Insuring a vehicle

[imfromwales]

I am thinking of buying a van in England and converting it into a mobile home so i can travel around spain.

What would i do for insurance? I would have to insure it in England, but would i also have to insure it in Spain?

I dont know how long i would be traveling around spain, id say at least 3 month.

[fawlty]

If you insure it in England you would automatically have third party cover in Spain for a limited time.(not sure how long) Inform your insurance company of your intentions, they may allow you to pay a surcharge for fully comp. cover. (If you want it).

Buen Viaje

[imfromwales]

Yeah, ive heard that, but i thought it was for a limited time only, i think il be going for maybe a year or something...i might not even come back!!

[Culebronchris]

You would probably have real trouble insuring it in Spain as the homologation of vehicles with any changes here is very strict (change the tinted glass and you need homologation certificates for the ITV people)

If the vehicle is legal (Taxed, MOT's and Insured) in the UK and you are resident there then the whole thing is legal without any problem for 6 months here in Spain. To all intents and purposes whilst those three things are in place it would be "more or less" legal to the date that one of them expired. The trouble is the insurance. UK companies normally restrict their full, green card, cover to 90 days though I found one willing to cover me for 180 days when I first left the UK. It's a case of looking around. There were quite a few who advertised in those magazines about moving to Spain if that sort of mag still survives.

There are lots of firms here who insure vehicles on British plates but I would be wary about mixing British and Spanish documentation.

[fawlty]

There are lots of firms here who insure vehicles on British plates but I would be wary about mixing British and Spanish documentation.


Yes, I agree. It's the old story with insurance companies, they will take your premium, but when a claim comes in watch out.

A large proportion of British registered vehicles in Spain are run illegally, even though they have insurance, unless they have a current UK road fund licence and test certificate (if required), they are liable to large fines and confiscation if the Trafico so desire.

It is also illegal for a resident of Spain to own and run a non Spanish registered vehicle. Most people get away with it, but if they were involved a serious or fatal road accident it would probably be another matter.

[imfromwales]

So I should basically insure the vehicle in the UK with a company that will allow me to take it to Spain for as long as possible, yes?

Thanks for the replies guys :)

[greytop]

I'd suggest you read this info (http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/living-in-spain/cars) from the embassy carefully. You´ll get away with a lot but when something small goes wrong the Spanish authority will be on you like a ton of bricks. The Guardia & Trafico are well aware of UK regulations.
There are many insurance agencies dealing with expat requirements but it's not always a cheap option. You can also use online search engines to get a quote but be careful with the cover. One area they cut back on to reduce the premium is accident health cover - the health service here does not cover accidents in vehicles as far as I know.
Linea Direct is the Spanish version of Direct Line in UK and has English speaking sales staff.

While you are on the embassy site there is a lot of other useful info on there about "Living in Spain" which tends to be more reliable than the usual bar talk.
Good luck with the trip.