Ian1

Hi all,
I am pulling my hair out here.
I am in the process of changing my UK plates to Spanish ones.
On completion I intend to drive back to UK for a short holiday.
I have found out that my breakdown cover in Spain will not cover me in the UK.
Has anyone been in this situation, can I get breakdown for a short period of time in UK.
I would appreciate any advice from people who have drove their Spanish car back to UK, and returned to Spain

mikelincs

Are you officially a Spanish resident as it would be illegal for you to be driving a Spanish car in the UK if you were still classed as a UK resident. You need to look for pan european breakdown cover, The Spanish RAAC should be able to help you as your cover will have to be Spanish based.

lutonlad

Must admit, I didn't realise that myself until fairly recently.

Ian1

Oh I have not got round to being resident yet. What makes me mad now is that I have insured my car with Abbeygate I told them that I was going back to UK for a month and as yet I am not resident. The member of staff
who obviously was more concerned about his commission told me that was ok to do.
I have made a right cock up here!!
Thanks for your advice

lutonlad

I've insured with various Co's - more recently with Liberty. They have never questioned anything, and have always provided European travel and breakdown cover automatically.
Having said that, this year they didn't give me the green European form - said I would have to go back to the office if I wanted cover. So I wonder if they are tightening up?

Ian1

Thanks everyone for your advice.
I am posting this on the forum for other members info if they come across this problem.

I have just phoned DVLA they have told me if I am still resident in UK and not resident in Spain I can legally drive a Spanish car in UK upto 6 months as long as the car is insured, ITV and taxed in Spain
Also it is wise to keep the ferry ticket.

lutonlad

That seems to contradict what is on their website.
Good luck anyway.

Ian1

OK thanks

Neptuno

From your post it sounds as if you are not resident inthe UK though?
After 90 days you are considered resident in Spain and should sign on the foreigners register aka residencia. Does that apply to you?

snikpoh

Just because you haven't yet signed on the 'list of foreigners' and got your 'residencia', does not mean that you are not resident.

After 90 days, you are automatically considered resident although you will not have anything to prove this.

Like wise for tax, after 182 days, you are automatically tax resident whether you like it or not and will have to submit a tax return.

If you have bought a property here, are you on the padron?

Michael74

I was in UK year with my Spanish registered car and I broke down on the A34 Oxford to Southampton road. I am with Liberty Seguros and have a breakdown card. I rang the number and within the hour an RAC breakdown man pulled up and got me on my way.

It was amusing in a way as the Spanish operator wanted the name of the road and didn't really understand "in a layby on the A34 just south of Abingdon"

The RAC who rang me back on my mobile was a bit confused re the reg number and thought I was an HGV but it all worked out well in the end.

So check that your insured for full European breakdown cover.

Domino

I would think that was a bad move, but then alot of people do it.
Abbeygate offer expats insurance in Spain for UK plated cars but are based in Gib whilst the underwriters are in the UK. Nothing about them is Spanish that I am aware of.

The BH insured with the 4years ago when we brought out her car, she had a small claim but found that the local main dealer bodyshop (who do work for just about every marque) refused to release the car because their head office didn't expect to get paid. BH ended up paying the bill and claiming from Abbeygate who did pay her back promptly.

Both our cars are with the red telephone people and they automatically cover our cars if we should go home or anywhere else in the EU.
No one asked us to prove our residencia.