# Insuring an Irish Reg'd Car in Spain



## beany (21 Sep 2006)

hi, I have an Irish reg’d car at my place in Spain. Spanish law says I don’t need to re-plate it because I drive there less than six months a year. My problem is I cant find an insurance company to give me cover for Spain.  Presently UK cars and NI cars can get cover there.

Does anyone know and insurance company that will cover ROI cars in Spain. Or does anybody know a company providing international insurance policies?

Thanks
Beany


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## roxy (21 Sep 2006)

Friends of mine lived in Spain for 2 years with their Irish reg cars. They had the insurance through Smith's brokers in Tallaght Village AFAIK. It was very cheap considering 1 of them was a learner drive, €300 or thereabouts. Will try find out more info for you over the weekend.


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## beany (21 Sep 2006)

Thanks for Veeerrryyy fast reply. Will check that out.


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## roxy (21 Sep 2006)

No worries, let us know how you get on. Welcome to AAM by the way.


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## roxymusic (22 Sep 2006)

Can you get  cheap car insurance in Spain (etc)for a car in Ireland?


Roxymusic





beany said:


> hi, I have an Irish reg’d car at my place in Spain. Spanish law says I don’t need to re-plate it because I drive there less than six months a year. My problem is I cant find an insurance company to give me cover for Spain.  Presently UK cars and NI cars can get cover there.
> 
> Does anyone know and insurance company that will cover ROI cars in Spain. Or does anybody know a company providing international insurance policies?
> 
> ...


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## beany (22 Sep 2006)

Hi Roxy I checked out Smith's and no luck there. However I spoke to an agent in Cadiz, Spain, and the situation is thus:

A non-resident EU national may bring into Spain their EU registered car without further formality and keep it in their at their second/holiday home but neither they nor any other person may use it in Spain for more than six months in any year, i.e. if it is driven for six accumulative months it must be off the road (garaged, etc) for the remaining period of time. Any person who spends more than a total of six months in any one year in Spain is considered resident and consequently not entitled to the above facility. 

The problem for ROI residents is this. Their needs to be an Irish Insurance company with an office in Spain to offer insurance in Spain on an Irish regd car. This is how UK vehicles are managing to secure insurance on their UK plates. Cornhill for example and others have Spanish offices.

If you insure here in Ireland and leave the car their, (some people have done this), technically the policy maybe void. 

The only real alternative it seems is to switch the plates to Spanish. But this can have it own hassles including replacing the headlight units completely.


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## Ravima (22 Sep 2006)

most of the companies in ireland have offices in Spain.  Hibernian would have the commercial union, AXA would have themselves, Eagle Star would probably have Zurich and ALlianz wourl also be there.


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