Travelling after Brexit
Comments
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David
This is from the Gov.uk site updated yesterday.
"Some EU and EEA countries may also require a separate Green Card as proof of insurance for caravans and trailers. If you are travelling with a caravan or trailer, you will need two Green Cards: one for the towing vehicle, and one for the caravan or trailer."
Look Here and scroll down to Sec 7
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OH just spoke to our insurance agent re green card for upcoming trip so that is now sorted. However a bit miffed to discover that under the terms of the vehicle insurance, we can only travel to Europe 90 days in any one policy year.
As the policy is due to run out in Oct (when we planned to be away for 3 months) we will now have to look to change policies before that.
I've looked on the internet and discovered that some companies while giving you 90 days EU in a year, restrict you to 30 days in any one trip, again never come across this before, is this something new due to Brexit or has it always been like that and we have just been lucky in the past.
IDP seems to be straight forward just need to go to PO to collect.
Green card, is it normal to have to get one for every trip? is it possible to get one that will cover for the duration of the policy?
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IMPORTANT - Green cards may be required for caravans!
Taken from the Governments site this morning. Looks like a separate Green Card is necessary."Vehicle insurance for UK registered vehicles, caravans and trailers in the EU
A motor insurance Green Card is evidence of motor insurance cover when driving abroad.
The EU, EEA, Andorra, Serbia and Switzerland are part of a Green Card-free circulation area. Currently, you do not need a motor insurance Green Card to drive a UK registered vehicle in these countries.
From 12 April 2019, if there is no EU Exit deal and the European Commission does not make a decision ensuring that UK registered vehicles will not be checked for proof of insurance, drivers of UK registered vehicles will need to carry a motor insurance Green Card when driving in the EU and EEA.
Some EU and EEA countries may also require a separate Green Card as proof of insurance for caravans and trailers. If you are travelling with a caravan or trailer, you will need two Green Cards: one for the towing vehicle, and one for the caravan or trailer.
Contact your vehicle insurance provider to obtain motor insurance Green Cards for your vehicle, caravan or trailer."
Fortunately we're insured with LV who make it easy to obtain this - and have proactive advice on their website:
As Brexit negotiations are still on-going, there is currently no official requirement to apply for a Green Card. If you are planning on driving in Europe before 29 March 2019 and won't be returning until after that date, you can get a Green Card as a precaution. You’ll need two green cards if you're towing, one for your car and one for your caravan or trailer.
Please email us at greencard at lv.com giving the following: Policy number and vehicle registration And if you're towing a caravan or trailer: Make of the caravan or trailer If the caravan or trailer is registered separately, its registration number Please allow up to two weeks for your Green Card to arrive. Green Cards are valid until your next policy renewal date, so you can travel as much as you like on the same Green Card. In the event of a ‘no deal’, you’ll also need to obtain an International Driving Permit which is available from the Post Office.0 -
We've just spoken to our caravan insurers (Towergate) at this moment in time they advised us that NO Green Card is required for the caravan. However they will contact us if that changes.
As we still have 6 weeks yet before travel things may well change.
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Is isn't your caravan insurer who will provide it - but your car insurer. At the moment caravans are insured (third party) under your car insurance whilst being towed. The Green card should be issued by your car insurer to prove this cover is in place.
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Already spoken to car insurance about that, they say while caravan is on tow then it will as usual be covered by the car's insurance + the Green card cover no mention of a separate green card for caravan. Will get OH to call back and clarify that.
As stated the caravan company then stated no green card required for when its not attached ie on site.
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The insurance companies obviously haven't read the new Government guidelines yet - which is not that a separate green card WILL be required but that it might be. Personally I would rather argue the toss with a British insurer (if necessarily referring them to the new guidelines) than with a passport control/police traffic enforcement/customs officer in a language I'm not fluent in
Here's the Government link that the extract in my post was taken from, to refer to for any doubting Thomas insurers: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prepare-to-drive-in-the-eu-after-brexit.
The green card information is well down the 'page'.
There is a lot of other important information, but the green card for caravans is directly related to those who may be reading this forum.0 -
From what I have read on here (all posts now) I think Deleted User Users posts have the answer from his insurance company(SAGA) he stated that on his green card he had a letter A for car and F for trailer.
Lutz then came on an posted that he has 2 green cards (you would in Germany) on one of his cards it has an A (car) and the other F (caravan) as both of these vehicles have to be insured/registered separately that is why he has 2 green cards.
In the UK both car and caravan/trailer have the same number plate, I would expect that is why Saga have issued just the one green card and why most of the other insurance companies are doing so, including the CAMC.
I too would like to sort this out before we go which is why we have been back in touch with the insurance company who are looking into it.
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Thanks for the heads up Val, just telephoned the Halifax as we are travelling out in April and have held back on this thinking we would know by now.
The Halifax who is my car insurer is sending two Green Cards, one for the car and one for the caravan explaining it is covered by the towing vehicles insurance.
She did speak in the plural as if it was two separate cards, but may well be like 'AD' and be on one only.
Either way its covered.
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If no agreement and unlisted country then your dog must be tested and pass at least 3 months before travel.
Mine passed in late November of last year with enough antibodies in her blood, but another member failed which resulted in another injection and retest along with a slightly delayed departure. So at around £95 per test it could be costly for a retest, especially if not needed after all.
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Had enough of our insurance company messing about, appears they don't understand what is happening and can't get things right.
We've moved back to SAGA
SAGA tell us that as of today, they have been informed that Green Cards will be given 1 for the car and 1 for the caravan. The person we spoke to said, to hold fire for another couple of weeks yet to see what is happening, as we might not even need one. We still have 5 weeks until the off so happy to wait another 2 weeks.
Much better insurance as the other one only gave us 90 days in any 12 mths.
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I rang SAGA for a Green Card this morning (car is SAGA caravan is CAMC) and was told that as you have one card for car, one for caravan, phoned CAMC who told me only one card is issued by car insurer. Phoned SAGA a second person said the card is issued solely by the car insurer with a note to the effect a caravan will be towed, they took make and model of our van to add to Green Card.
The caravan is covered by the car insurer as far as Third Party claims are concerned.
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Morning
Here in Spain if you purchase a trailer (anything towed) it is registered and insured. That's why you see different number plates on the car/ trailer. Not an issue with trailers bought in the UK, if you're stopped by the police you just show them your proof of purchase (from experience).
Bear in mind that those registered trailers are subject to an itv test (mot) the same as vehicles.
JK
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Of course that only applies so long as the caravan is hitched to the car. If it is not hitched and parked on a public road it must be covered by its own third party insurance, at least in most Continental countries and that would apply to visiting UK outfits, too.
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From what I've read elsewhere, the government is recommending a Green Card being issued specifically for the caravan (to cover the issue raised above concerning registration and insurance abroad). I would think that the Green Card with your name on it is sufficient and you wouldn't be required to take a copy of the sales invoice with you as well.
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