Driving abroad – make sure you’re covered this summer

Just fewer than 9 million people will be venturing over the English Channel this year to spend their holidays in the summer sun. A third of sun seekers will drive to their favourite destination giving themselves the freedom of having their own car with them on holiday. It’s easy to see the attraction as taking your own car saves you money in car hire charges which tend to add up over a two week holiday. The problem is that according to a survey done by CoverGirl Car Insurance Services www.covergirlcarinsurance.co.uk; approximately half of holidaymakers won’t check that their car insurance covers them to drive abroad.

Insurance policies automatically provide third party fire and theft cover when you drive in the EU but may not cover you with fully comprehensive cover even though you have it in this country. In addition to checking that you are covered it is advisable to inform your insurer that you are planning to drive abroad as some firms will refuse to pay a claim if you haven’t notified them of your trip.

You might think that third party cover is adequate but consider this: the chances of having an accident abroad are increased by driving on the other side of the road and having to interpret confusing road signs. If you aren’t too good at reading the signs in this country then imagine how confusing it could be to decipher signs written in Spanish. You should also be aware that thieves will look upon foreign cars as a prime target as they are likely to be full of cameras, money and other expensive items. So protect yourself from dishonest people who want to make your holiday hell and check that you’re covered before you go.

To give you peace of mind that your car will be repatriated back to the UK for repair if you have an accident, it is advisable to shop around for car insurance and make sure that you are covered. Otherwise you could be stuck with having to pay hefty bills to get your car repaired by a foreign garage.

Craig Handy , from CoverGirl had this to say to holidaymakers:

“Always ensure that you check your insurance before you go away. When your car breaks down in a foreign country it’s too late to check that you are fully covered for every eventuality. Consider the aggravation of your car breaking down or being stolen when you are on holiday with the family.”

So the wisest move you can make when planning your drive to the South of France and the glistening Mediterranean or to the rough seas of Northern Spain and the Atlantic , is check your cover. Call your insurance provider to check that you are insured abroad or shop around and find a provider that covers you fully comp. That way you’ll enjoy the drive much, much more.

*A replacement car can normally be arranged under one of the following conditions: (1) Comprehensive policyholders – a replacement car may be available under the terms of your insurance policy. Please check your policy details for more information. (2) Non fault accident – where we have the name, car registration number and insurance details of the person who caused the accident, we can supply a replacement car. This is done on a credit hire basis which means the costs for this service will be passed onto the insurance company of the person who caused the accident. We may not be able to arrange a replacement car where we are unable to get an admission of liability from their insurance company, or where the driver is untraceable or uninsured. (3) Repair garage – if your car is booked in for repairs following an accident, the repair garage may be able to provide a replacement car (subject to availability).