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car insurance question

Posted: Sat Nov 25, 2023 9:28pm
12 replies6 members subscribed
willo

Posts: 15

3 helpful points

Location: Tíjola

Joined: 29 Nov 2020

Hi,

my brother in law bought a house in Spain and drove a UK car here. It was a little more than 6 months ago so really has out-stayed its welcome legally. Will this invalidate the UK insurance? I ask because he wants me to be a named driver on the insurance and then drive it back to the UK when I return briefly in the near future. I'm ok to do it for him but not if it has invalid insurance. Thanks.

Sveinb

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 7:06am

Sveinb

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Posts: 306

263 helpful points

Location: Sorbas

Joined: 11 Nov 2020

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 7:06am

A condition of most car insurance policies is that the policy holder is a resident of the country of the car's registration.

But to be sure you need to read the contract, or better still, check with the company.

Geordiemark

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 9:48am

Geordiemark

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296 helpful points

Location: Arboleas

Joined: 22 Oct 2021

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 9:48am

Read your policy, but it's usually 90 days maximum.

willo

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 10:09am

willo

Original Poster

Posts: 15

3 helpful points

Location: Tíjola

Joined: 29 Nov 2020

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 10:09am

Sveinb wrote on Sun Nov 26, 2023 7:06am:

A condition of most car insurance policies is that the policy holder is a resident of the country of the car's registration.

But to be sure you need to read the contract, or better still, check with the company.

Thanks. He is still resident in the UK but the car has been in Spain more than the 6 months so I'm concerned that, in the event of an accident for example, the insurers will wash their hands of it because it has exceeded the permitted time.

Alicia 11

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 10:20am

Alicia 11

Super helpful member

Posts: 2109

1784 helpful points

Location: Mojacar

Joined: 30 Sep 2019

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 10:20am

willo wrote on Sun Nov 26, 2023 10:09am:

Thanks. He is still resident in the UK but the car has been in Spain more than the 6 months so I'm concerned that, in the event of an accident for example, the insurers will wash their hands of it because it has exceeded the permitted time.

think you will find that the 3 months grace period is up and that means it should be matriculated onto Spanish plates and insurance only way to take it back is on a trailer or by vehicle transporter.  If he had been driving it over here during that time his Uk insurance would have been invalid in the event of an accident unless he had agreed with them in advance that they would cover the period unlikely due to the rules.  

Lesson is do not bring your UK car unless you are prepared to pay to matriculate it after the 3 month allowance period. 

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willo

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 11:10am

willo

Original Poster

Posts: 15

3 helpful points

Location: Tíjola

Joined: 29 Nov 2020

Posted: Sun Nov 26, 2023 11:10am

willo wrote on Sat Nov 25, 2023 9:28pm:

Hi,

my brother in law bought a house in Spain and drove a UK car here. It was a little more than 6 months ago so really has out-stayed its welcome legally. Will this invalidate the UK insurance? I ask because he wants me to be a named driver on the insurance and then drive it back to the UK when I re...

...turn briefly in the near future. I'm ok to do it for him but not if it has invalid insurance. Thanks.

Much obliged for that.

Phil70

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:47pm

Posts: 13

3 helpful points

Location: Vera Playa

Joined: 22 Nov 2023

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:47pm

Alicia 11 wrote on Sun Nov 26, 2023 10:20am:

think you will find that the 3 months grace period is up and that means it should be matriculated onto Spanish plates and insurance only way to take it back is on a trailer or by vehicle transporter.  If he had been driving it over here during that time his Uk insurance would have been inval...

...id in the event of an accident unless he had agreed with them in advance that they would cover the period unlikely due to the rules.  

Lesson is do not bring your UK car unless you are prepared to pay to matriculate it after the 3 month allowance period. 

We drove from Ireland via Bilbao ferry and are here for 4 months. Our insurance gave us full cover in Spain for up to 12 months for extra €200 premium.Insurer was RSA.

willo

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2023 8:53pm

willo

Original Poster

Posts: 15

3 helpful points

Location: Tíjola

Joined: 29 Nov 2020

Posted: Wed Nov 29, 2023 8:53pm

Phil70 wrote on Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:47pm:

We drove from Ireland via Bilbao ferry and are here for 4 months. Our insurance gave us full cover in Spain for up to 12 months for extra €200 premium.Insurer was RSA.

The insurance is with Zurich but thanks for the info - well worth looking into.

John99andrew

Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2023 10:14pm

John99andrew

Helpful member

Posts: 784

451 helpful points

Location: Mojacar

Joined: 29 Nov 2017

Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2023 10:14pm

Phil70 wrote on Wed Nov 29, 2023 5:47pm:

We drove from Ireland via Bilbao ferry and are here for 4 months. Our insurance gave us full cover in Spain for up to 12 months for extra €200 premium.Insurer was RSA.

As stated on another post a uk car by Spanish law canot stay in Spain for more than six months on UK plates and when you go through pasport control the reg number will be recorded

Phil70

Posted: Fri Dec 1, 2023 11:46am

Posts: 13

3 helpful points

Location: Vera Playa

Joined: 22 Nov 2023

Posted: Fri Dec 1, 2023 11:46am

John99andrew wrote on Thu Nov 30, 2023 10:14pm:

As stated on another post a uk car by Spanish law canot stay in Spain for more than six months on UK plates and when you go through pasport control the reg number will be recorded

We are on Irish(EU) plates, and here for 4 months. 

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