Car Insurance in UK and Europe

If you have a car, you have car insurance. It's a necessary evil. Cheap Car Insurance is what everyone wants. I've always said buying car insurance is a bad bet. If you buy the insurance and don't use it, your out all that money, so you lose. If you have an accident, you still pay for the insurance (rates will probably go up) AND you've been in an accident so you lose there too.

At least in the US, if you're insured in one state, you're covered anywhere you can drive. If you're from the UK and want to travel through Europe by car, you've got a whole host of things you need to be concerned about. Different countries have different rules about driving-even about how cars are equipped.

For instance, in Italy Hungary, Finland and Spain, you need to have an International Driving permit in addition to the driver's license for your home country. Italy even requires the permit be in Italian. In Germany, EVERY ACCIDENT needs to be reported to the police, even a minor fender bender, or you can be arrested! Different countries have different rules about headlights and how they're aimed. Until fairly recently, ALL headlights in France needed to be yellow. You also need to know which side of the road to drive on!

It's also important to have all documentation regarding your vehicle and your insurance with you at all times. Proof of insurance is required in many countries as well. Most insurers in Europe will have coverage that specifies compliance with international auto insurance requirements, but if you're travelling it's best to check with your insurance company.

If you plan on driving in different countries in Europe, you can get an informative Foreign Travel Handbook that will tell you everything you need to know about travel in different European countries. Happy motoring!