Taking your car abroad? Check insurance cover
As the school term comes to an end and thousands of families prepare for the great summer getaway, Aviva is urging motorists planning to drive abroad to check their insurance cover to help avoid problems on the road.
In the month when it became law for all drivers to carry a breathalyser while driving in France, the latest research from UK insurer reveals that almost three quarters (73%) of Brits have experienced potentially dangerous situations when driving on holiday, falling foul of the rules of the road or getting into difficulty.
And the statistics show that one in 20 people (5%) have had an accident when driving on holiday while a further quarter (28%) of people have misread or misunderstood foreign road signs and 16% admit to having actually driven on the wrong side of the road.
All UK insurers are required by law to provide the minimum third party cover for driving in Europe, but those who want comprehensive cover while driving abroad may need to contact their insurer to get the cover upgraded. European Breakdown Cover, can also be added.to protect motorists if they are unlucky enough to break down while on holiday.
Counting on the car
Despite the high incidence of previous mishaps, seven in ten holidaymakers will use a car this summer, with 54% of people relying on a car as the main method of transport to reach their holiday destination. A further 14% will use one to drive from the airport, train or boat to their accommodation.
On average, drivers estimate they will drive 250 miles to reach their destination and will be behind the wheel for five hours. Once they have arrived, they will cover another 125 miles of road on average, going out on day trips or driving between locations.
Tiredness and boredom on the roads affect people more in the UK (10% and 11%) than abroad (6% and 2%), suggesting that the excitement of a change of scenery and location have an impact.
Nigel Bartram, senior motor underwriter at Aviva, said: "While all driving comes with its hazards, this is particularly true when there are foreign roads and rules to contend with and it is essential that motorists make sure they have the correct insurance to cover them should anything go wrong.
"Motorists may not be aware of the level of cover they have if they decide to head overseas. By law, all UK insurers provide the minimum third-party cover for driving in Europe but if you want comprehensive cover while you're driving abroad, you need to get in touch with your insurer to get the cover upgraded as this is not included automatically. Breakdown cover is also usually restricted to the UK so holidaymakers should check their cover with their provider."
Cover from Aviva
Aviva will automatically provide the minimum cover required to travel in most European countries: usually the equivalent of UK third-party only cover. This can be upgraded from £26.50 to give motorists the same cover as they have in the UK for travel within the majority of European countries. Foreign insurance cover and European Breakdown Cover can be added together to policies from £62.50..
Aviva's top tips for holiday driving
Plan ahead - consider the journey and preempt any potential hazards or problems so that you are more prepared, should they occur. Make sure you have the correct insurance in place to cover you if something does go wrong and consider taking out European Breakdown Cover in case your car breaks down.
If you are driving abroad, do your research on the rules of the road - check to see if you need reflective vests, spare bulbs, warning triangles, GB stickers, masking stickers for headlamps, breathalysers etc.
Familiarise yourself with your route on the map before you set off.
If you are covering a long distance, stop regularly for a break and make sure you don't continue if you are tired. It is also safer to share the driving if you can.
Accept that the roads may be busy and allow extra time for your journey to avoid getting stressed.
If you are travelling with children, think of fun games that they can play to keep them occupied and take plenty of refreshments so they don't distract you.
If you are driving a hire car, take the time to familiarise yourself with how it operates and drive around the car park a few times before going out onto the roads.