Invalid motor insurance in Amber Countries

[DebsD]

Morning all. We're due to travel to France to purchase a property and are staying in a rental property there for 6 months whilst we do so. We have a year long visa, medical insurance and thought we'd jumped through all the hoops and cut through all the red tape so all ready to go........until.......

Speaking to my insurance company they say if a country is on the UK Amber list and the FCDO office say essential travel only, the motor insurance is void. This is regardless of the fact that purchasing/ travelling to a main residence (we sold our house here so it will be our main residence) is essential travel. Of course, it's also legal to travel to an amber country.

I checked and it is in the small print. I also rang 2 other insurance brokers and they said exactly the same.

Just thought I'd share so other funsters could double check their policies.

 

[Minxy]

Can you scan in a copy of the part of your T&Cs that mention this and under what section it come so we can have a shuftie and ensure it is applicable to MH insurance and not just breakdown and/or travel.

 

[Minxy]

The amber isn't the issue per say; it's because the FCDO deem amber to be 'essential travel only'. The insurers say if a place is essential travel only, they won't cover you.

When France is 'green' you will you be covered from what they have said thus you can travel out there at this time legitimately so the question for them is: if France goes 'amber' again whilst you are out there can they confirm you will continue to be covered. You can't exactly sprint back to the UK can you!

 

[jongood]

Ive just received my green card for forthcoming trip with no mention of any restrictions. I agree with whoever said earlier that I don't think they can duck it on the pretence of chinese killer bug even though it does seem to be the new excuse for almost everything.

 

[mitzimad]

think i will be asking for a refund i was sold european cover how can they withdraw it without notification

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[Phill D]

.

think i will be asking for a refund i was sold european cover how can they withdraw it without notification

While I agree with you, I think they would argue that they did tell you, in the terms of the policy small print.
Not good though.

As I posted earlier I would not have even considered looking for such a clause in these circumstances.

 

[gus-lopez]

I spoke with Darren and he basically said we shouldn't be travelling anyway so nobody will cover any vehicle to an amber country. When I asked why the risks were any higher, he just said because it's the way it is and again that we shouldn't be travelling so I've no idea where he's coming from.

Ask for it unequivocally in writing the fact that you will have no insurance whatsoever even though it would be illegal for them to do so as they are required to insure the minimm road traffic acts cover regardless of whatever you are doing.They cannot get out of it legally. FCDO advice does not come in to it.

The insurers say if a place is essential travel only, they won't cover you.

No Darren is saying it.

** If you want insurance ring Abbeygate or Ibex based out of gibraltar. Both will insre Uk registered vehicles in other EU states or Uk. with eu wide cover.

<Broken link removed>


http://www.ibexinsure.com/car-insurance/car-insurance-quote

 

[Dorwyn]

The amber isn't the issue per say; it's because the FCDO deem amber to be 'essential travel only'. The insurers say if a place is essential travel only, they won't cover you.

Ermm?

 

[deleted79651]

When France is 'green' you will you be covered from what they have said thus you can travel out there at this time legitimately so the question for them is: if France goes 'amber' again whilst you are out there can they confirm you will continue to be covered. You can't exactly sprint back to the UK can you!

Mel,someone posted a reply today from the French Embassy stating that UK citizens could not enter France at present, even for a short, sharp, fast drive to transit to another EU Member State.

Steve

 

[maz]

Can you scan in a copy of the part of your T&Cs that mention this and under what section it come so we can have a shuftie and ensure it is applicable to MH insurance and not just breakdown and/or travel.

Yes, I would like to see the exact wording of the small print that is causing you grief too, please.

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[DebsD]

Yes, I would like to see the exact wording of the small print that is causing you grief too, please.

I cam but it's clear as day. It actually says you are not covered to drive

 

[DebsD]

Ask for it unequivocally in writing the fact that you will have no insurance whatsoever even though it would be illegal for them to do so as they are required to insure the minimm road traffic acts cover regardless of whatever you are doing.They cannot get out of it legally. FCDO advice does not come in to it.

No Darren is saying it.

** If you want insurance ring Abbeygate or Ibex based out of gibraltar. Both will insre Uk registered vehicles in other EU states or Uk. with eu wide cover.

<Broken link removed>


http://www.ibexinsure.com/car-insurance/car-insurance-quote

No, the small print in the policy is saying it as well as Darren

 

[maz]

I cam but it's clear as day.

Then please do - just to humour me.

 

[EuroTrotters]

Well my UK cars are insured in Spain. So I’m hoping they won’t catch the RangeRover, Audi or Toyota Variants

 

[Itsmcb]

I've just been through my Adrian Flux policy wording, a long read but nothing about covid or foreign office restrictions at all.

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[Keep Right On]

Morning all. We're due to travel to France to purchase a property and are staying in a rental property there for 6 months whilst we do so. We have a year long visa, medical insurance and thought we'd jumped through all the hoops and cut through all the red tape so all ready to go........until.......

Speaking to my insurance company they say if a country is on the UK Amber list and the FCDO office say essential travel only, the motor insurance is void. This is regardless of the fact that purchasing/ travelling to a main residence (we sold our house here so it will be our main residence) is essential travel. Of course, it's also legal to travel to an amber country.

I checked and it is in the small print. I also rang 2 other insurance brokers and they said exactly the same.

Just thought I'd share so other funsters could double check their policies.

I'm an insurance broker and my reaction is that this is a load of .......tosh (expletive deleted). Please can someone cut and paste the exclusion clause referring to any covid colour country. Since brexit most UK insurers have issued annual green cards for those countries (EU and others) that are members f the green card scheme. I have checked my Comfort policy taken out last year and there is no exclusion zone. At the end of the day a motorhome cannot catch covid. The only insurance retsrictions would be for travel policies where travel is contrary to FCO advice - again nothing to do with green or amber which are there to separate how essential travel is to go to a destination. There are some amber countries which the FCO do not advise against and so travel insurance is not void if you go there.

 

[nicholsong]

Mel,someone posted a reply today from the French Embassy stating that UK citizens could not enter France at present, even for a short, sharp, fast drive to transit to another EU Member State.

Steve

"F(r)oggy advice in the Channel. France cut off,"

 

[mitzimad]

are we going to see the small print debs?

 

[DebsD]

I'm an insurance broker and my reaction is that this is a load of .......tosh (expletive deleted). Please can someone cut and paste the exclusion clause referring to any covid colour country. Since brexit most UK insurers have issued annual green cards for those countries (EU and others) that are members f the green card scheme. I have checked my Comfort policy taken out last year and there is no exclusion zone. At the end of the day a motorhome cannot catch covid. The only insurance retsrictions would be for travel policies where travel is contrary to FCO advice - again nothing to do with green or amber which are there to separate how essential travel is to go to a destination. There are some amber countries which the FCO do not advise against and so travel insurance is not void if you go there.

The FCDO advice for France is "essential travel only". My insurance policy states I am not covered if I travel to a country that the FCDO advice states essential travel only. Whether it's green, amber, red or any other colour is irrelevant. What's relevant is that I have an essential reason to travel and my insurance will not cover me.

My post is not a load of ........ tosh (expletive deleted).

 

[DebsD]

are we going to see the small print debs?

Yes I shall add it to the post in the morning

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[Motörhead Fun]

Mmm, interesting. We transited France, Belgium, Austria, Swtizerland last summer (which were 'quarantine countries') and stayed in Germany and Italy (which we not 'quarantine countries'). I spoke to my insurer and breakdown provider before we went and was told that we were covered in all these countries regardless of UK government advice. Not sure if this is Brexit related; prior to our departure from the EU my understanding was that if you had paid for cover in one member state you were covered in all.

 

[Motörhead Fun]

Ask for it unequivocally in writing the fact that you will have no insurance whatsoever even though it would be illegal for them to do so as they are required to insure the minimm road traffic acts cover regardless of whatever you are doing.They cannot get out of it legally. FCDO advice does not come in to it.

No Darren is saying it.

** If you want insurance ring Abbeygate or Ibex based out of gibraltar. Both will insre Uk registered vehicles in other EU states or Uk. with eu wide cover.

<Broken link removed>


http://www.ibexinsure.com/car-insurance/car-insurance-quote

Do the Gib based insurers provide proper European cover, i.e. anywhere up to the Urals? If so, I would be very interested in these. Getting cover for the Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, western Russia has become increasingly difficult with UK based insurers over last few years.

 

[Minxy]

My post is not a load of ........ tosh (expletive deleted).

I read it that the 'tosh' was aimed at what the insurer had told you, not that your actual post was tosh.

 

[DebsD]

This is the clause in my insurance documents. I think it's quite self explanatory and clearly refers to driving, not breakdown cover.

 

[MITHRANDIR]

Mmm, interesting. We transited France, Belgium, Austria, Swtizerland last summer (which were 'quarantine countries') and stayed in Germany and Italy (which we not 'quarantine countries'). I spoke to my insurer and breakdown provider before we went and was told that we were covered in all these countries regardless of UK government advice. Not sure if this is Brexit related; prior to our departure from the EU my understanding was that if you had paid for cover in one member state you were covered in all.

Same here for last year, i asked and was told i was covered, and did not make any difference, That is with AIB, They issued a green card earlier this year
I am going to speak to them regarding this issue, if they won't insure, then i will cancel and take my business elsewhere.

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[DebsD]

Same here for last year, i asked and was told i was covered, and did not make any difference, That is with AIB, They issued a green card earlier this year
I am going to speak to them regarding this issue, if they won't insure, then i will cancel and take my business elsewhere.

If it's with MarkerStudy through AIB I'm guessing you'll gave exactly the same clause as I do. Best of luck

 

[Two on Tour]

View attachment 503558This is the clause in my insurance documents. I think it's quite self explanatory and clearly refers to driving, not breakdown cover.

To me, clause 4 is lacking in any detail, so leaving the insurance company to put their slant on it as they see fit to shaft their customers.

 

[MITHRANDIR]

I have read through my policy cover to cover, there is no mention of any exclusion because of government guidance or advice.
So i guess i am covered, mine is with Highway though.

 

[Dorset Diver]

Just checked with NFU Mutual. They have no such restriction.

 

[Jim]

If I were an insurance company I would definitely have that clause in the policy. Remember FO Advice is not just for Covid. I agree that just for that its a bit lame, however the clause is important If any country has civil unrest, or say an active volcano, the FO advice can change. Stretching it a bit I agree but for arguments sake let's say that we have 6 months of serious Yellow Jacket riots in France and the FO advises against going there, but you ignore them. Why should the insurance company be liable for a brick through your window or petrol bomb under your motorhome?

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[DebsD]

To me, clause 4 is lacking in any detail, so leaving the insurance company to put their slant on it as they see fit to shaft their customers.

I'd have said it needed no more detail as it's pretty clear to me but yes, another shafting of customers from them