Driving Abroad; the Age Old Question

I'm sure at one point or other you've all made orcomprehensive policy and give you the peace of
listened to jokes about driving abroad, drivingmind you require.
round roundabouts the wrong way, etc. TheNot all providers offer this feature so it is
reality of this can be rather more serious.advisable to check early, as if you cannot add this
It's all very well if you're hiring a car in thetemporary cover, you will need time to seek and
country you travel to, but what if you're drivingapply for a temporary policy with another
your own car over to say France or another nowcompany.
easily accessible European country. Does yourIt is also important to have your car checked
normal car insurance policy cover you?over mechanically before you attempt to make a
The answer in some ways is both yes and no.long overseas trip, so as to avoid having to make
Yes you should be covered on the majority ofa claim whilst abroad. This is also good general
policies, as under European Union law a minimumadvice before any long road trip.
level of cover is required in all of the memberYou may be able to find certain insurance
countries. This however is only really about thecompanies who offer comprehensive European
same level of cover as a third party policy,cover as part of their standard policy. This will
coincidentally the minimum level allowed by law intake some research and a good idea is to use a
this country.comparison site to make the job easier by
Then on the other hand when you think about it,showing you what is and is not covered under a
no, you're not really covered sufficiently. All theprospective policy.
insurance will pay out for is damage or injury to aThe main things to remember when planning a
third party and no cover is provided for yourself.trip abroad in your car are; Make sure you are
Many people do not realise how little is coveredcovered (take extra cover if needed), have your
whilst driving in Europe and may presume theycar checked over mechanically, take plenty of
have comprehensive cover.maps, take many breaks and above all drive
Most insurers offer a temporary top up to yoursafely and carefully, especially in unfamiliar
motor insurance policy, often for up to a periodsurroundings.
of 30 days. This will cover you as a