Car Insurance

[Jegs]

I'm hoping for some recommendations for cover for a car used in Europe for 5/6 months a year, but based in UK. The current insurer, Saga, offers unlimited usage but charges a great deal! If anyone can suggest a company that might be competitive then I should be much obliged.

Hopeful thanks,

John G

 

[pragmatist]

I'm hoping for some recommendations for cover for a car used in Europe for 5/6 months a year, but based in UK. The current insurer, Saga, offers unlimited usage but charges a great deal! If anyone can suggest a company that might be competitive then I should be much obliged.

Hopeful thanks,

John G

John
I have no personal experience of trying to get an arrangement like that but I would suggest trying LV. We have had several cars insured with them for the last few years and they have been most accommodating - both when changing vehicles and when we had to get a repair done. Needed a rear window on our Saab soft-top in order to be able to visit ancient MIL for Xmas - pressure on - not feasible to do 600 mile round trip with no back window. No-one in the UK could supply a new window - best option was a month to get one from Sweden. LV found a 2nd-hand one and organised the fitting. V pleased.

The other insurer we've found very flexible and helpful was NFU Mutual - used to insure Discovery, Range Rover etc. Unfortunately they got too expensive to continue with competition from LV but the huge benefit was that they had a local office so you could go down and talk to them face to face.

Good luck with your quest - would be interested to hear what you manage to get.

P

 

[GrahamM376]

Difficult to insure UK car in EC long term. Most UK insurers limit cover to 90 days in the small print although at a glance at large print it seems OK. Abbeygate Gibraltar advertise UK reg car cover 12 months but don't know how competitive they are.

 

[DaiB]

I insure through Adrian Flux as brokers and my policy is with Aegis. It cost an extra £66 to cover the car fully comp for the summer six months in Greece (over the normal 3rd party).
For breakdown insurance I use Stewart Collins Swansea as brokers and insure with DAS for all of europe at£185 per year.

 

[duncan99210]

Just bear in mind that, at present, all car insurance must include the legal minimum cover in all EU countries as part of the policy. Any cover above that level (i.e. The comprehensive element of your cover) will be at extra cost and may be time limited.

 

[macd]

Just bear in mind that, at present, all car insurance must include the legal minimum cover in all EU countries as part of the policy. Any cover above that level (i.e. The comprehensive element of your cover) will be at extra cost and may be time limited.

Full cover is almost always time-limited, but usually at no extra cost, although policies with extended cover (such as Saga) will usually be more expensive.

As said, Saga are good, with unlimited EU-stay on one of their policies; LV, I think, have a six-month limit. Stuart Collins are a well-regarded broker for this type of insurance, although in our experience dearer than direct approaches to insurers: stuart@stuartcollins.com

 

[Thedreamoneday]

Would highly recommend DAS breakdown cover. My car spat it's aux belt out on a French motorway a couple of weeks ago, I was unaware until then that they are all private so you have to use their tow trucks to get off the motorway. DAS covered this cost circa €220, they then paid for a taxi to the local car hire which allowed me to drive to Calais where a uk cat was waiting. I then drove that hire car back to the north west of England and a week later my car was delivered to a repair centre of my choice on the back of a wagon....

Total extra cost to me £0

Well worth the £185 in the 1st place

I used Stuart Collins (broker) for 12 month European cover

 

[ashtead]

One of the reasons for Saga being more might be the commission levels they take on top of the net price paid to the insurers on their panel.
There are a number of specialist motor brokers around in addition to Adrian Flux e g Lancaster plus others like Classic line for enthusiasts . It might be that an enthusiasts club exists for your vehicle which offers more varied terms with the flexibility you are seeking. Might also be worth speaking to a high street broker such as A Plan if you prefer this form of distribution channel.
If the usage is limited you might also look at coverage provided by a telematics solution as another alternative possibility/comparison.

 

[Sybarite]

Just bear in mind that, at present, all car insurance must include the legal minimum cover in all EU countries as part of the policy. Any cover above that level (i.e. The comprehensive element of your cover) will be at extra cost and may be time limited.

Yet another item that will have to be renegotiated....

 

[Jegs]

Many thanks to all. Subject to reading documentation it seems LV will do, only 180 days offshore but less than half the renewal from Saga [12 yrs NCB].

ATB,

John G