bobalobs Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 I have just received an email from Esure advising that in the event of a " No deal" a Green Card will be needed for Europe and it will be supplied free on 7 to 10 days notice. They then pointed out that a Green Card only gives third party cover and if I want my comprehensive cover extended for Europe I will need to contact them. Though they do not say it I suspect an additional premium. Did we have to pay an additional premium pre EEC/EU . My brain does not go back that far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 No ,just a green card. Brian B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 From what I recall from my first visits to mainland Europe (after we joined common market) a green card only covered minimum legal requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 They are entitled to make an admin charge for issuing the Green Card. The Green card does not provide any insurance cover, it merely confirms that the holder has the minimum level of insurance cover required by law in the country visited (generally, third party only). You may need to check with the insurer whether they want a list of the countries you intend visiting (or whether, if the cover is multi-national, it will cover all the countries you intend visiting). Assuming you will want to extend f/c cover for your trip, you may have to pay an additional premium that may relate to the duration of your trip. Whether your insurer can apply an additional charge for this should be clear from the terms and conditions of the insurance. However, the default date for Brexit (29 March 2019) was fixed when the notice under Article 50 was submitted on 29 March 2017. Vehicle insurance policies are only valid for one year, so it is not feasible that when setting the premium on your present policy, your insurer would not have known that you might be driving in Europe within its period of its validity. If your policy expires before 29 March, the new policy may include a requirement for an additional premium for continental use. But if your existing policy covers the period of your intended trip, and there is no mention of an added premium to extend f/c cover for continental use, I think that extended cover should be deemed to have been included within the premium already paid. At your next renewal, they may well change the wording, but they should not do so during the currency of the present contract. You need to read very carefully what the policy document says about continental use of the van, to see a) if an additional premium is indicated, and b) whether they reserve the right to change their conditions during the currency of the present contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 bobalobs - 2019-02-19 3:51 PM I have just received an email from Esure advising that in the event of a " No deal" a Green Card will be needed for Europe and it will be supplied free on 7 to 10 days notice. They then pointed out that a Green Card only gives third party cover and if I want my comprehensive cover extended for Europe I will need to contact them. Though they do not say it I suspect an additional premium. Did we have to pay an additional premium pre EEC/EU . My brain does not go back that far! I’m not familiar with the wording of Esure’s policy wording but given their response to your query it sounds a though as long as you’ve had Esure insurance you’ve never had comprehensive cover whilst driving in continental Europe. This is not unusual. I would though have expected most motorhome specific underwriters (eg Saga’s underwriter), given the high value of most motorhomes, to provide comprehensive cover in all EU jurisdictions to make their product competitive. The only guarantee is the policy wording so I suggest you check to see what that says. Re the green card issue, I first stated driving to continental Europe in 1980 and in those days I had to pay my insurer an admin charge to get a green card. Hopefully that racket wont return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted February 20, 2019 Author Share Posted February 20, 2019 Thank you all for your replies. So far as Esure is concerned it is academic as they only insure our UK runabout. I have no plans for a European tour in a Panda! What concerned me was that if I have comprehensive insurance on my policy I thought the level of cover would be the same in Europe if the policy allowed travel in Europe.It now appears not always the case and depends on the policy terms . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teccer1234 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 BruceM - 2019-02-19 6:31 PM bobalobs - 2019-02-19 3:51 PM I have just received an email from Esure advising that in the event of a " No deal" a Green Card will be needed for Europe and it will be supplied free on 7 to 10 days notice. They then pointed out that a Green Card only gives third party cover and if I want my comprehensive cover extended for Europe I will need to contact them. Though they do not say it I suspect an additional premium. Did we have to pay an additional premium pre EEC/EU . My brain does not go back that far! I’m not familiar with the wording of Esure’s policy wording but given their response to your query it sounds a though as long as you’ve had Esure insurance you’ve never had comprehensive cover whilst driving in continental Europe. This is not unusual. I would though have expected most motorhome specific underwriters (eg Saga’s underwriter), given the high value of most motorhomes, to provide comprehensive cover in all EU jurisdictions to make their product competitive. The only guarantee is the policy wording so I suggest you check to see what that says. Re the green card issue, I first stated driving to continental Europe in 1980 and in those days I had to pay my insurer an admin charge to get a green card. Hopefully that racket wont return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teccer1234 Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 comfort have told me that if I need a green card the cost will be £20, ?????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Safeguard have told me yesterday that if required, they will post one out to me gratis :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted February 20, 2019 Author Share Posted February 20, 2019 The offer of a gratis green card is evidence you have the minimum insurance cover but does not say whether you have full comprehensive cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinP Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 Hi Teccer 1234 comfort have told me that if I need a green card the cost will be £20, ?????? Ref Comfort My Policy (valid till September) .The cover letter says "The wording of the PanEuropean Green Card appears on the reverse of the Certificate of Insurance and this document should accompany you on all trips trips to the Continent together with a copy of the policy booklet". So why do we need anything else? MartinP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DickB Posted February 20, 2019 Share Posted February 20, 2019 It all depends on the level of cover you have already. Some companies give continental cover included, but not all. Also some do include continental cover but separately issue the Green Card free on request. You need to know exactly what your policy states and not assume anything. Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 teccer1234 - 2019-02-20 4:48 PM comfort have told me that if I need a green card the cost will be £20, ?????? What Comfort Insurance have told me is that, if you wanted a Green Card NOW, there would be a £20 administration fee. This is because provision of a Green Card is currently not necessary unless someone intends to visit a country outside the Green Card System (described here) https://www.mib.org.uk/making-a-claim/accidents-in-the-uk-involving-a-foreign-registered-vehicle/green-card-system-explained/ and the insuree asks for a Green Card to be provided by his/her insurer. When this has happened in the past, charging a fee has been standard practice. My understanding is that Comfort Insurance can issue a Green Card within 21 days of the Card’s start-date, and that the Card itself is a physical document that will be posted to the insuree. (So the Card cannot be sent on-line as can happen currently regarding a Certificate of Insurance.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monique.hubrechtsgm Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 I will not interfere on above. But in Belgium you have to show your green card when stopped by police. You will get when the insurer is paid. For a year validity, but also six or three months. Beforehand speaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 News today. Currently, a driver of a UK-registered car is allowed to drive anywhere in the EU, the EEA (European Economic Area), Switzerland and Serbia, and not have to carry a green card that proves you have insurance cover. But if the UK leaves without a deal, all changes and drivers will be expected to carry a green card when in mainland Europe and Ireland. They are likely to be issued by an insurance company for free, but the industry is warning it could take up to a month to obtain one, so if no deal happens and you’re booked to go away with the car this Easter, you will need to act fast. The official advice from the UK government is: “From 29 March 2019, in the event that there is no EU exit deal … drivers of UK-registered vehicles will need to carry a motor insurance green card when driving in the EU and EEA.” Note that a green card (and they do have to be on green paper) typically lasts only 90 days, and if your insurance renewal comes up while you’re abroad, you will need one for each cover period. The card applies to the vehicle, not the driver. Direct Line insurance says: “In the event of a no-deal Brexit, we have plans to ensure customers are provided with a green card if they drive in Europe on or after 29 March. Customers will need to contact us at least two weeks in advance of when they are due to travel.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 And am I correct in thinking you will only have a maximum of 90 days cover in a 180 day period? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 bobalobs - 2019-02-23 11:07 AM And am I correct in thinking you will only have a maximum of 90 days cover in a 180 day period? A moot point I think as if we crashed out of the EU then we’d only be allowed to visit the EU for up to 90 days in a 180 day period starting from the first date of entry into the EU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phalange Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 According to the small print in the policies issued by Comfort insurance which for me is Aviva if a green card is issued for countries outside the EU then it is valued for 120 days. So wether the same applies IF we leave then who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monique.hubrechtsgm Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 The validity of the green card whit belgium plate depends how you pay the insurer, butt they have a overlap of two months, paid or not paid. Have a look at the card about this by your insurer. And in your policy are the drivers names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 bobalobs - 2019-02-23 11:07 AM And am I correct in thinking you will only have a maximum of 90 days cover in a 180 day period? No, that relates to the time you are allowed to spend in the EU/Schengen states. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobalobs Posted February 24, 2019 Author Share Posted February 24, 2019 Thanks for the clarification Brian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviddwight Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Safeguard always gave me a green card free of charge when I needed one. Why is everyone making such a fuss over the fact that we need a green card for Europe, way before the EU came into being we were able to travel anywhere in Europe just having a green card to satisfy the various governing bodies in Europe that we had insurance cover. no problems whatsoever. I had a motorcycle accident in Germany in the early sixties I was taken to a Hospital had very good treatment I was then flown home with my friend who was travelling with me. Our motorcycles were sent back to the UK, the AA who I had travel Insurance with covered everything and also got me a considerable amount of compensation for the accident. There was no hassle at all the Police officer who dealt with my accident even gave my friend bed and board free of charge until we were flown home. But then they were the good old days. And another thing we showed our Passports at Dover and no one asked for them when we crossed various borders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 Talk of what it was like in the old days is irrelevant. Over the past 40 years we have changed our treaties drastically, most have been negotiated by us as part of the eu and are interlinked with european law. So we don't have any treaties of our own, apart from the four countries, (including the Faroe Isles! ) that Liam Fox, he of the "easiest negotiations ever", has managed to settle. Importantly we would have no deal with our largest market and closest neighbour, the eu, and this includes air travel, customs, insurance etc. etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 daviddwight - 2019-02-24 8:48 PM And another thing we showed our Passports at Dover and no one asked for them when we crossed various borders. On a technical note The Treaty of Rome (1957) provided a right for the free movement of workers within the European Economic Community so in the 60’s as Dover was the UK border with the EEC, once within the EEC the further showing of passports at borders should not have been required. Traveling outside of the EEC should have been another matter though. Although the green card issue may appear trivial, I suspect that for some, especially those due to travel at the end of March or those traveling within continental Europe for months on end, the uncertainty surrounding the requirements (IDP, Green Card, health cover, visa restrictions) has made what would once have been a simple process of packing up and going rather stressful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted February 25, 2019 Share Posted February 25, 2019 It's all What & If at the moment I'll be over there a month before it happens and not back for 2 mths after it happens. So not being able to for see the future What can I do If it happens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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