Insurance for US plated car while in Europe

[Mike911SC]

Has anyone ever shipped their US plated car to Europe for a short or longer period?

If so, what did you do for insurance while you had it there either for a tour on the autobahn, work or whatever?

I know Clements International will insure US plated cars for short and long periods while in Europe, but wondered if there are any other options, especially for classic cars.

Any ideas, thoughts or experience would be appreciated.

[svandamme]

don't know anything about US insurance, but do keep in mind, if you have your adress registred in Europe for longer then 180 days, you are legally required to register the car in the country you are registred... Car can be impounded if caught...
And you can bet that a US licence plate is very uncommon in Europe, so that does give em something to go " hmm, interesting, let's have a look"

On the other hand, it's full speed ahead whenever you see a fixed speeding camera !!

[RPKESQ]

Try:

http://www.geico.com/information/aboutinsurance/overseas/

[GH85Carrera]

So tickets don't go from country to country? That is amazing.

[MRM]

Call your current insurance agent and ask about coverage extending to Europe. Some policies have automatic coverage for Europe, some have exclusions for outside US driving but have EU coverage available for an additional premium. It's hard to beat the convenience factor of getting it through your current insurer.

[RPKESQ]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

So tickets don't go from country to country? That is amazing.

They go from country to country within the EU. And if you are involved in an injury to others accident, the ticket will go to the US.

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

So tickets don't go from country to country? That is amazing.

within Europe they might, they are doign more and more intra european agreements between police and guvments, so it depends on where you live(car registration) and where you got busted for speeding.. each year they get better at finding you abroad... But i tend to make it difficult for them, by insisting on my right to get my legal work done in dutch, my native language.. i don't care if they send it to me in french or english, even though i can read it just the same... More likely then not, they will give up because it's to much hassle for them to get the stuff translated..

Doesn't matter with a US plate, because there's no way to get your money if regsitred in the US..., but if you get stopped by cops, you'll have to pay on the spot

[svandamme]

Originally Posted by RPKESQ

They go from country to country within the EU. And if you are involved in an injury to others accident, the ticket will go to the US.

Not perse, they dont' go from all countries to all countries yet, and most of the time , they will not pursue them if the offence was to small.

Tickets sent to the US, well, the US does not cooperate with other countries when it comes to law suits , crime, what not of it's citizens (US does expect other countries to cooperate fully though.. ), so getting a ticket in the US, from elsewhere, might as well shred it... (just make sure they don't stop you in a foreign airport because you have outstanding tickets there, bigger crimes, go to interpol...same story)

[red-beard]

I saw a car with Illinois plates, in Romania, last year.

[svandamme]

was it a yugo?

[red-beard]

Some sort of SUV, can remember what. I think all of the Yugo's rusted or fell apart within warranty.

[svandamme]

wouldn't it have been an embassy vehicle?

[john walker's workshop]

don't know if i would want some of the radical muslims over there to notice the US plate. kind of like being the only white boy cruising the 'hood.

[RPKESQ]

Originally Posted by john walker's workshop

don't know if i would want some of the radical muslims over there to notice the US plate. kind of like being the only white boy cruising the 'hood.

This is an imaginary problem. Not at all a realistic concern.

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by red-beard

I saw a car with Illinois plates, in Romania, last year.

Friend of mine still drives a car registered in Texas. Has been based in Berlin Germany for the last 20+ years. He uses USAA insurance.

[FastCarFan]

I was an insurance agent many years ago. As I recall, U.S. auto insurance only covers you & the car while in the U.S. & Canada. I don't believe the coverage automatically extends to Mexico.

You will have to get a policy to cover you while in Europe.

I hope my memory serves me...someone will chime in if I am wrong!

[spuggy]

Originally Posted by RPKESQ

Try:

http://www.geico.com/information/aboutinsurance/overseas/

We have a winner - I know those folks do it, coz I gave them money for it and they gave me insurance documents.

1-800-248 4998 - still in my cell... Ex-pat insurance for US-registered cars in Europe. Written by an underwriter in London - who won't deal with you directly.

There's another outfit on the East Coast - Clements does sound familiar. But they started giving me noise about having to apply for an exemption for not being eligible etc. - whereas GEICO took my money and wrote the policy immediately.

AIG used to do a "Foreign Automobile Insurance Program" through AIU, "for US and Canadian citizens while as tourists or expatriates outside of North America" - but they have/had a specific exclusion for high performance or sports cars.

GEICO will probably try to tell you that there's a 6 month limit, and that you will need to register the vehicle locally for stays longer than that (which potentially complicates returning the car to the US no end, because that involves surrendering the US title). That is simply not true, although it is a common misconception - it is just that it isn't what the law actually says...

Understanding of the law as written is key to making this work. (Remember that you are doing stuff here that people don't often do, and that you will need to do your homework to demonstrate that you are doing it correctly.)

For example, a direct quote from UK Customs form C110 (Temporary Importation of a Motor Vehicle) - a copy to be kept in the vehicle at all times - is:

Relief from customs duties and import VAT can be claimed by a person whose normal place of residence is outside the customs territory of the EC provided the vehicle is registered outside he customs territory of the EC or owned by a person established outside the EC. The vehicle must be re-exported from the EC within 6 months of import, however for students or persons fulfilling assignments of a specific duration (eg a work contract), the vehicle can remain for the period the student stays in the EC for the sole purpose of pursuing their studies or the period the person stays in the EC for the sole purpose of fulfilling their assignment.

(Emphasis mine). Note that this is based in EU law and all EU countries should be the same. I have a folder full of PDFs of this stuff....

My read (and I am not a lawyer) is that you can't do the "temporary import" thing if you're just hanging about indefinitely. But you can for a two year work contract, for example. Or a 4 year university course.

I highlighted that paragraph and sent it to GEICO - along with the letter from National Imports Reliefs Unit extending my authorized stay (originally a year). They duly extended my insurance to the full year and sold me another year's insurance after that.

Some things you need to bear in mind.

* Car must comply with local regulations, or you're committing an offense driving it on the street. They're not too keen on the yellow US running lights, or red indicators - at least in the UK. Loud pipes that won't make police on the left coast bat an eyelid will make you feel extremely conspicuous in much of Europe. Even the ricers tend to have very quiet coffee-can exhausts, otherwise they can't pass annual inspection...

* Car must remain registered and tabbed in country of origin. If this means a smog inspection for you mid-stay, you will have a problem, unless you're prepared to ship it back for that.

* You should run an international country sticker, "USA" for the US. Good luck buying a international standard-compliant "official" one in the US. I have some mickey mouse ones that I never used, if I can find them.

* Car should be imported as a "temporary import for personal use"

* Car must be exported referencing the original documentation used for import, or you'll get a demand for payment of duty.

You should also read up on EPA inspection and regulations for the re-importation of your vehicle to the USA. That should scare you. According to those guys, it's a felony to change any aspect of the car that related to the original EPA testing - including gear ratios, spark plugs etc. And they have the power to confiscate the car at the port of import if it is not in compliance.

My experience driving on the street, in a daily-driver 930-powered hot rod with an open pipe (before I got a factory muffler on it), is the Police will give you some very hard looks. To the point of driving behind at the speed limit for some time (probably radioing the plate in), eyeballing you hard as they pass you going about 3 MPH faster than you're driving...

But in the end they really don't want to deal with the paperwork - so long as you behave yourself, check out and look sane, they'll probably not bother you....

[adrian jaye]

There is a very little known law that states that

"... any Englishman of age can and with no hinderance shall confiscate and drive any vehicle driven on Her majestys soil from the colonies (or ex colonies) or if the country is in diespute except where treaties apply therafter for said diplomatic purposes.. Any person or persons attempting to stop this by action or inaction is liable as breech to have time served at Her Royal Majestys leisure this to be taken at the towne of London in the tower of such..."


That means bubba you bring your yankee ass over here and I can drive ya car or you go to the tower !!!!

Originally Posted by Mike911SC

Has anyone ever shipped their US plated car to Europe for a short or longer period?

If so, what did you do for insurance while you had it there either for a tour on the autobahn, work or whatever?

I know Clements International will insure US plated cars for short and long periods while in Europe, but wondered if there are any other options, especially for classic cars.

Any ideas, thoughts or experience would be appreciated.