If you want to travel abroad with your motorhome or caravan, there are a few things to bear in mind, especially outside the EU. We have again consulted the experts at our partner RMV and compiled the most important information for you. First things first: you should always check with your insurance company in good time before setting off to find out what conditions apply and, if necessary, take out additional policies for certain countries.
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In which countries does caravan and motorhome insurance apply?
Regardless of whether you have third-party liability or comprehensive cover, motorhome and caravan insurance is generally limited to Europe and often (but not always) to some countries bordering the Mediterranean, such as Tunisia and Morocco. For other countries, you must take out a border policy when you enter the country, but this only covers you in that country for liabilityinsured in that country!
Tip
About an extension of the comprehensive insurance your insurer may issue you with a separate confirmation of insurance on request, which could also be extended to include the Asian part of Russia and Turkey, depending on the provider. In this case, it is important to have the International Insurance Card (“Green Card”) extended before the trip, if possible by the insurer.
How much does extended accidental damage insurance cost?
There is no general answer to this question. Some insurers do not offer such an extension at all, some for a certain period and certain countries, in some cases at no extra cost, in others at an extra charge. This can vary greatly – depending on the insurer, but also for the same insurer depending on the period and country. As far as we know, an extension of comprehensive insurance can only be requested, if at all, for countries for which the insurer also extends liability insurance. Unfortunately, “exotic” destinations are out of the question. Once again, it helps: Ask, ask, ask.
What is the Green Card?
The International Insurance Card (IVK for short), also known as the “Green Card” due to its former color, is an international (largely European) system for regulating insurance cover outside its home country. Since July 2020, it is no longer green, but white – but the name has been retained.
You can use this card abroad to prove that your vehicle is covered by motor vehicle insurance in that country.liabilityinsurance exists. The countries in which liability insurance cover applies are listed on the map with the country abbreviation.
Where and to what extent is the Green Card valid?
Whether and in which countries you are additionally covered by partially or fully comprehensive insurance is purely a matter between the insurer and the policyholder and has nothing to do with the Green Card. You should therefore read the conditions carefully before setting off on your trip or, if in doubt, ask the insurer. In most cases, however, the validity is also limited to Europe.
attention
Please make sure you request the “green card” from your insurer in good time – preferably not just one day or on the same day as your planned trip abroad. Although it is now also valid in printed form and no longer needs to be in the original (as in the past), you should still allow for a bit of a buffer.
Here is an example of the “green card”:
Country codes that are not “ge-X-t” are automatically included in the insurance. The ge-X-ten are in principle also included in the green card system, but not from the outset. Other countries, such as China, are hardly covered by any insurance.
Tip
The insurer may also grant cover for the period of the trip and issue a separate Green Card for countries not included in the list (often: Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, Russia) – sometimes for an additional charge. It may therefore be worth checking with the insurer well in advance of your trip.
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In some countries you have to show the card and are not allowed to enter the country without it. In the Schengen area, this is hardly enforced any more, but it may still be compulsory to carry the Green Card. To be on the safe side, you should definitely have it with you, as the regulations are not uniform everywhere and there is a lot of leeway in handling.
You should always have the card on board, especially if you are only traveling to partially European countries (Russia, Turkey), if possible with an extension – because even if you only want to travel to the European part, the officials at the border may insist that you take out a border policy to enter the country.
How long is the Green Card valid for?
The standard card is usually valid for 5 years and must then be renewed. Simply inform the insurer briefly and informally, it’s no big deal!
For new registrations, the green card will also be sent automatically when the policy is issued. This can take a few days. If you need the green card more quickly, e.g. because you want to drive off immediately after registering your vehicle, simply ask the insurer. It can often be issued in advance and only takes the time it takes to send it by post. The original Green Card must be available. It is not valid in digital form.
How much does it cost to issue the Green Card?
Nothing. The International Insurance Card is issued and sent to you free of charge. The only exception is if you request an extension for a fee.
Note on Morocco
Morocco is becoming an increasingly popular destination for traveling by motorhome. You definitely need insurance cover there too.
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In Morocco road checks are carried out regularly! Whether you are insured with the “green insurance card” depends on the respective insurance company.
With our own insurer (RMV), for example, the insurance cover can be extended free of charge to include Morocco and the respective travel period. It’s best to find out in advance how this is handled by your provider.
Experienced travelers to Morocco have told us that they took out liability insurance for their stay when they entered the country. However, we have not yet received any reports on how things worked out in the event of a claim. We therefore recommend that you clarify the issue of insurance well in advance of your trip.
Do I need a valid German MOT (HU) to be insured abroad?
People who are planning long trips or are traveling permanently in a motorhome often ask themselves whether they are still insured even without a valid main inspection (“TÜV”).
Dieter Scheffler, Managing Director at RMV, explains: “In this case, you are in a gray area. The insurer does not initially check whether there is a valid MOT. If the policyholder causes damage, the liability insurance must pay. However, if it is subsequently discovered that the vehicle did not have an MOT, the insurance company could reclaim money from the policyholder under certain circumstances. In addition to problems with the insurance company, there could of course also be a fine for driving without an MOT or, in the worst case, even criminal proceedings.”
What exactly is insured abroad?
Basically, as in Germany, provided that “abroad” refers to other European countries. Like liability insurance, fully or partially comprehensive insurance is valid throughout Europe. Partially comprehensive insurance covers the costs of repairs caused by fire, theft, storm, hail, flooding, glass breakage, deer or marten bites.
Fully comprehensive insurance always includes partially comprehensive insurance, and this also applies to motorhome insurance. Fully comprehensive insurance not only covers the damage mentioned above, but also damage to your own caravan, even if the accident was your own fault.
Special features abroad in the event of an accident involving a foreign vehicle
An accident abroad is even more unpleasant, as you are generally unfamiliar with the local laws and peculiarities and often do not speak the language fluently or at all. It is therefore extremely important to know the procedures and sticking points:
Foreign claims cover
If you are injured by a foreign vehicle, the liability of the person responsible for the accident would have to pay. However, this can cause complications. RMV Managing Director Dieter Scheffler can confirm this from his professional experience: “We often see how complicated settlements with foreign insurance companies can be. In addition to the language barrier, there are often different regulations, or the person responsible for the accident is not insured in the first place. In these cases, you are covered by foreign damage cover, which is part of our special motorhome cover, for example. Other providers may handle this differently. Some do not have foreign claims cover or may offer it as part of other insurance benefits than the cover note. You should inform yourself here.”
The foreign claims cover enables uncomplicated settlement via the ‘home’ insurance company and in accordance with German law.
What should I do if I have an accident abroad?
The police in Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia must also officially record minor damage so that the foreign insurance company can settle the claim later. If possible, you should ask for a copy of the police report.
In other European countries, the police are often not even called out to deal with minor damage, but here too: better safe than sorry. It never hurts to inform the police, especially if you are not sure how accidents are usually dealt with locally.
If the police do not record the accident, you should make a note of the other party’s name, address, license plate number, liability insurance and, if possible, insurance number. In Italy and France, the last two details can be found on a sticker on the windshield of the car – just take a look at it in case of communication problems or to check!
If you do not know the insurance company and/or the insurance number of the other party involved in the accident, you can call the central call center for car insurers. This can be reached from abroad on +49 40 300 330 300 . All you have to do is enter the other party’s license plate number, the date of the accident and the country in which the accident occurred and you can ask for the relevant insurance information. The hotline is available from Monday to Friday between 8 am and 8 pm. Of course, this also applies to accidents within Germany. In this case, someone can be reached around the clock, 365 days a year, on 0800 250 260 0.
European accident report helps
Even if it is not absolutely necessary, you are always on the safe side if you pack a few forms of the European accident report in advance, in which all important information can be noted. This is available in all languages and can be downloaded from the Internet in German and in the language of your country of travel. This allows both parties to enter all the important information in their native language on a standardized form.
It is then best to pass this form on to your insurance company. Although this is not mandatory, especially in the case of minor damage, it serves as additional security.
What should I do if I have caused an accident abroad?
If the case is very clear, the other party in the accident will need your personal details, license plate number, insurance company and policy number.
If the matter is not entirely clear, the experts advise you to act cautiously at first. You should not make any admissions of guilt on the spot, but first have the accident recorded objectively or record it yourself.
Either way, you shouldn ‘t sign anything that you don’t fully understand. If you document as much as possible and as carefully as possible, everything else can be clarified afterwards.
Info
Checklist for free download:
Accident with motorhome, caravan or car – checklist to download
Any questions?
Do you have questions about general insurance topics or content from our article? Then send us a message to [email protected]. We will forward your email to our experts at RMV, who will then get in touch with you directly and answer your questions.
Cover picture: (c) razvanphoto / Depositphotos.com
