Car insurance

[Vetteran]

This topic may have been dealt with before but as I have just spent over a day sorting out car insurance I thought I would pass on what I have learnt. What follows concerns those who have UK REGISTERED VEHICLES and wish to use them in Europe for more than 3 months at a time. Under most UK policies you need to return to the UK within this timescale to keep a policy effective. It is possible to insure the car through AXA France however the problem is that if you return to UK and wish to tax the car, the DVLC will only accept a UK based insurer. After many enquiries to insurance companies/ brokers claiming to offer extended timescale cover the only one that I found able to provide what I required was Stuart Collins and Co of Swansea 01792 655562. Finally, bear in mind that after six months EU legislation requires you to register the car in the country where it is being driven.

[lowdrag]

13 years in I am still running on UK plates and know quite a lot of people who do the same. Yes, it isn't legal because I spend more than 6 months of the year here, but I have loads of gendarme friends and they have never said a word. Besides which, my classic isn't homologated so no chance of putting it on French plates anyway. But to the point; I have a British insurer who provides a 12 month green card, knowing full well I live here although I use a friend's address in the UK. When I had an accident they didn't quibble either. However, they'll only insure cars over 10 yrs old, which is why the old Merc just trundles on, and on, and on.....