Livvy48

Morning all.
We have accepted an offer on our house and are well on the way to getting to France in early/mid June. We will be renting for a while until we decide whether to buy or continue to rent, as our furniture will be following us.
One thing that confuses me is the position with car insurance. My UK policy, like most I think, allows me up to 90 days in Europe on a single trip. Does this mean that I will have to either "import" and register my UK car, and insure it with a French insurer, or get rid of it in favour of a LHD vehicle within that 3 month period?
It is certainly our intention to get a LHD vehicle, but I envisage being very busy for the first few months and could do without the distraction caused by car queries.
Any body know?

dmu

Hi, can't help on the car front, but be aware that long-term rentals are unfurnished. Unless you rent a furnished gîte at the beginning, short-term, you'll need your furniture straight away....
I see from another thread that you're Seniors. Potential landlords for long-term rentals will want proof that your regular monthly income (i.e. Pensions) are 3-4 times the rent.
Take a look at the pertinent threads in the Read Me: Moving to France FAQs above, e.g. "renting", "inheritance laws/tax" (if you have children), "growing old in France" (and consider what the surviving spouse will do in the event of death or even if one spouse has to move to a Care Home? Even if you're both fit now, think 10 years ahead!)
How's your French? And whereabouts are you intending to settle? (in case some one can give "local" advice).
All the best!

Livvy48

Thanks DMU. Yes, we are renting furnished initially, and storing our furniture. I will take a look at the threads you suggest. I do have some basic knowledge of French procedures in the case of rentals and also Inheritance, but there is so much new to learn. Neither of us has much French at the moment, so dealing with the bureaucracy of registering our presence for Healthcare etc will be challenging, but I am confident we will be OK.
Our initial location will be Dordogne, and I expect that is the sort of area we will finish up in, or South Charente

mikelincs

Your insurance covers you for visits to France for up to 90 days, however you will be moving there to live, which is NOT a visit, so once you leave the UK your insurance may well be invalid, something you should check with them as you don't want to have problems should you have an accident, also the insurance in France may revert to only 3rd party, again something yo need to check out., no doubt there are many people using their UK insurance in the way you describe BUT it may well be illegal.

EuroTrash

You need to read the small print of your policy carefully, or talk to your insurers. Normally, one of the conditions of UK insurance is that you are UK resident. Then you're allowed 3 months' cover when you go on holiday in other EU countries. But, a UK resident visiting another EU country, is not the same as someone who has moved abroad and is no longer UK resident. Most UK insurers will not cover foreign residents. If that's the policy of your insurers, if you talk to them it may be that in the circumstances they will agree to consider you a "visitor" to France for the first 3 months and keep your cover in force, however since you have sold your UK house it's probably more likely that they will say that they can't cover you without a valid UK address. But what not to do is, not tell your insurers you've left the UK, because if they are hard line about residence it's as well to know upfront and take the appropriate action. You don't want to risk the unfortunate situation of having an accident and your insurers refusing to pay out on the grounds that you'd broken the policy T&Cs by failing to inform them of a "material fact", and changing your country of residence is certainly a "material fact".

So yes, your options are to insure with a French insurer and start the reregistration procedure very soon after arriving, or replace it with a French vehicle.

It is a hassle, but then, changing your country of residence is not a simple business and inevitably it has certain legal obligations attached. I believe French law gives new residents one month after arriving in France to register their car in France.

EDIT - I see Mikelincs said the same thing, but quicker!

Livvy48

Good point mikelincs. I have no desire to fall foul of any insurance small print, and God knows that is easy enough to do.

Livvy48

Yes, thanks Eurotrash. Good advice. I will follow it.