Insuring a UK reg car in Spain - heeelp!!
 

Hi there,

I have a UK reg car and I am currently living in Spain. I have currently got UK insurance, but I have realised that I am only officially covered 3rd party, as my insurance only covers you for 30 days at any 1 time.

Are there any companies that anyone knows of that can insure my car fully comp even though it is in Spain with UK plates.

If anyone can help, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks,

Martin.

Re: Insuring a UK reg car in Spain - heeelp!!
 

sorry to seem so negative but my advice would be to take the car back to the uk and sell it then buy a new one here

I brought my car here simply because it was not worth that much and I thought it would be easier to transfer it than sell and buy one here !!

I went through the lengthy process of getting my english car through the ITV (MOT sort of) and then registered here
I had to pay tax as I did not have a certificate to show that i was resident in the UK before moving here (if such a thing ever exists)

so having passed the ITV (I had to change the lights and then get written "ficha Technicas" for the car and engine from a Fiat Dealership. I then paid tax and got the car registered here. the next day i went to get insurance and was advised that no one wanted to insure the car as it was right hand drive (or is it left i always forget - English). I was also advised that to drive in spain and have insurance I must have my UK (EUROPEAN) driving licence endorsed by the department of traffic to confirm it is valid for Spain !

by this time my UK MOT had expired and tax, and presumable Spain will have advised the UK of the registration here so to take it back to the UK would have its own problems. In the end I was forced to sell a perfectly good working car for 30€ (yes thirty) for scrap.

if you return home regularly i would keep it registered there and mot'd and insured and simple tell anyone who asks that you are on holiday and have been here for just a week

sorry :(

Hi Martin,
Direct Line have just arrived in the Canaries which come under Spain and you can insure through them, they seem quite reasonable, also Sun Alliance. The only thing is, as the previous person mentioned, is the MOT (called ITV in Spain) as they dont like passing foreign cars with a right hand drive! It is very difficult to get it through the MOT so you would probably be better off selling in UK and buying new/second hand in Spain. The Spanish insurance Companies will only insure Fully Comp once it is 5 years old, if you have had the car from new, otherwise it will only be 3rd party. Very different to UK.

also direct line were one of the companies that refused to insure my car even with spanish mot and plates

Try ringing this number: Linea Direct: 902 325325, They may be able to help you.

thanks for the suggestion but i have already given up the ghost and bough a spanish car and got rid of the english one