Car Insurance
 

Another question to you helpful people!
We live in Uk, moving to Spain permanently at end of August. Taking our own (UK) car. This has been done, no doubt, by thousands of others.

Our current insurers, and others that I've asked, won't insure us whilst we are living in Spain. I've also rung Direct Line (Espana) and they will only insure cars with Spanish plates.

There are loads of expats in Spain with UK cars so there must be a way around this? We also need to be sure we are covered whilst we actually drive to Spain!

Grateful for any advice. Driving without insurance is not one of our options!!!

That's funny. Just received an email saying that a reply to this thread had been posted by Milky Bar Kid, but now I come back to read it, there is no reply!

Hi , my policy now covers me for 180 days in Europe with full comp providing I have UK residence so as long as you have a UK address you will be covered.I intend to use this option when I move to Spain in aug/sep 05.

merlino

Thanks for your reply.
Who is the policy with? Also, because we are actually moving to Spain I won't have a UK address unless I use someone else's...

My car insurance policy is with Frizzell , also you are not actually considered a resident in Spain until you have been there over 183 days.

merlino

I see. So you just leave them with your original UK address on their records then?

Lots of brokers in Spain, do their ins through Gib.
But there are funny laws on Brit cars, to be properly insured, they need Brit MOT, Spanish one will not do, so to be legal you have to drive to England and renew MOT every year, or change to Spanish plates, ouch....

Read the link it may help....

With so many questions on this subject this link should be a sticky at the top.

http://costablancaexpats.net/pats/trafico.txt

Re: Car Insurance
 

You can get a 12 month green card. I had one with Norwich union. More expensive but they deliver if you have an accident. Becafeful of issuring with a Spanish company, they don't always pay out. A colleague had a nasty accident with a Spanish driver and the Spanish drivers insurance company went bust so it didnt have to pay out. Look at some in Gibraltar also they may be able to help as they sometimes do both.

Keeping a Vehicle with British Number Plates in Spain



As a member of the EU you may bring your car with you to Spain, and leave it on UK plates but only on the following terms.

Your vehicle may remain in Spain indefinitely but you must maintain your home country tax and ensure that it is fully paid up as well as ensuring that the MOT is always current. You can have the MOT carried out here in Spain where it is known as the ITV.

Your vehicle may not stay in Spain any longer than six months in any one calendar year and must be insured in its country of registration as per EU Law. This is something which causes many a great deal of problems when they find they cannot insure their car with a Spanish insurance company nor find a British company prepared to insure them. Some companies will offer cover but please read the small print. Most policies issued under these circumstances are fragile to say the least.

More likely is that you will have to import your car and register it in Spain. This will entail the payment of a 12% import tax. Tax varies depending on engine size and how long you have had the vehicle. If you take out a residence permit this all changes. Your car must then be registered in Spain but you can claim exemption from the 12% registration tax.

Thank you for all the advice. I have actually today spoken to Abbeygate (Insurers) on 956794558, in Spain, and they say they will insure the car on GB plates, and allow for trips to the UK of up to 30 days at a time. The quote was 50% more than I'm paying in the UK, but at least they will do it, as long as I provide a Spanish address (which I could).
Does anyone know of this insurer? Are they ok?
I want to return to the UK once or twice a year anyway.

Just make sure you read the small print.

you have to watch some of the info on this site because some has not been updated for some time, and does not take into account recent changes

Have a chat to Xpat insurance and Financial Services
952465588
Lotti Lundestedt

A nice and helpful woman and maybe offer you some advice.

Liberty seguros insure cars on British plates but of course at a premium. www.libertyseguros.es

With regards to omport tax then you don't have to pay it if you are resident.

All the best
Danny
Pathfinder
www.relocatingtoandalucia.com

Thanks for all the great advice. Having read it all I thought sod it, and sold the (British) car! It didn't seem to make a lot of sense going through all those formalities and still having a right hand drive car with no air con.
So now we are flying out, with dogs, hiring a car from Alicante, and we'll buy a new Spanish car.

I believe I need an NIE to buy a new car - we will complete the purchase of our (resale) house in early September.

Is there anything else I need to have in order to buy a new car? Apart from money.