Is there still a need for the Green card car insurance when driving in Europe these days. I noticed on the bottom of my current certificate that (in 5 languages) the insurance policy satifies EU legislation.
Any comments.
Thank you.
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Peter
You are automatically covered 3rd party for travelling in the EU. I had to inform my insurers that I was travelling abroad in order to be Fully Comp, no Green Card though.
Cheers
Andrew
>
> Is there still a need for the Green card car insurance when
> driving in Europe these days. I noticed on the bottom of my
> current certificate that (in 5 languages) the insurance
> policy satifies EU legislation.
>
> Any comments.
>
> Thank you.
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Peter, technically you do not need one, but regrettably that has not filtered through to many French and Italian plods, who will take great pleasure in delaying you, fining you etc. Why is the UK the only country to apply EU regs so vociferously? There seems to be great confusion also about what is obligatory to carry, such as spare bulbs and a warning triangle, with conflicting lists from people such as the Ferries, AA, RAC and caravan club.
Mike
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As above said, 3rd party is no problem these days, green card systems have been abolished in EU. Do call to get fully-comp however, tell them the dates you ar traveling etc, also most insurance companies do europe wide recovery as part of your yearly premium. Check this out as it's always cheaper than AA European Assisstance, and if you breakdown on a french autoroute you will have to pay 1000fr recovery becasue they are private, this can be re-imbursed if you have your own road assisstance scheme!
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The problem is that British insurance is out of sync with the EU,our insurance comes with an automatic yearly green card and covers us for many millions in case of accident ,UK insurance does not, So in the event of an accident the police will withhold the driver or car if no greencard is available.The cover given by the uk insurance is good enough for road traffic act but not good enough for an accident .Also caravans must also have a least 1 million euro third part cover,this costs around 55 euros and the green card is free to us mainland eu drivers.All police are quite within their wrights to ask for the green card.
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According to my insurance broker, you only need a green card if you are towing to showh the whole outfit is covered, so I got a green card last year.
I've never put green cards to the test, touch wood.
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I think Green Cards have not been compulsory for some years now.
However, I understood slightly differently - your insurance automatically HAS to cover you within the EU to the local legal minimum insurance level required in that country.
Which may not even equate to what we know as third-party. Or it may be equivalent or exceed what we know as fully comp.
Just depends where you are.
Another one of those peace-of-mind things where a few pounds could save an awful lot of grief...
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There have been several changes in this area, and if you want precise understanding then you will need to sit down, read your policy and speak with an insurance underwriter.
However, bear in mind that your Insurance Certificate only confirms the minimum applicable cover by law in the area you are in, and this is the source of the issue.
In the UK this is not a problem since the minimum required is TPL.
It used to be that in some countries this was Third Party Injury only - one of these was Portugal. The difficulty with that was that the other party has no assurance from your certificate that he will get his money, assuming that you are at fault - this was the reason for the Bail Bonds which Spain, for example, required.
If it was me, and I was doing a significant amount of driving in Europe, then I would approach it thus;
Your Certificate of Insurance will keep you clear with the law. Even if the locals don't understand that.
Your Insurance Policy and Schedule will keep you clear with the Third Party, since whatever the implications of your certificate, it is the policy which extends the cover over and above the minimum required by law, however it will be in English and they won't understand.
A green card is a multi-lingual endorsement to your policy assuring those that you hit that you are in fact covered, so I would take one. Some insurers will try not to give one, since theoretically its not required, but I would insist.
It used to be that the AA would issue one, even if your motor insurance was not with them. I have no idea whether that has changed.
Then I would take my certificate, my policy & schedule and my green card and travel with them the whole time.
If I was doing a significant amount of driving and I did not have the new credit card licence, then I would also get an International Driving Permit. Again, theoretically not required, but it can make your life easier.
Can't help you on triangles, lights and stuff.
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"If I was doing a significant amount of driving and I did not have the new credit card licence, then I would also get an International Driving Permit. Again, theoretically not required, but it can make your life easier."
Mandatory in Spain & Italy I believe, if you don't have the new-style licence.
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