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Trip Paperwork Covers all documentation, carnets, customs and country requirements, how to deal with insurance etc.
Photo by Ulrike Hahnel, Rock Formations on the Lagune Route, Bolivia

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ulrike Hahnel,
Rock Formations on the
Lagune Route, Bolivia



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  • 1 Post By Donmanolo
  • 1 Post By Tim Cullis
  • 1 Post By Grant Johnson

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  #1  
Old 7 Sep 2018
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Help me find 365 day european cover bike insurance for a UK bike

Hi Guys

Help please...
I am a UK citizen with a UK registered bike, I work in France, Germany but mainly Switzerland for 10 months a year and want to bring my bike with me next year.
I used to be insured with ebike who gave 365 days EU (including Switzerland) comprehensive cover. They no longer offer this and I'm struggling to find any UK bike insurers who offer more than the standard 90 days.

Does anyone know of a UK insurance company who still offer 365 days continuous cover for EU and Switzerland?

Thanks in advance

Gemma
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  #2  
Old 7 Sep 2018
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You have compulsory third party cover in all the EU and probably Switzerland ( you'll have to check for yourself) , for as long as your UK policy is valid or until your country leaves the EU. What will happen after that is anyone's guess.

This means that you can ride abroad for as long as you like ; the extension that your company offers is only intended for people who go abroad on holiday, but as I said, you already have the minimum requirements to ride legally.

Unfortunately you won't have full-comp or theft cover but at least the latter shouldn't be an issue in Switzerland of all places.

You can get breakdown cover cheaply from other European organisations such as ADAC.

Your UK insurer might not be , or might pretend not to be aware of all of this , however there are reciprocal agreements in place. I know that people in your situation have asked and received confirmation of this in the past.



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  #3  
Old 7 Sep 2018
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UK green card cover is limited to trips of 90 days, so that's not a solution. Brexit is a red herring in this, the green card cover is nothing to do with EU, my green card in Spain covers many non-EU countries including Morocco.

There must be many people living near Swiss/German/French borders who need insurance covering all three countries. Why not use a continental insurance company rather than a UK one?

I am insured with Direct Line Spain (Linea Directa) and they insure UK registered vehicles. Of course you will need to have a valid MOT for any insurance to be valid.

So try Direct Line Germany, https://www.verti.de/dl-wird-verti/
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  #4  
Old 13 Mar 2024
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insurance in the eu

Hi
You said you are insured with a spanish insurance Direct line do you have a permanent address in eu

We don't have a permanent address
we are over there for around 190 days in Northern Italy
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  #5  
Old 21 Mar 2024
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Gemma:

There's a bigger issue than insurance that you need to consider, and that is the legality of keeping a UK registered moto on the continent for a long time. It's a customs & importation issue, not an insurance issue.

Presumably you have a visa or work permit that permits you to stay in the Schengen countries for longer than 90 days in any 6 month period (that being the limitation imposed on tourists in the Schengen area). If so, it might be best for you to investigate re-registering your moto in the country you have the visa or work permit and then insuring it there. That would solve both the customs & the insurance problem.

The only other alternative I can think of is to make darn sure you export the moto back to the UK (at least for one night) once every 90 days, and keep some proof on hand that you have done that (ferry tickets, customs papers, whatever).

Michael
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Old 22 Mar 2024
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And if you're there 10 months a year, another option is to buy a bike there - makes it all very easy!

Sell or park the UK bike for 10 months.
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Old 23 Mar 2024
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Long term in other country

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grant Johnson View Post
And if you're there 10 months a year, another option is to buy a bike there - makes it all very easy!


Sell or park the UK bike for 10 months.

This way of doing it is common in Portugal.
People buy a Portugal bike and it keep here.
If they spend 8-12 month per year in Portugal.

A stated above, it is not only insurance problem to keep a foreign bike for long time.

Your MOT will expires. => It will actually be illegal to ride it.
The country might have rules. E.g. In Portugal it is required to pay road taxes if you stay more then 6 month. Easy but ...

I do not know now after Brexit. But before it was rather cheap to import a bike. If you love you current bike. As long as it is original bike with COC . You could probably import it rather cheap
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