Help for european insurance for living in Spain for 12 months (1 Viewer)

annenpaul

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hi all, we are new members and just bought our first motorhome a hobby 750fml. Can anybody recommend a insurance company that will insure us for living in the motorhome for 12 months in Spain. I have phoned 4 and only one will touch me and they want nearly £1700. Please help. Thanks Paul and Anne
 
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annenpaul

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Hi Denis. We will also be driving around France and Portugal so should be ok plus we will be flying home for the weekend every 10-12 weeks.

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Sep 26, 2013
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This post will keep me occupied tonight::

Agenda

MOT
Residency
Pills
Travel Insurance


Go
 
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Safeguard do 365 day European cover, surely if you are flying home to your house regularly then you won't be full timing, however you may find you have no cover when leaving the van unoccupied.
Cheers
Ed

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Riverbankannie

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annenpaul

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Hi ed

Safeguard refused me and I told them I was coming home every 10weeks by plane and leaving motorhome in Spain :-(

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pappajohn

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Hi ed

Safeguard refused me and I told them I was coming home every 10weeks by plane and leaving motorhome in Spain :-(
Was just about to say that.......you may be coming back but the motorhome isn't.
If it stays in any European country for more than 6 months you have to register it in that country and the grief you'll have in France in particular trying to do that ain't worth it.
 
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annenpaul

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Hi pappajohn

I didn't know that. That's messed my planes up. What about if I stayed in Spain 5 months then Portugal for a month. Back to Spain, 5 months then France a month and so on. Do you or anybody else have any idea?

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Sep 26, 2013
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Hi pappajohn

I didn't know that. That's messed my planes up. What about if I stayed in Spain 5 months then Portugal for a month. Back to Spain, 5 months then France a month and so on. Do you or anybody else have any idea?
One word. MOT if required
 

Minxy

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The insurers will refuse you if you tell them that you are 'living' in it, or make high quotes for cover, because living full-time in a MH is completely different to being away on holiday in it, even for an extended period.

Regarding being in another country for 6 months or more, yes you can get round that by moving around from one to another as it is applicable to each country I believe, not just the full length of time you're away, but to be honest I doubt many people do that, so it's up to you to decide if you want to.

The biggest problem by far is leaving the MH abroad whilst you come back to the UK as you won't have insurance cover for it whilst you are back in the UK, unless it's a very quick trip! I know people do fly back and leave their MHs but I've yet to hear of any that have managed to get full insurance cover for it whilst it's unattended.

MOT can be sorted by getting it done just before you go but you must make sure you are back in the UK to have it done within 12 months otherwise you'll be 'illegal' as the vehicle HAS to be legal in it's home country regardless of where it is being used abroad. Road tax is easier though as it can be done online but again must be in place at all times.
 

Minxy

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Just a thought ... when you say you'll be flying home ... do you mean to YOUR home, ie your main residence, or just home, as in where your family live but where you no longer have a residence?

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annenpaul

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Hi minxy girl

Mot not a problem I bought the mh from a dealer that has a place in Spain. So we can't test it there and he will send a ticket so that is got around. We will be flying home every 10 weeks or so to pick up our prescriptions from doctors and see grandchildren. I thought I could sorn the van tax when I leave the country, but that is the least of my problems if I can't lol. Like you said I can do it online.
 

SandraL

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"Mot not a problem I bought the mh from a dealer that has a place in Spain. So we can't test it there and he will send a ticket so that is got around."

Are you saying you can have van MOT test done in Spain and British partner garage will generate a new MOT on the UK vosa system? If so please share as there will be others wanting to use them.
 
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annenpaul

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Hi Sandral.

I will email him and ask him if he can do for other people. Or if it's just his customers. If he is will to do it for anyone I will post it for all to see

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Hi Sandral.

I will email him and ask him if he can do for other people. Or if it's just his customers. If he is will to do it for anyone I will post it for all to see
All seems a bit iffy to me, if the garage in Spain is not a registered MOT garage, which is unlikely, then how can a UK garage issue a MOT certificate. The Spanish ITV does not replace a UK MOT.
 
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Just for clarification if you KNOW that the vehicle is going to be out of the UK for 12 months then according to the dvla you must apply to 'permanently export' it. The fact that you aren't actually going to one place has never even occurred to whoever wrote the rules.
legally you should also sign off the NHS at your gp's, as out over 90 days means you have no entitlement to UK healthcare.
Even if you leave after 89 days to reset the clock on registration for residency you still have to watch that you do not exceed 183 days as you would be classed as a tax resident.
& even if you do leave to comply the EU rules still state '6 months' vehicle usage in another member state ( except for a few exceptions. like students/ temporary job relocate etc) It is up to you to prove you haven't been here that lngth of time not for the to prove you have.

The mot, no way not in the slightest bit legal. It cannot be legally mot'd here as the test station has to be approved by vosa. Even if the same people own both businesses it still doesn't mean it is kosher.
These are only some of the rules, many of which are ludicrous &in no way dovetail. Many in fact contradict others.
 
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annenpaul

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Thanks guys-Lopez

Looks like I will have to bring mh back every 12 months to have a mot done properly. I am coming home every 10 weeks for 48hrs or less and and moving around Spain and Portugal so not spending more than 6 months in one country. I might be best becoming a Spanish resident by the sound of things because we want to eventually buy a property there once we get fed up of motorhoming, if we get fed up lol

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jnn

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You'll not be entitled to NHS care (including your repeat prescription) doing that either, you have to be 'normally resident' in the UK
 
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annenpaul

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You'll not be entitled to NHS care (including your repeat prescription) doing that either, you have to be 'normally resident' in the UK


We still have our house in uk that we are paying a mortgage on as well as poll tax so hopefully be ok. What do you think?
 

Minxy

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We still have our house in uk that we are paying a mortgage on as well as poll tax so hopefully be ok. What do you think?
AFAIK that doesn't mean you are still entitled to free NHS as it is usually based on the person, not assets that you own and bills you pay, so in practice you wouldn't be entitled BUT lots of people do this who don't even have a stake in the UK and/or pay anything to the UK coffers, so at least you are paying something ...

I suppose it's up to you how you feel about it ... whether you consider it your 'right' to keep getting it from all the years you've paid in or whether you want to stick to the strict letter of the 'law' and not claim it ... I know which I'd do! :rolleyes:

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jnn

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We still have our house in uk that we are paying a mortgage on as well as poll tax so hopefully be ok. What do you think?

You'd not be entitled, it's residence rather than assets or contributions that count. Even going on holiday for 4 months you're not entitled to a prescription for the 4th month, and any treatment with a few exceptions with public health implications specifically for use overseas are not NHS eligible.

ed to add, and although 3 months entitlement is the NHS rule it's entirely up to inidivual clinicians whether they're happy to prescribe 3 months of drugs, many wouldn't be becuase they have no way of monitoring the treatment that they're taking responsibility for whilst out of the country
 
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iLondoner

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I spend part of the year in Spain where we keep both UK and Spanish-registered motorbikes and 4x4s. My Spanish 4x4 is insured with Linea Directa which is the Spanish arm of Direct Line. They speak English and my understanding is that they will insure both Spanish and UK plated vehicles.

https://www.lineadirecta.com/Recursos/recursos/EN/html/car-insurance.html

Talk to them about the MOT/iTV position. You could of course get a fresh MOT before starting out from the UK.

You are not supposed to keep a vehicle in Spain for more than six months, but if you are moving around the Guardia Civil won't be tracking you and of course will not be able to dispute your claim that you've spent some of the time in Portugal or France.

I live in a very rural area where the farmers have small lock-up warehouses for almonds and one of my friends stores his MH in the farmer's nave.

Make sure you have a EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) from the UK before you leave. Spanish healthcare is excellent. I really wouldn't worry too much about the other 'rules' about being out of the UK.

Don't jump too quickly into becoming a Spanish resident, as there are many things you need to take into account. You certainly don't need to become a Spanish resident to purchase property, you just need a Spanish tax reference (NIE).
 

iLondoner

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I'm a moderator on Horizons Unlimited which is a website for (often round-the-world) explorer/travellers and I've never heard of anyone losing their entitlement to NHS treatment just because they've gone on a long trip.

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iLondoner

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A bit more, "Temporary or occasional absences from the UK will not prevent a person from being ordinarily resident, including extended or regular periods of travel for pleasure... Finite periods of volunteering, missionary work or study abroad while the person remains a UK resident will not prevent a person being ordinarily resident,"

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Aug 18, 2014
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A bit more, "Temporary or occasional absences from the UK will not prevent a person from being ordinarily resident, including extended or regular periods of travel for pleasure... Finite periods of volunteering, missionary work or study abroad while the person remains a UK resident will not prevent a person being ordinarily resident,"

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The problem with that is that it does not state an amount.

I'm a moderator on Horizons Unlimited which is a website for (often round-the-world) explorer/travellers and I've never heard of anyone losing their entitlement to NHS treatment just because they've gone on a long trip.

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& if you look at the NHS sites it specifically states 90 days & you are supposed to notify them. same as when in hospital in Uk over 6 weeks, they cut your pension.

& yes a UK over wintering oap got pulled up in Valencia due to continuous use of prescriptions in Valencia each winter.
I spend part of the year in Spain where we keep both UK and Spanish-registered motorbikes and 4x4s. My Spanish 4x4 is insured with Linea Directa which is the Spanish arm of Direct Line. They speak English and my understanding is that they will insure both Spanish and UK plated vehicles.

https://www.lineadirecta.com/Recursos/recursos/EN/html/car-insurance.html

Talk to them about the MOT/iTV position. You could of course get a fresh MOT before starting out from the UK.

You are not supposed to keep a vehicle in Spain for more than six months, but if you are moving around the Guardia Civil won't be tracking you and of course will not be able to dispute your claim that you've spent some of the time in Portugal or France.

I live in a very rural area where the farmers have small lock-up warehouses for almonds and one of my friends stores his MH in the farmer's nave.

Make sure you have a EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) from the UK before you leave. Spanish healthcare is excellent. I really wouldn't worry too much about the other 'rules' about being out of the UK.

Don't jump too quickly into becoming a Spanish resident, as there are many things you need to take into account. You certainly don't need to become a Spanish resident to purchase property, you just need a Spanish tax reference (NIE).

Yes ,Liberty Seguros & Mapfre both insure Uk & other foreign vehicles as well. & both notify dvla/MId weekly of UK vehicles they insure.They will only remain legal though as the person driving.

In your case you have vehicles from 2 different EU states in Spain. If you are a Spanish registered resident ,or a have been here over 90 days even without being registered as a resident , then using the UK one is illegal under EU rules & in the event of an accident with someone who knows,like me, it is the first thing they will want to know.
In the event that you are a UK resident then you can legally drive both vehicles here & elsewhere in the EU, except the Spanish registered one in the UK, where you are resident.

The " six months vehicle in EU state" only applies in reality to tourists as once the person has been in an EU state for 90 consecutive days they automatically become a resident of that state & therefore cannot drive the car legally anymore.

As for the GC 'not tracking you' don't venture up the Almeria /Murcia area as they dish out replate the vehicle tickets like sweets if they find you've been here in excess of the required time. & as for "they have to prove it " I can assure you that they don't . You have to prove that you haven't overstayed , They automatically issue the fines etc; if you they have seen you on numerous occasions over a period of time & you cannot produce on the side of the road information , ferry tickets etc; that show when you entered /exited/returned etc.

I'll agree with the don't become a resident if you don't need too.
 

iLondoner

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As you know the Spanish have a long and honourable history of introducing pointless laws without considering how they will be enforced, and which the general population just ignores anyway.

We could go off topic and discuss this till the cows come home, but better to concentrate on the OP's original needs. :)

I assume they will be touring the country rather than stopping in one spot for many months. Visiting France and Portugal and keeping some petrol receipts allows the OP to 'prove' they haven't been in Spain continuously for over six months, though it's worth noting the restriction is actually six months in any twelve month period.

In Morocco a similar 'six in twelve' is strictly enforced through temporary vehicle import controls at the borders with a computer system that links movements to your passport, but such controls are not in place on Spanish borders.

It would help, however, if you could post a link to the NHS sites that say you lose your entitlement to care if you leave the country for more than 90 days. I have searched and can't find it.

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