UK drivers clueless on overseas insurance

Motorists planning to drive overseas this summer should contact their car insurance provider before setting off, uSwitch.com has warned.

Research by the price comparison site found that one in five (22%) drivers believe their car insurance provides the same cover abroad as it does in the UK.

A similar number (18%) think that travel insurance covers them for overseas driving.

More than a third (38%) confess to having no idea about the level of cover their car insurance policy provides overseas.

“Drivers are paying to have top level cover in the UK and mistakenly believe that they will automatically enjoy the same protection while driving abroad,” said Mark Monteiro, uSwitch.com insurance expert.

Monteiro added that motorists must contact their insurer to upgrade their policy before driving overseas.

Drivers “should always check the policy small print, make sure they are aware of any restrictive clauses in their policy, such as the number of consecutive days a car can be driven abroad before the driver must return to the UK, and absolutely always contact their insurer before going,” Monteiro said.

uSwitch.com also reminded motorists that many European countries have stricter drink driving laws than the UK.

Every year, two million British motorists take their car overseas.

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