Car insurance and using it throughout the EU

nickcleverley

Alright lads,

Been on to my insurance company (Britton Insurance - Asgard) about myself going to the UK for the summer months which they claimed I could only do for 30 days. I came up with the argument that they must provide me with 3rd pary cover for my entire policy by european law but they weren't having any of it.

I've since been on to The Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland and they have assured me that Asgard are completely in the wrong and that they are going to discuss with them and get back to me.

At the end of the day they must cover me so their response is going to be very interesting.

Just thought I'd let you all know and I will indeed be back with the results!

In the meantime though, has anyone had this kind of experience with their insurer before and what were the results? What are your opinions etc.?

Cheers dudes,

Nick

Alanstrainor

What european law? I haven't heard of that before? I would have thought that it was fairly standard to have a policy that only covered you for 30 days outside of Ireland.

RootX

I think this is the directive OP is referring to:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:263:0011:0031:EN:PDF

Some insurance undertakings insert into insurance
policies clauses to the effect that the contract will be
cancelled if the vehicle remains outside the Member
State of registration for longer than a specified period.
This practice is in conflict with the principle set out in
this Directive, according to which compulsory motor
insurance should cover, on the basis of a single
premium, the entire territory of the Community. It
should therefore be specified that the insurance cover is
to remain valid during the whole term of the contract,
irrespective of whether the vehicle remains in another
Member State for a particular period, without prejudice
to the obligations under Member States’ national legis­
lation with respect to the registration of vehicles.

coylemj

OP, you never mentioned the word 'holiday', just that you were going to the UK 'for the summer months'. That can be construed as a change of address in which case the insurance company would be within their rights to claim it as a significant change in insurable risk and to revoke the policy.

nickcleverley

Summarised from EU Motor Insurance Directive 2009/103/EC -

All compulsory motor insurance companies must cover on the basis of a single premium and during the whole period of contract in the territory of the EU including ANY period of time of which the vehicle remains in another member state during the period of contract.

More or less, if your in europe and your insured, basic third party insurance MUST be covered wherever you bring your motor throughout the union.

Really weird that Britton/Asgard don't know the laws regarding their specific area of business.

nickcleverley

coylemj wrote: »

OP, you never mentioned the word 'holiday', just that you were going to the UK 'for the summer months'. That can be construed as a change of address in which case the insurance company would be within their rights to claim it as a significant change in insurable risk and to revoke the policy.

Nope, I expressed this thoroughly. They asked me if I was becoming a resident of the UK, I made it clear that I would be a tourist. They said that if I was travelling for more than 30 days then I would become a resident to which I made clear I would not be a resident and that the car is going to remain on Irish plates.

I would have to be living in the UK for more than six months to be a resident anyway.

sogood

nickcleverley wrote: »

Nope, I expressed this thoroughly. They asked me if I was becoming a resident of the UK, I made it clear that I would be a tourist. They said that if I was travelling for more than 30 days then I would become a resident to which I made clear I would not be a resident and that the car is going to remain on Irish plates.

I would have to be living in the UK for more than six months to be a resident anyway.

Typical insurance company set up, especially in that it contradicts any other "resident" status in existence. On the basis of what your insurer says, you could go to the UK, buy a car, stay for 31 days and bring it back to Ireland, claiming resident status in the UK. No VRT then?

nickcleverley

sogood wrote: »

Typical insurance company set up, especially in that it contradicts any other "resident" status in existence. On the basis of what your insurer says, you could go to the UK, buy a car, stay for 31 days and bring it back to Ireland, claiming resident status in the UK. No VRT then?

I know, I think what they are trying to say is insane! Obviously they just don't want to have to cover me in the UK but the fact that they're claiming that no such law exists is what's cracking me up.

Marcusm

nickcleverley wrote: »

Really weird that Britton/Asgard don't know the laws regarding their specific area of business.

I'm surprised that anyone is surprised at the lack of knowledge of staff in call centres; nothing to do with the ability of the staff but everything to do with the tiny efforts made to train and inform them. EU compliant motor insurance must be valid on a 3rd party basis throughout the union for the entirety of its term - this is the minimum level of cover which can be provided. No green card or other document is required and police and similar authorities in each country must accept the certificate issued in the national language (ie if in German, UK police's problem to translate). When driving, you must have the original registration document (VLC or similar) and original insurance cert with you at all times. Otherwise, the car can be seized and only released on production of the necessary documents.

Del2005

Marcusm wrote: »

I'm surprised that anyone is surprised at the lack of knowledge of staff in call centres; nothing to do with the ability of the staff but everything to do with the tiny efforts made to train and inform them. EU compliant motor insurance must be valid on a 3rd party basis throughout the union for the entirety of its term - this is the minimum level of cover which can be provided. No green card or other document is required and police and similar authorities in each country must accept the certificate issued in the national language (ie if in German, UK police's problem to translate). When driving, you must have the original registration document (VLC or similar) and original insurance cert with you at all times. Otherwise, the car can be seized and only released on production of the necessary documents.

I got my insurance certs emailed to me for my bike. I was going on a Continental trip and asked about the need for the original cert and was told that the one I had would do.

Marcusm

Del2005 wrote: »

I got my insurance certs emailed to me for my bike. I was going on a Continental trip and asked about the need for the original cert and was told that the one I had would do.

Mine are only sent to me/downloaded via PDF so I wouldn't worry so long as it looks in good condition.

mathepac

"ABOUT US
...

As Independent Insurance Brokers Pat Britton & Co. Ltd. have no ties to any one Institution or Insurance Company. Which guarantees our customers that we will find the best possible quotation available for their Insurance requirements.

Pat Britton and Co. Ltd is regulated by the Financial Regulator as a Multi Agency Intermediary. Britton Insurance ... "

The above is from their web-site, Brittons is not an insurance company; according to themselves they are brokers.

You need to talk to your insurance company.

nickcleverley

mathepac wrote: »

"ABOUT US
...

As Independent Insurance Brokers Pat Britton & Co. Ltd. have no ties to any one Institution or Insurance Company. Which guarantees our customers that we will find the best possible quotation available for their Insurance requirements.

Pat Britton and Co. Ltd is regulated by the Financial Regulator as a Multi Agency Intermediary. Britton Insurance ... "

The above is from their web-site, Brittons is not an insurance company; according to themselves they are brokers.

You need to talk to your insurance company.

As mentioned in the original post I said Britton/ ASGARD.

I have asked to speak to Asgard directly but you can only contact them via Britton insurance. Britton act as a go between

CiniO

That's the question I asked allianz over email nearly 3 years ago.

3. Under section "Cover and Territorial limits" it states that cover is provided also on the Continent of Europe but subject to the terms, conditions and exceptions and endorsements. I was told by customer service, that cover is limited to 3 months. Unfortunatelly, I can't find it written anywhere in my Policy or Schedule. Even more - on my Benefit summary, it's written that driving in Europe is covered (without any time limits stated). Does it mean that I'm covered to drive in Europe for the whole period of the policy?

The answer was as follows:

3) Territorial Limits, we will only cover you to bring your car to the continent of Europe for 3 months (90days), it isn't written in the policy booklet. This does not mean that you are covered to drive in Europe of the whole period of the policy, as your primary residence is in Ireland.

Interesting that they were coving only for 90 days, while no document mentioned it.
It was changed since however, and I think their policy now limits cover abroad to 60 days and it is stated in the policy.
It is stated though as well, that third party cover is valid for the whole period of the policy.

But I've seen policies issued in Ireland limiting even third party cover to 30 or 90 days abroad, which is clearly illegal under EU law.

Fred Swanson

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