08 Dec 2015 12:13 PM:

Guys, this is a general response to all the replies - nice to see that although it was an old thread, my comment was picked up and you have all come back with information on your experiences.

Breaking the Law - I have no issue with reporting people to the authorities when I feel it appropriate, If I can find time to check legislation in any country and comply with it, I see no reason for others to flagrantly break it and as a Journalist, sometimes I 'out' them in the Press, other times the information is handed to the relevant Authorities for them to investigate and take appropriate action if the information I have given is correct.

Insurance and the EU Directives - The PROBLEM with this is that in order for ANY EU Based Insurance Company, offering Insurance to cover UK Registered Cars, they have to have a UK Registered Office or an Association with a British Insurer so that the Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) in the UK has your details correctly recorded on the Database for the Police to check you are covered... you can go to the MIB website (Google 'Ask MID')  to find out if your UK Registered Car has Insurance Cover available to the Police.

I use Liberty Seguros as they are the ONLY Spanish Company I have found that fully complies with the EU Directive because they are an International Company and have representation via their UK Business and you can verify this by going to this website page they have (In English) Google ( 'Liberty Seguros Expatriates Freedom Service') as I cannot post weblinks apparently..!!!

Now, if UK registered Insurance Companies are too lazy to create EU Associations, this is why their European Cover is so restrictive as they CANNOT comply with the EU Directive.

UK Licences in Spain - Firstly, if you are using a Non Photocard Licence in Spain, this became invalid in the EU from 19 January 2013 as any licence valid for more than 10yrs and no photo card does not comply with EU Legislation on EU Driving Licences.

Secondly, if you have MOVED to Spain, you are supposed to 'Register' your UK Licence with the Authorities, this is NOT the same as Exchanging it for a Spanish Licence. However as pointed out, if you return to drive in the UK the Licence is INVALID and Liable for Penalties for carrying the incorrect Residential Address and it is for this reason your SHOULD simply transfer over to a Spanish Licence even if it still has a valid date on it.

You cannot pick and choose which parts of which Legislation you want to abide by, the Law is the Law, it is there to protect the innocent and to prosecute the guilty.  With the move in 2016 for the UK DVLA to hand over details to the EU Member States to trace Speeding Motorists for penalties, points etc. and the same for parking fines, you will left with nowhere to hide, because if your UK Address is on your licence and you no longer live there, the DVLA can SUSPEND or CANCEL your licence and when you do go to renew it with a Spanish one, you will find you are driving without a licence and could have to take a spanish test in order to get a new Licence.  This would mean you would be unable to get a Certificate from the DVLA about other groups of vehicles you may be licenced to drive as well.

In addition, if your UK Licence is suspended or cancelled and you had an accident, your Insurance would also be void and this could be a very costly mistake, especially if you or anyone else is injured in the accident, your fault or not!

In Gernany, there is NO REQUIREMENT to ever change your UK Licence to a Germal Licence, however, the UK Authorities will NOT issue a UK Licence with an overseas address so you might as well change it to a German Licence on renewal, its very straighforward.

For me to get around some of these issues, I hold a full UK Licence for Groups AM/A/B1/B/C1/D1/BE/C1E/D1E/f/k/l/n/p/g

A German Licence for Groups AM/A/B1/B/C1/D1/BE/C1E/D1E
A Spanish Licence for Groups AM/A/B1/B/C1/D1/BE/C1E/D1E

By taking the 'Local Driving' Tests, it means I can use any of the three licences on the EU Continent, my plan is to take the French Driving Test in the next year or so when I get time to study their Highway Code...!

 

Thread: UK registered cars in Uk with Spanish insurance

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05 Dec 2015 9:59 PM:

I'm sorry but most of the comments made on this thread, although somewhat old now are nonsense.

I am a UK and International Registered Photo Journalist and have for years driven all over the European Continent.  I have a home in the UK where my Business and Taxation is handled, a home in Germany and one in Spain.
My cars are ALWAYS UK purchased and registered, the MOT's are carried out in the UK.  However, my Insurance is purchased in Spain via Liberty Seguros (Mojacar) and the reason for this is that where UK Insurance will charge you an additional premium for European Cover of only 60-90 days, my Spanish Policies permit me UNLIMITED Travel in any EU Member State and as I could spend up to 9 months at a time floating around the EU with frequents small trips back to Blighty, I have NEVER been stopped by Police in the UK because my car has set off an ANPR Camera in a Police Car, when I have been stopped by French, Spanish, German or Italian Police, I carry my UK Licence, my UK Vehicle Registration Documents and my Spanish Vehicle Insurance Documents - never had a problem with any EU Country in 30 years.
 

A lot of problems are created by people that LIVE in Spain for more than 6 months a year, do not have their vehicles re-registered after the 6 month requirement, have not changed their licence to a Spanish one in flagrant abuse of the system.  This is the argument people in the UK make against EU people living and working in the UK, its hypocritical... I know people that have lived in Spain for over 20yrs, can't speak a word of the language, work without paying any tax, shoot back to the UK to use the NHS, which they are NOT entitled to if having lived outside the UK over 3 years.... I could go on, but my main point is, if you COMPLY with the LOCAL and the EU/UK Legislation, you will never fall foul of the Law.

Thread: UK registered cars in Uk with Spanish insurance

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