From whether your car insurance is valid to which countries are in the EU, we answer your most common questions.
Yes. Our insurance includes third-party cover for a trip to countries within the EU, the EEA and Switzerland automatically – as long as the car is in the UK when the insurance starts and finishes.
You may upgrade this cover to comprehensive cover when you’re completing the application.
We can’t provide insurance to you in a country outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland. Please click here to confirm which countries are in the EU and EEA.
A list of EEA countries is available here
Countries in the EU and EEA
The European Union (EU) is an economic and political union of 28 countries. It operates an internal (or single) market that allows free movement of goods, capital, services and people between member states.
EU countries are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
The European Economic Area (EEA):
The EEA includes EU countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. It allows them to be part of the EU’s single market.
Switzerland is neither an EU nor EEA member but is part of the single market – this means Swiss nationals have the same rights to live and work in the UK as other EEA nationals.
UK law requires that your motor insurance includes third party cover when driving in the European Union.
Your policy will provide cover for driving in the EU, but you will need to get an International Driving Permit, that you can show if your documents are checked.
More information on how to get an International Driving Permit is available here.
The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has issued a helpful document that addresses further questions on insurance requirements when driving abroad. Visit here for more information.