For expats living in Spain it is easy to run into problems if you don’t know the differences between Spanish insurance and that from your home country.
This information applies to cars which are insured in Spain.
1) You only need a Green Card if you are taking your car outside of Spain.
2) If you pay for your insurance by direct debit then the receipt from your bank is your valid insurance certificate.
3) Even though you may pay your insurance in instalments, the contract is for a whole year so you can’t decide part way through the year to change your insurance to a different company. This also means that even if you sell your car you still have to pay the whole years’ premium. As long as you have the certificate from Trafico that the car has been put in someone else’s name, most companies will give a credit which can be used on a new policy.
4) If you have an accident it is important to fill in the blue accident form. It doesn’t matter which language you fill in because they are all exactly the same. So if you are filling in a Spanish form you can use an English one to help you translate the questions. If you have an accident with someone with an insurance from another country then it is a good idea to also get a copy of their green card (you can take a photo of it).
5) Car insurance is automatically renewed in Spain unless you give 1 months notice. If you don’t give notice and decide just not to pay the renewal the insurance company is entitled to sue you for the amount of the premium. Even if they don’t pursue you, if you want to make another insurance with the same company in the future you may not be able to as their records will show you have an unpaid bill.
6) In Spain it is always the car that is insured, not the person. So anyone can drive your car with your permission as long as they are between 28 and 70 years old and have a full valid driving license for at least 2 years. They don’t need to be a named driver. If someone younger or older wants to drive your car then you need to consult with the insurance company. (This information specifically applies to Caser Seguros. Other companies are similar but the ages may differ.)
7) Always check exactly what cover is included in your insurance. Don’t make assumptions; some things you might expect to be included automatically could be optional extras.
8) You can travel outside of Spain with your car for up to 90 days. Mostly you will have the same cover as when driving in Spain but check your policy to see exactly what is covered.
For more information or to get a no obligation quotation please contact our office.