct. This compares with the £80 that the AA needed to cowl the identical journey, whereas the RAC needed £82.
Except you might have a super-reliable automotive that has not given you any issues, we might in all probability keep away from the most cost effective suppliers. Rescuemycar.com has cheap insurance policies for £44. Inexperienced Flag insurance policies are well-regarded and a great mid-price choice. One other agency to think about is AutoAid – a earlier Guardian Cash favorite. It needed £47 for 17 days’ cowl in mainland Europe for its Euro Rescue cowl. You might discover the premium is cheaper through a comparability website than by going direct.
When shopping for such insurance policies, bear in mind that some firms set age limits on the automobiles coated – some 10 years, others 15. They usually additionally won’t get well a automotive to the UK if that will price greater than the automotive’s worth – one thing to consider in case you are planning a protracted journey in a low-value car.
In case you are planning a protracted drive in France, don’t neglect to consider the price of motorway tolls, and the way you intend to pay them.
It at the moment prices about €110, or £95, to drive from Calais to Good in tolls alone. A lot is product of signing up for the Télépéage automated toll fee companies however until you might be planning plenty of journeys, we might choose to pay as you go – paying by bank card on the automated cubicles.
For instance, the Sanef Télépéage comes with plenty of upfront and ongoing costs, which means it arguably gained’t be price it for these making a single annual journey, though you do get to beat the queues at busy intervals.
