What are the laws regarding motor vehicle insurance in Spain?
What do I need by law to carry in my vehicle whilst driving in Spain?
If I live in Spain can I drive a UK registered vehicle legally?
Is it true that I must carry all my vehicle documentation in the vehicle at all times?
Can I recover my uninsured losses?
Am I able to transfer my No Claim Discount from my previous Insurer?
Do I need to provide evidence of my no claim discount?
I've been driving a company car for the last few years. Will you give me a no claim discount?
I haven't been insured on a vehicle for over a year, what does this mean?
Can I tow a trailer or caravan?
Am I insured under my own policy if I drive someone else's vehicle?
What if I want to take my vehicle outside of Spain?
What do I do if I want to include an additional driver on my policy?
Can I get a quote if I don't have a registration number?
What should I do if I have an accident?
Do you provide a courtesy car if I have an accident?
How do I get my Certificate of Motor Insurance?
How can I pay for my MSC Insure policy?
Can I renew my policy if I haven't yet received my renewal invitation?
Can't find the answer you are looking for? Call us now on 968 429 129 or complete the quick submit form HERE |
| What are the laws regarding motor vehicle insurance in Spain? |
Spanish Law is similar to the road traffic laws in other countries throughout member states of the European Union – all vehicles using the roads must be insured for third party liability risks. All MSC Insure policies fully comply with the Regulations of all EU territories. MSC Insure are able to insure both UK and Spanish registered vehicles owned by expatriates in Spain, as the insurer is Lloyd's of London. Lloyd's is allowed, under the EU "Freedom of Services" Directive, to cross border service from the UK and Gibraltar and thus can insure UK registered cars driven in Spain. Equally Lloyd's is "established" in Spain through the Spanish Regulatory Authority – the DGS – and therefore can also insure Spanish registered vehicles owned by expatriates living in Spain. |
| What do I need by law to carry in my vehicle whilst driving in Spain? |
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| Is it true that I must carry all my vehicle documentation in the vehicle at all times? |
Yes it is! Whilst driving your car on the road in Spain you MUST have the following documents with you:
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| Can I recover my uninsured losses? |
| An accident may not only affect your vehicle and the no claims discount under your policy, but it can leave you out of pocket. Costs such as the payment of your policy excess, hire car charges, additional travelling expenses, and the inability to work and claim earnings are all known as Uninsured Losses. In the UK when the accident is not your fault there is a strong chance that such costs can be recovered if you have opted to add legal assistance cover to your policy, however, in Spain things are slightly different and you are only likely to receive reimbursement of your policy excess. Spanish insurers are unlikely to consider anything else. |
| Am I able to transfer my No Claim Discount from my previous Insurer? |
| If you have a UK or no claims bonus from your own country this can be used in Spain and MSC Insure will accept written proof from your previous insurer. |
| Do I need to provide evidence of my no claim discount? |
| If you decide to take out a policy with us, you'll need to provide evidence of your no claim discount, which must have been earned on a private car insurance policy. This is the original of your most recent insurance document from any insurer that shows the number of years' no claim discount you've earned, the expiry date of your last insurance policy and any claims you've made. Usually this is one of the documents in your renewal invitation from your last insurer. |
| I've been driving a company car for the last few years. Will you give me a no claim discount? |
| If you're a company car user who is moving to your own insurance, then we'll need a letter from your employer confirming that you were the sole user of the company vehicle, the dates you were covered under the company car scheme, details of any claims which occurred during this period and whether these were settled on a fault or non fault basis. The letter will also need to confirm that you no longer have a company car. |
| I haven't been insured on a vehicle for over a year, what does this mean? |
| If you haven't been insured on your own policy in the last year, unfortunatly in Spain you loos you no claim bonus. If this is the case, please contact us 968 429 129 as often have ways to help you gain some of your bonus back or in some cases we have been able to get the full bonus back. |
| Can I tow a trailer or caravan? |
Yes if they are not being used for commercial purposes and are within the limits allowed by law. Your policy provides cover for legal liabilities while you are towing, but it doesn't provide cover for damage to the trailer itself or the items being towed, nor does it provide cover whilst the trailer is detached from your vehicle. We recommend that you arrange separate cover for these risks. |
| Am I insured under my own policy if I drive someone else's vehicle? |
| No. You must ensure that if you are driving a vehicle that does not belong to you that the owner of that vehicle has arranged for you to drive under the terms of their Insurance policy. However chek with the owner of the vehicle as you may be insured on their policy. |
| What if I want to take my vehicle outside of Spain? |
If you are travelling abroad especially to the UK for a period longer than a month please tell us how long you are travelling for. Your policy provides free foreign cover for Temporary visits to:
If you are intending to visit any country not listed above you must contact us prior to departure. If you intend to stay in any EEA country other than Spain for longer than 3 successive months you should contact us on 968 429 129 to discuss the options available. |
| What do I do if I want to include an additional driver on my policy? |
MSC Insure usually offer a policy for any driver either between 30-75 or 40-75. If you have one of these policies and the driver you want to add is between the bracket in question they are already covered. If you are unsure of the policy you have or don't have this policy please contact us and we will be happy to help. |
| Can I get a quote if I don’t have a registration number? |
| Yes. We understand that there may be circumstances where you won't have the registration number of the car you want to insure - it may be that you're thinking of changing cars and want to find out how much it would cost to insure. If you decide that you want to buy a policy, then you will need to know the registration number. |
| What should I do if I have an accident? |
If you have an accident and need to have your car repaired, our priority is to get you back on the road again as soon as possible. Call us as soon as possible and we will help complete the forms. A claim will always be settled quicker if a declaration form has been correctly filled in and signed by both parties. |
| Do you provide a courtesy car if I have an accident? |
If you have paid the extra fee for our courtesy option and make a claim under your policy, we can provide a courtesy car while your own is being repaired. However, a courtesy car is not available if your car is off the road due to a mechanical failure or suffers minor damage that will cause the vehicle to be off the road for less than two days. You'll be responsible for any fines for parking and other motoring offences you incur while using the courtesy car. You'll also be responsible for any congestion charges and tolls while using the courtesy car. |
| How do I get my Certificate of Motor Insurance? |
| If you have taken insurance cover directly at our office, we will provide you with your policy immediately (in most cases), however if you have arranged cover via the net or over the phone, we will arrange for your policy to be sent to you by mail, or hand delivered depending on your area. |
| Does your policy cover me to drive other cars? |
| The simple answer to that question, is NO. Unlike Insurance in the UK, the cover in Spain is on the vehicle and not the person. |
| How can I pay for my MSC Insure policy? |
We offer our customers a choice of payment methods. You can choose to pay your premium by direct debit, cheque, cash or bank transfer. |
| How can I renew my policy? |
Approximately 4 weeks before your policy expires, we'll send you a renewal invitation by post which will show details of how to renew and what your new premium is. We may also contact you via sms or phone. We'll provide you with details of the terms on which your policy may be renewed. If we're unable to offer you a policy, we'll let you know and you may be provided with details of the terms on which your cover will continue via another Insurance company. By taking out a policy you agree to allow a change of your insurer at renewal. You'll be notified of this before your policy expires and you'll be given details of the renewal terms including any changes in your policy cover. If you don't wish to renew your policy, you should tell us before your renewal date. |
| Can I renew my policy if I haven't yet received my renewal invitation? |
| About 4 weeks before your policy is due for renewal, we'll provide you with the details of the terms on which your policy may be renewed. However, you can renew your policy before the renewal date. To do this please call our office on 968 429 129 or 680525108 |