Uk car in Europe without upgrading insurance?

AdrianC

Lomast wrote: »

That s an EU directive it is not UK law.

UK law doesn't apply in Germany, where the OP will be, and where the OP will need to satisfy German traffic law.

The various Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic are the relevant agreements here. They are not EU, they are UN, so Brexit won't affect them. UK insurers MUST provide cover to policyholders in any other country that's a signatory to the conventions. All EU states (and more) are signatories. A UK insurer cannot refuse to cover your car in Germany, no matter how long you may or may not have been outside the UK, or what their Ts and Cs may or may not say.

BUT...

That's only basic road-risks only bare legal minimum cover. If you want your comprehensive insurance to apply, you need to abide by the insurer's Ts & Cs.

BUT...

That's not the whole story, either. If you are deemed to be resident in Germany, then you will need to abide by German law - and that almost certainly requires you to register the car in Germany. Renting a house, having a job, paying German income tax... That's all residence. You are not a visitor to Germany, you are a resident.

If the boot were on the other foot, then a German (or Romanian or Pole or French or...) resident in the UK would not be allowed to drive around in a UK-registered vehicle. Non-resident visitors can drive around in foreign-registered vehicles for up to six months in total over a 12 month period, so long as it's fully legal in the home country.
https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports
You need to investigate the German position on that. Remember that TuV is much stricter than the UK MOT on any non-original parts fitted to a vehicle.

If you are resident in Germany, what do you plan to give the UK insurer as your home address, and where do you plan to tell them the car is normally parked overnight...?

Iceweasel

My understanding is that the minimum legal requirement, i.e. Third Party cover, would be valid as long as you are abroad.

However anything in addition, i.e Comprehensive or Fire & Theft would only be valid for 90 days.

lilinghan8

AdrianC wrote: »

UK law doesn't apply in Germany, where the OP will be, and where the OP will need to satisfy German traffic law.

The various Vienna Conventions on Road Traffic are the relevant agreements here. They are not EU, they are UN, so Brexit won't affect them. UK insurers MUST provide cover to policyholders in any other country that's a signatory to the conventions. All EU states (and more) are signatories. A UK insurer cannot refuse to cover your car in Germany, no matter how long you may or may not have been outside the UK, or what their Ts and Cs may or may not say.

BUT...

That's only basic road-risks only bare legal minimum cover. If you want your comprehensive insurance to apply, you need to abide by the insurer's Ts & Cs.

BUT...

That's not the whole story, either. If you are deemed to be resident in Germany, then you will need to abide by German law - and that almost certainly requires you to register the car in Germany. Renting a house, having a job, paying German income tax... That's all residence. You are not a visitor to Germany, you are a resident.

If the boot were on the other foot, then a German (or Romanian or Pole or French or...) resident in the UK would not be allowed to drive around in a UK-registered vehicle. Non-resident visitors can drive around in foreign-registered vehicles for up to six months in total over a 12 month period, so long as it's fully legal in the home country.
https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports
You need to investigate the German position on that. Remember that TuV is much stricter than the UK MOT on any non-original parts fitted to a vehicle.

If you are resident in Germany, what do you plan to give the UK insurer as your home address, and where do you plan to tell them the car is normally parked overnight...?

Morning Adrian,

Thanks for your reply. I will be in Germany for about 5 months and some days so I am still treated as a visitor in German. I am asking if I am legal to drive my car without buying extra policy or exporting and inporting my car back again when I return.

lilinghan8

Iceweasel wrote: »

My understanding is that the minimum legal requirement, i.e. Third Party cover, would be valid as long as you are abroad.

However anything in addition, i.e Comprehensive or Fire & Theft would only be valid for 90 days.

Thanks Iceweasel,
I drew a simple picture to explain my understanding. As marked by red, my car still has This compulsory cover even after 90 days.
Picture:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QGlHms3l34g42yHG9t4fJ7ehlxPJ7Hqa/view?usp=sharing

knightstyle

Found this https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/registration/taxes/index_en.htm

Andy_L

Ultimately, only your insurance company can answer your question.

However, consider that your UK insurance can come with certain limits eg SDP only, limited mileage etc all of which reduce the cost & cover but still meet the legal minimums for UK car insurance. If you look at the 90 day limit as a similar limit on use to reduce cost, since driving overseas is an understandably higher risk, does that make it more palatable/understandable?

Silverdolphin

When I went to Paris for 8 months I had the same query. I just made sure I came back to UK soil for atleast 48 hours (usually 5-7days) before heading back to Paris. This saved me around £800 in upgrading my insurance and I was third party covered and insured my whole duration. My insurance is with diamond wheels - formally shielas wheels. If at any point within those 90 days you are back for longer than 48 hours your 90days will reset.

AdrianC

Andy_L wrote: »

...since driving overseas is an understandably higher risk...

<raises eyebrows>
Do go on...?

EssexExile

AdrianC wrote: »

<raises eyebrows>
Do go on...?

It's all those foreigners driving on the wrong side of the road, it's bound to cause problems.

Andy_L

AdrianC wrote: »

<raises eyebrows>
Do go on...?

Different road signs. Wrong side off the road (OK there are some where that isn't the case, but ROI is included by default by some insurers).