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Admiral won't give a 'Green Card' to anyone under 25. I need to be able to drive to France in January. Is there any way of sorting this out? No-one over 25 is going.
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Try the AA. Dunno if they still do, but they used to.
However, are you sure you've understood Admiral properly ? Are you travelling within the EC ? Are you asking mroe more than the legally required insurance ?
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I don't know...I understand them, but they struggle to understand me.
I should have said above, I'm only going to France and maybe Belgium.
Yes, they say on there site it's recommended to upgrade your insurance before you leave which is what I tried to do.
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www.admiral.com/yourPolicy/pdf/ADM.pdf Section 5 Subsection 2
You are legally covered to take your car abroad.
HOWEVER, you are offered the minimum cover required by law within that country. If that country were the same as the UK then that would be Third Party Only cover with no insurance against accidental damage to your own vehicle. Your danger would be if you went to a country where there was a difference between your legal liability and the minimum required insurance cover. If, for example, you went to a country where the legal minimum was Injury cover only up to £50,000 and then you got sued for injury liability over £50,000 you would be liable.
I do not believe that is the case for France and Belgium.
1) Decide if you are comfortable wiht Third Party only Cover.
2) Telephone Admiral and ask EXACTLY what the minum cover offered for France and Belgium is (I believe the same as the UK, but you must check)
3) Decide if you are comfortable with that.
I would also suggest you pursue why they will not offer a Green Card extension to someone under 25. That sounds like a stock answer to me that may get changed with escalation.
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Thanks No FM2R.
Can they lawfully, exclude specifically foreign cover from my policy or do they legally have to provde it? I don't have the contract on me at work!
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Read that link I gave you above, it tells you all that you need to know.
However, their standard policy covers you for legal minumum insurance with many countries and specificlaly France and Belgium. They cannot avoid that.
However, you need to understand my comments above.
Read that document - pay attention to the comments in Section 5 about International Travel, understand the difference between full policy cover and the minimum cover requried by law, notice also their comments on "Territorial Limts" under the accidental damage part of section 3 referring to their definition of "territorial limits" up on page 34 or so in the general conditions.
You will not be breakign the law driving to France. You may not be wise, but you will nto be breaking the law.
Of course you would be unwise to take my opinion on such a serious matter and should check your own document and with your own insurer.
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Thanks again No FM2r - much appreciated.
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You're welcome, but just to clarify one point;
A Green Card merely confirms that you have the minimum insurance required by a country. Additional cover to bring your "foreign" travel up to your normal UK levels is done by endorsement to your policy. There is no neccessity, nor ready means, of carrying proof of this.
All any authority in another country will wish to see is proof that your insurance covers the minimum his law requires. Your own certificate already does that, although it some countries it is advisable or at least helpful to carry a translation.
When somebody refuses Green Car discover they normally mean that your can is not uinsured at all when you take it to that country.
Often Insurers refuse to issue a Green Card failing to explain that within the EU it is not required, rather leaving people to assume that they are refusing your cover.
You have the "green card" cover, it seems you wish the further accidetnal damage cover to your car - the difference between Third Party and Comprehensive [including other bits and bbs as well]. You will struggle to get that from another insurer.
Last ditch would eb to find out if you coudl suspend your own policy fo rthe period of cover and take out a Norwich Union, or similar, short term policy whihc may [you would need to check] offer you "comprehensive" cover in other countries.
I really would suggest you spoke to your own insurer again.
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I would also suggest you pursue why they will not offer a Green Card extension to someone under 25. That sounds like a stock answer to me that may get changed with escalation.
How would you go about doing this? Ask to speak to a senior? What would you ask from there?
Obviously having a temper tantrum won't help so I'd like to know what sort of things they're likely to say and how best to respond. I have a feeling they must just keep spouting 'Company policy, blah blah blah'.
Thanks for your help!
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First telephone them, tell them that you're goign to France for a holiday and you'd like your international cover increased to the same as your UK cover. Don't mention a green card, its a bit of a red herring.
If they so no, ask why. If they says its because you're under 25 point out that you;ve read the whole policy document and the documents available on their website and nowhere does it say anything about that limit. Ask them where you can find that clause. I realise that you haven't read all their documents, but they won't know that and it will cause them to think about it.
Say that you're not happy with that answer and you'd like to speak wiht a supervisor.
See where you get to, come back here and let me know what they said.
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Sheila?s Wheels
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I have a related question -
We are going to France for a week and direct line are quoting an extra £20 for the week. If I go back and forth a few times that is going to start adding up.
Anyone got experience of insurers that include european cover? Recommendations ?
(If the mods think this should be a seperate question then please split it off)
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Try www.quotelinedirect.co.uk.
Not a policy on top of UK, a separate one but at £59 a year probably cheaper anyway.
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Xileno - is that breakdown cover ?
I am after normal fully comp car insurance. I had a look on that site but all I could see was the european breakdown cover for £59. Do I need to go look harder ?
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Liverpool Victoria give 180 days full European cover with their motor insurance.
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European cover (for main europe countries) is part of your miminum insurance as I understand it.
You only have to pay extra to maintain the level of cover you have here, for over there.
Green card is not required, just recommended.
again, too important to take just my word on it, get proper advice but its advice I follow when I go ( a few times a year)
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No, it's just breakdoown cover.
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Try www.quotelinedirect.co.uk. Not a policy on top of UK, a separate one but at £59 a year probably cheaper anyway.
I don't quite understand Xileno -if this is what I think it is it sounds perfect. I don't mind paying to extend my cover, I find a flat 'No.' to be rather galling.
What do they cover for £59 a year? Is it a seperate policy? Sorry if I'm being dense!
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If you look at your insurance certificate it will state in all the EU state languages that you are insured for basic cover of the EU country you are in .It is a document that must me carried and it is compulsory for the Insurance company to provide and should have been delivered with your policy.
In the UK I have a car policy with Lloyds TSB which covers fully comp cover in all EU states ,do your homework next time you renew your policy.
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If you travel to the Continent frequently you need to check the length of comprehensive cover that your insurance offers. Not many companies allow lengthy periods as standard. Liverpool Victoria, with whom I'm insured, provide 180 days, and Saga allow 364 days. Most others seem to only cover for 28 days without a further premium.
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Guys, careful with the advice.
You'll find that most companies will offer comprehensive cover abroad, you'll also find that most companies limit the amount of time.
However, that is not related to whether or not you have to tell them. It depends on the policy Ts&Cs. The one we're talkign about here insists on being told. Many of them do. This is not related to the amount, level or term of cover offered.
Whether or not a premium uis charged is a secondary point.
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Guys, careful with the advice.
Liverpool Victoria and Saga do not require you to inform them of your intention to travel, neither do Zurich, but they only allow 28 days.
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>>In the UK I have a car policy with Lloyds TSB which covers fully comp cover in all EU states
You almost certainly do not.
Lloyds TSB usually works as a front to Churchill NOT as an insurer themselves. You will find that Churchill typically offers 90 days abroad. It also states that cover will be "automaticallly" extended for EU travel. What does "automatically" mean in this context ? You should do your homework properly before you take out a policy next time.
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I am afraid you should ,I have done my homework I get 180 days fully comprehensive EU coverage which more than covers my needs as I also have insurance on my German Vehicle .TSB were also far cheaper than Churchill with extra benifits for Gold and above customers.The automatic means you do not have to inform every time you leave the UK.You are correct it is fronted by Churchill
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By the way, I know its kind of out of date and its even not for sale in this country anymore, but since you're noticing my posts, did you ever manage to find that proof you had that Optimax was "causing engines to blow up all over Europe" ?? I'd still be interested.
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Separate policy just for breakdown. Nothing to do with car insurance.
Policy is with Europ Assistance, although I've not needed to use them yet...
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