In Europe you insure the car. Providing you give them the car papers anyone can drive the car. A green card comes automatically with the policy.
In UK you have to answer loads of questions, some of which are ridiculous, & you pay extra for everything including foreign trips & green cards.
I was even told by one company that because I work in the town centre I was not insured to drive in the town centre even if it was to visit the supermarket on non work related business.
I found this absurd. I cannot understand the logic behind this unless it is just another way to make money while minimising the conditions that would result in a payout.
2007-12-26 08:30:06 · 12 answers · asked by Gary C 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Insurance & Registration
I'd love to know which insurance company is silly enough to have that argument! I can assure you I know of no company providing that specific lack of cover. Do please tell.
With regard to foreign use - your policy automatically provides you with the minimum cover required in every EU country as standard. With decent insurance companies i.e. the ones an insurance broker uses, if you ask for it, you will be entitled to a period of full cover abroad - usually the first few days are provided free automatically (The green-card system is virtually redundant now thanks to European directives). Of course Direct companies will make you pay for any extra benefit - that is why their initial quotes are so cheap - you get what you pay for.
Oh - I believe that insurance in the UK is actually cheaper than abroad and that most of these policies abroad are only third party, fire and theft or equivalent as comprensive cover is too expensive. These 'silly questions' in the UK enable insurers to provide quotations appropriate to the risks of the drivers of each vehicle - the fewer questions you ask, the more uncertainty there is and so the higher the premium has to be to counter these uncertainties.
So if you have a disappointing experience buying motor insurance I suggest you pop into your local high-street broker - or contact the British Insurance Brokers Association or Institute of Insurance Brokers who can tell you where your nearest broker is -and get some professional advice.
2007-12-26 08:50:48 · answer #1 · answered by welcome news 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Jonjosar is correct - the main reason is that the legal costs in a compensation claim are higher. Add to this that Northern Ireland has more of a "compensation culture" than the rest of the UK, and that the standard or driving is slightly lower (everyone is in a hurry in their cars, but when they arrive the pace of life slows right down - never understood it), and the costs to insurers rises. Therefore many insurers just don't bother to cover people living in Northern Ireland. This means that there is less competition in the insurance market, so the already expensive insurance costs even more. As for those who've suggested bombs being the reason, that is definitely not the case - insurance won't cover you for acts of terrorism.
2016-05-26 09:54:18 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are hundreds of insurance companies you can use in the UK. They all have different underwriting criteria and my only tip is if you find that there are restrictions on your policy with which you disagree, then simply find another policy with an alternative insurer.
You no longer require a green card to travel to countries within the EU. Certificates provided by UK companies now automatically include EU travel from 30 to 90 days. The only time that you may need a green card is if you are travelling to a non EU country.
2007-12-26 08:39:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
A very good question! Not enough people realise that UK insurance companies are giving their customers a raw deal in comparison to European companies and many of the companies are multi national.
Not only are the companies earning but most likely the government also not to make long overdue changes.
England chooses only the European regulations which suit!
2007-12-27 04:20:21 · answer #4 · answered by inquisitor 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is because you have not included to and from work on your insurance. I do not know the cost of insurance in the EC but I suspect like most other things it is cheaper. I've long suspected it that history repeats itself Europe may be rich but it lives off the British which is why we are not so rich. However I'm happy to be different from the rest of Europe for no other reason then we are different
2007-12-27 09:08:19 · answer #5 · answered by Scouse 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The accident free drivers pay for the others.The false claim merchants and unscrupulous garages have really driven costs up.The modern attitude of insurance is to take your money and never have to pay out,that is their ideal situation,unfortunately for them nothing is perfect.Then you get the good companies,i use linear direct because it is the easiest for me,but there are others that will look at you with a degree of straight faced sympathy.
2007-12-26 08:42:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Lots of laws are different on the continong.
The main one being is that they do not follow them anyway unless you are a foreigner then the police invent their own. Depending how close they are to pay check day.
2007-12-26 08:46:44 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You've clearly misunderstood something. I agree with welcome news. I've never heard of any company that precludes you driving in an area because you work there, please provide a link showing that, I'd be interested.
And there's no extra charge for EU travel, unless you choose a cheapskate company where you pays your money and takes your choice . . .
2007-12-26 20:16:45 · answer #8 · answered by champer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, tough! That is the UK law... If you don't like it, then walk!
2007-12-26 08:33:22 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Its cause you are a sucker and get ripped off from everyone. and your country is so weak it wont do anything about it
2007-12-26 08:35:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋