Driving to France...What is required?

pauliepie

This Friday, we are travelling to North France for a 3 day break.

What do i need to sort out before we go?

1. Travelling in company car with wife and baby, does my company insurance need to know?
2.Do we need a single trip insurance policy?
3. Is there anything else we need or require?

Many Thanks
paul

furndire

If you have a look on here you will find all you need http://www.day-tripper.net/

simongregson

Make sure you have your European health card (apply at the post office)

Travel insurance is up to you to decide given the remote possibility of being hospitalised etc. would it be worth it to you. Most of your health costs will be paid by the european health card, but they will not pay to repatriate you to the uk & you would have to pay 30% ish of hospital charges. Obviously your personal possessions would not be covered if stolen etc.

Avoid buying all the various bits of safety kit they try and sell you at Dover. The chances of it being checked or needed are very small.

Most car insurance covers european use, but only third party. Phone them before and check before you go.

poe.tuesday

from what I recall - you must have a warning triangle and a spare bulb kit and I have the memory of getting a first aid kit which I believe is also complusary - not that anyone is going to check but better safe than sorry and they are handy items anyhow

also get in touch with your car insurance company to get a green card - this should be free

alanrowell

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/countrybycountry.html

peterbaker

I used to be full time in insurance (only for half a career!)

I also had a company car.

I pop across to France once or twice a year two, including with babies who've needed to see doctors for minor ailments once or twice!

So, in priority:

1) You need permission in writing from an officer of your company naming you as authorised to temporarily export the vehicle to France. You need at least a copy of the vehicle registration document corresponding to the written permission. You ned a valid MOT Certificate for the vehicle (copy probably ok for that also as long as all detail are legible). These are legal requirements. Ideally if there is more than one driver the permission should acknowledge this.

2) Your valid UK drivers licence (both paper and plastic parts) and that of any drivers. Again, a legal requirement to be produced on demand.

3) If your company has someone who looks after the company car administration then they will perhaps organise any extra insurance required and provide you with the documents.

If not then these are the insurance angles:
(a) Your UK Insurance Vehicle Certificate with the registration number on it (not a photocopy) is valid proof of the minimum cover in France. You must have this with you, OR a valid green card document.
A green document forever known as a Green Card is not essential IF you have the UK insurance certificate (we are in the EU now and largely respect each others insurance certificates). "Green Card" is an outdated and somewhat confusing concept which as a concept survives I think just as a rough reminder that if you aren't sure about insurance then you should ask for a Green Card and you'll be put right!
(b) If there is no company car administrator then someone will need to check the following IN ADDITION to everything above:
(i) Has the motor insurer given an automatic foreign use extension to the main policy meaning that it is automatically covered comprehensively whilst abroad without anyone calling them to extend the policy? (The bare minimum third party legal cover of each EU country IS automatic on every UK Motor Policy, but Fully Comp may not be).

A Foreign Use extension is NOT the Green Card either. The Green Card concept is now a tautology if you already have the Insurance Certificate. Both confirm legal minimum cover only.

(ii) Breakdown Insurance - Many larger companies in their company car procedures insist that their employees buy an AA 5-star Breakdown Insurance policy or equivalent so that their car and passengers are not expensively stranded abroad if there is a breakdown. You'd better find out about this if there is no official at work to advise you. Maybe you already have a Company Car Drivers booklet that sets out what your company expects. AA 5-star isn't exactly cheap!

4. First Aid Kit
5. Warning Triangle (some countries require two I think but in France one is ok and your car might have this as a standard accessory in the boot lid?)
6. Yellow Hi-Viz vest so you dont get run over when you are setting the triangle out 150 metres behind your broken down car on the motorway!
7. Spare bulb kit
8. Headlight beam adjustment (some better cars have a manual lever behind the headlamps to switch the beam from left dip to right dip). If not then you are supposed to fit a temporary adhesive deflecting lens to the front of each headlamp. Judging from the lights shone in your eyes by UK cars in Northern France at nght I would say many dont bother with this.
9. You are supposed to have a GB sticker on the back or you may already have a GB blue stripe as part of your registration plate. Again, some don't seem to bother.


10. Optional - your own travel insurance and European Health cards for all the family. The Health Cards help you reclaim or to have waived some medical charges on the spot, but are not essential to obtain treatment. As long as you have proper travel insurance (with the baby it is obviously particularly advisable) you claim it back from your insurer when you get back (minus an excess no doubt). Walk-in healthcare is very easy to obtain in France usually in modern smallish local health centres a bit like ours. You might have to pay a little (use a card) for the consultation and then pay again for any prescription medicines from the local pharmacy. Go with the flow and keep the receipts.

When I started writing this I had no idea the list would be so long, but there you have it, straight off the top of my head too, so Errors and Omissions excepted, okay? :-))

Have a good trip. Make sure you leave enough space in the car for all the extras I just listed!

Peter

PS My wife once had a bad accident whilst driving my company car in France with me 'resting' in the passenger seat! Lazily, because I was a director of the company and in insurance, all I had was the UK insurance certificate. I had to talk my way out of the rest (luckily my French was good enough to reassure a police sergeant, it was a weekday and I had a few telephone numbers and a fax to play with!). Hows your French? :-))

fudgem

If you wear spectacles, you are required to carry a spare pair

Chris25

If you have a speed-trap detector, take it off and leave it in the boot - these are illegal in France and you can get a heavy on-the-spot fine if caught

mcfisco

If your company car is leased you will need permission from the lease company plus a 'Vehicle on Hire Certificate' [VE103R]
The lease companies are used to this & usually just send you a pack out with all the documentation you'll need.

peterbaker

Crikey! Any more? No wonder so many people take the plane - all you need is a passport in your hand and a booking reference in your head!

Oh yes .... don't forget the passports!

pauliepie

Cheers everyone (especially Peter)

I see what you mean, with all this information to take in, I might forget to take the missis :~)
Its a wonder we don`t have to contact the local Mayor for his permission...

Cheers anyway for ALL your info.

Frogs legs and snails here we come.....