Driving to Europe after Brexit? Here's when you'll need to ask your insurer for a green card

Some major insurers have told MoneySavingExpert they've started issuing 'green cards' to motorists who want to drive in the EU in case of a no-deal Brexit - but one big name isn't yet providing them. Here's how to apply and how long each insurer will take to send them...
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'Driving to Europe after Brexit? Here's when you'll need to ask your insurer for a green card'
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  • foxy-stoat
    foxy-stoat Posts: 6,879
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    So basically what we used to do years ago.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189
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    foxy-stoat wrote: »
    So basically what we used to do years ago.
    Yes, back when driving on the continent was a rarity.

    Ridiculous, isn't it?
  • peterbaker
    peterbaker Posts: 3,083 Forumite
    foxy-stoat wrote: »
    So basically what we used to do years ago.
    Which was what exactly? And how do you know so much about it? I can tell you years ago you never automatically had 27 countries activated on your Green Card for a start, same as you never had automatic right to free roaming on a mobile phone. If I recal correctly, you never even had a mobile phone in the dinosaur age.

    Do you enjoy the spectacle of watching your fellow citizens (the ones that get out a bit) having to negotiate the unexpected pitfalls of indulging in wishful backwards thinking? You must do if you voted for Brexit.
  • AdrianC wrote: »
    Yes, back when driving on the continent was a rarity.

    Ridiculous, isn't it?

    Not at all. I had to do this last summer when we went on a driving holiday to France - pay to extend car insurance, pay to extend breakdown insurance, pay to extend health insurance, carry your log book with you, etc, etc.

    Being in the EU hasn't made any difference to what we did in the 70's , 80's and 90's. The EU has sat on it's arris while the insurance companies keep ripping off the motorist.
    "There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe a 'Princess Coronation' locomotive in full cry. We shall never see their like again". O S Nock
  • peterbaker
    peterbaker Posts: 3,083 Forumite
    Not at all. I had to do this last summer when we went on a driving holiday to France - pay to extend car insurance, pay to extend breakdown insurance, pay to extend health insurance, carry your log book with you, etc, etc.

    Being in the EU hasn't made any difference to what we did in the 70's , 80's and 90's. The EU has sat on it's arris while the insurance companies keep ripping off the motorist.
    You had to pay to extend your insurances for one reason only - because you didn't think ahead when you bought them in the first place and you laid yourself open to the pitfalls of ppplanning and thereby unwittingly gave up the personal sovereignty of your wallet to faceless others for their profit not yours.

    And of course you have to carry your registration document - how else do you prove you haven't stolen the car? Even with a Ryanair airport never that far away in Europe now, you can't exactly say sorry officer I'll just pop back home and get it and bring it in later this week now can you? :p
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189
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    Not at all. I had to do this last summer when we went on a driving holiday to France - pay to extend car insurance, pay to extend breakdown insurance, pay to extend health insurance, carry your log book with you, etc, etc.
    No, you didn't HAVE to do any of that. Where you have chosen to pay extra, it's because your UK provider have chosen to restrict your cover.

    Your car insurance covered you automatically, to a legal minimum. UK insurers are unusual across the continent in not extending the full comp cover automatically, and that's what you paid the extra for.

    You chose a UK-only breakdown policy to start with, because it was cheaper. Again, UK providers are unusual across the continent in making extension so expensive. The German equivalent of the AA is €69/year for full personal cover for you + spouse/partner, €109 for global annual cover.

    EHIC card is free for reciprocal health cover.
  • peterbaker
    peterbaker Posts: 3,083 Forumite
    AdrianC wrote: »
    ...EHIC card is free for reciprocal health cover.
    Yes ... for 43 more days. After that who knows? Chances are, some poor Brit with an EHIC could have an accident later today whilst ski-ing for example and put themselves in an EU hospital for a long stint. If they are still in hospital at 11pm 29.3, then what?

    Let's ask poppa and foxy for their advice ... I am sure they've done it all before :mad:
  • waamo
    waamo Posts: 10,298
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    peterbaker wrote: »
    Yes ... for 43 more days. After that who knows? Chances are, some poor Brit with an EHIC could have an accident later today whilst ski-ing for example and put themselves in an EU hospital for a long stint. If they are still in hospital at 11pm 29.3, then what?

    Let's ask poppa and foxy for their advice ... I am sure they've done it all before :mad:

    Isn't that what travel insurance is for? Personally whenever I go abroad I make sure I have appropriate cover in place.
  • Car_54
    Car_54 Posts: 8,180
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    Not at all. I had to do this last summer when we went on a driving holiday to France - pay to extend car insurance, pay to extend breakdown insurance, pay to extend health insurance, carry your log book with you, etc, etc.

    Being in the EU hasn't made any difference to what we did in the 70's , 80's and 90's. The EU has sat on it's arris while the insurance companies keep ripping off the motorist.


    In the 70s 80s and 90s we were in the EU. I assume you meant the 60s.


    The EU has given you Europe-wide 3rd party insurance, and reciprocal health care, neither of which we had before. And thanks to the single market (fought for by Mrs Thatcher) you could have bought very competitive Europe-wide breakdown cover from a German autoclub. And your car will have cost 10% less than it would have otherwise.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189
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    waamo wrote: »
    Personally whenever I go abroad I make sure I have appropriate cover in place.
    Do you also insist on having private health insurance in the UK?

    Same difference.
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