14 February 2008
Drivers travelling to Europe should be aware that while many car insurance policies cover drivers in their own vehicles across the EU, people should still check what their policy will actually cover them for during their time abroad.
That was the message from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) which said that people while people are covered for the minimum legal requirement in any EU country, this does not mean that their policy necessarily will cover events such as theft, breakdown or accident damage.
Malcolm Tarling, a spokesperson for the ABI, also said that prices vary according to which country you are driving in.
"For those countries where there’s a high accident rate, such as some of the Mediterranean countries - Greece or Portugal for example - you may pay more than if you were driving in France or Germany or Holland."
Therefore, it's important drivers shop around and compare prices on the best European car insurance deals.
According to research into car insurance abroad carried out by Zurich last year, 28% of British motorists who have driven abroad do not check their insurance policy to see if it is valid in the countries they are driving in while on holiday.
Additionally, 43 per cent do not check what their insurance actually covers - such as costs for medical expenses if they have an accident or a hire car if their vehicle breaks down. 53 per cent don’t inform their insurer when they drive abroad.
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