Insurance long term in Europe/Spain

[Jonathan and Belind]

Hello
We have a UK motorhome that we want to leave in Spain.

We want to park up in a motorhome off road in an official site.

Then pick up when we are in Spain holidaying so we don’t have to keep driving it back and forth.

We currently have 6 months European Insurance
Do we need 12 months even though we won’t even be using it for the 6 months?

Any ideas welcome or recommendations

Thank you

 

[Figaro]

Most UK motor insurance policies wouldn't cover a motorhome left unattended, it's specifically excluded in the policies I've seen.



There may be specialist policies available but they're not going to be cheap.
A good broker is probably your best option for finding out if anything is available

 

[jongood]

Hello
We have a UK motorhome that we want to leave in Spain.

We want to park up in a motorhome off road in an official site.

Then pick up when we are in Spain holidaying so we don’t have to keep driving it back and forth.

We currently have 6 months European Insurance
Do we need 12 months even though we won’t even be using it for the 6 months?

Any ideas welcome or recommendations

Thank you

We ve done it and are probably going to do it again but recognise that it could get sticky if something happens to it in storage.
I'm guessing they would argue that it was not being kept at the address that you declared.

 

[gus-lopez]

Goggle Stuart Collins,insurance in Swansea. They offer 12 months full comp insurance in Europe for UK registered vehicles + breakdown also.

 

[Minxy]

We ve done it and are probably going to do it again but recognise that it could get sticky if something happens to it in storage.
I'm guessing they would argue that it was not being kept at the address that you declared.

I suspect that even if nothing happens if they find out it's being kept away from the address registered with them your comprehensive insurance would be invalid anyway so even a prang when you're with it could still be refused. Not a risk I'd take.

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[jongood]

I suspect that even if nothing happens if they find out it's being kept away from the address registered with them your comprehensive insurance would be invalid anyway so even a prang when you're with it could still be refused. Not a risk I'd take.

I'm constantly surprised that people think insurance companies can duck their responsibilities so easily. IMO they would have to prove that the insured was negligent or increased their risk which would be quite difficult. If you had a bump while driving how would they even know where you had kept it for the past few months let alone how this increased the likelihood of a collision somewhere else?

 

[CAB96]

I wouldn't want to leave a van uninsured, even in secure storage.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Camdoon]

MOT?

 

[Minxy]

I'm constantly surprised that people think insurance companies can duck their responsibilities so easily. IMO they would have to prove that the insured was negligent or increased their risk which would be quite difficult.

They can ask questions and you'd have to answer honestly, a small slip in what you said could be a costly mistake. When you took out the policy you entered a contract with specific terms, if you act against them then they don't have to prove anything.

If you had a bump while driving how would they even know where you had kept it for the past few months let alone how this increased the likelihood of a collision somewhere else?

They're not stupid, some insurers are now asking about foreign use/mileage so it isn't beyond the realm of possibility that they'll ask more questions now.

Your choice of course but if something did happen to it while unattended in Spain I don't think you'd be covered, the likelihood may be small of anything occurring but it's also not unheard of for there to be fires so you could lose it completely with no recompense.

 

[Riverbankannie]

mikebeaches did similar so may be able to help

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[mikebeaches]

Hello
We have a UK motorhome that we want to leave in Spain.

We want to park up in a motorhome off road in an official site.

Then pick up when we are in Spain holidaying so we don’t have to keep driving it back and forth.

We currently have 6 months European Insurance
Do we need 12 months even though we won’t even be using it for the 6 months?

Any ideas welcome or recommendations

Thank you

Keep in mind that a UK-registered vehicle can only legally remain in Spain (or any other European country) for a maximum of 180 days in any twelve month period. It is exactly the same in reverse - a Spanish or other European registered vehicle is only allowed to remain in the UK for six months.

And yes, as Riverbankannie has mentioned, for a couple of seasons we kept our motorhome securely garaged at a storage site at Alicante Airport for 6 months through the winter months, flying backwards and forwards every couple of weeks or so to use it. With a fortnight in Spain followed by a fortnight in the UK, before returning to Spain, we avoided any complications with the 90-day rule.

But, as you've probably discovered, getting proper insurance is a devil of a job. But after nearly losing the will to live, I was finally able to secure suitable cover so we could come and go as we wished. And it wasn't too expensive either. I used a broker in Wiltshire - Advance Insurance. The underwriter in our case was Ageas Insurance Ltd.

https://www.advanceinsurance.co.uk/motor-insurance/campervan-motorhome/campervan/

https://www.ageas.co.uk/

Good luck!

 

[jongood]

MOT?

Thats the more difficult one to solve

 

[VXman]

I suspect that even if nothing happens if they find out it's being kept away from the address registered with them your comprehensive insurance would be invalid anyway so even a prang when you're with it could still be refused. Not a risk I'd take.

I'm constantly surprised that people think insurance companies can duck their responsibilities so easily. IMO they would have to prove that the insured was negligent or increased their risk which would be quite difficult. If you had a bump while driving how would they even know where you had kept it for the past few months let alone how this increased the likelihood of a collision somewhere else?

I agree jongood I have always been surprised that my cars have to be parked on my drive if at home overnight (in fact one must be in the garage after 10 pm ) and yet if I park it 1/2 mile or more from home it's fully covered!!

If the insurance doesn't state otherwise then keeping the van in a storage unit will be fine.

MOT?

Interestingly, I looked up a motorhome on site in Portugal the other day, just because it had a private number plate and I was interested to know it's age. Lo and behold it didn't have an MOT. It was insured and was in beautiful condition - 2013. Long term abroad I guess?

 

[mikebeaches]

Interestingly, I looked up a motorhome on site in Portugal the other day, just because it had a private number plate and I was interested to know it's age. Lo and behold it didn't have an MOT. It was insured and was in beautiful condition - 2013. Long term abroad I guess?

But, unfortunately, it would be breaking the law in Portugal if driven on the road without an MOT.

 

[jumar]

It seems like a good idea for so many, might be worth looking into a vehicle on UK plates remaining in Spain legally for the time you enquired about..
It would need to have current road tax, mot as well as insurance..
You could put the vehicle on Spanish plates, which would remain legal if it has current ITV, Insurance and local taxes paid into the Municipality in which it's registered...

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[pappajohn]

Thats the more difficult one to solve

No it isn't.... ..when it expires you either bring it to the UK for MOT or drive it abroad without MOT.
Your choice

 

[jongood]

No it isn't.... ..when it expires you either bring it to the UK for MOT or drive it abroad without MOT.
Your choice

Would UK insurers payout on a vehicle without MOT?

 

[mikebeaches]

Would UK insurers payout on a vehicle without MOT?

And risk having the van impounded if involved in any sort of incident with the police in Portugal or Spain, if found to be on the road without an MOT.

 

[MichaelT]

Would UK insurers payout on a vehicle without MOT?

So long as it's not being driven (except to the MOT station) such as if it's on your drive at home and it got stolen or caught fire etc. If you're abroad and driving it then it's not complied to the T&C of the policy by keeping it in roadworthy condition so maybe not.

 

[jumar]

And risk having the van impounded if involved in any sort of incident with the police in Portugal or Spain, if found to be on the road without an MOT.

A driver of a UK illegal vehicle being involved in an accident could be in for a bad time.
A driver of an illegal vehicle being in collision with a cyclist or pedestrian could be "in" for a long time..

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[nicholsong]

The fact that each country has separate control over annual technical tests is ridiculous since they are being conducted on items which can regularly travel through other countries where the tests are different, at least on paper.

For 7 years I drove our MH on UK plates for MOT in UK. Of the average of 4,000 miles covered per year, only about 100 miles were in UK, the rest being in many other countries, but their 'MOT' would not have been valid. This only being because the two pieces of paper, namely Registration and MOT, did not match. Bureaucracy Rules! But, Not OK!

Now, because it is on Polish 'veteran vehicle' plates, it never has to have another MOT-equivalent, even though it is 22 yo. That is also illogical and ridiculous.

Driving licences are mutually recognised, and can be exchanged for local ones, so why not MOT?

 

[MichaelT]

The fact that each country has separate control over annual technical tests is ridiculous since they are being conducted on items which can regularly travel through other countries where the tests are different, at least on paper.

For 7 years I drove our MH on UK plates for MOT in UK. Of the average of 4,000 miles covered per year, only about 100 miles were in UK, the rest being in many other countries, but their 'MOT' would not have been valid. This only being because the two pieces of paper, namely Registration and MOT, did not match. Bureaucracy Rules! But, Not OK!

Now, because it is on Polish 'veteran vehicle' plates, it never has to have another MOT-equivalent, even though it is 22 yo. That is also illogical and ridiculous.

Driving licences are mutually recognised, and can be exchanged for local ones, so why not MOT?

Few things
Lights and pattern
Fog and reversing lights
Speedo MPH/KPH
Windscreen chips/cracks
Plus many more that may be different in each country. Maybe an EU wide test criteria would help, at least over there.

 

[jongood]

The fact that each country has separate control over annual technical tests is ridiculous since they are being conducted on items which can regularly travel through other countries where the tests are different, at least on paper.

For 7 years I drove our MH on UK plates for MOT in UK. Of the average of 4,000 miles covered per year, only about 100 miles were in UK, the rest being in many other countries, but their 'MOT' would not have been valid. This only being because the two pieces of paper, namely Registration and MOT, did not match. Bureaucracy Rules! But, Not OK!

Now, because it is on Polish 'veteran vehicle' plates, it never has to have another MOT-equivalent, even though it is 22 yo. That is also illogical and ridiculous.

Driving licences are mutually recognised, and can be exchanged for local ones, so why not MOT?

Totally agree Geoff.

The regs are similar enough across most of EU. And if you had to swap the foglight or headlights over then not that difficult.

 

[Jonathan and Belind]

MOT?

Hi it’s a classic motorhome no MOT or road tax necessary hence why we don’t need to drive it back

 

[Carpmart]

Hi it’s a classic motorhome no MOT or road tax necessary hence why we don’t need to drive it back

You’d need to matriculate the vehicle if you plan to keep it in Spain permanently…

We travel the EU for nine month periods each year. We park at a secure storage unit near Alicante airport when flying to UK for Christmas. MOT is done when we are back in the UK for 2 1/2 months over summer!