Britons Driving On The Continent Urged To Take Precautions
August 28, 2008 – 8:01 amBritish motorists thinking about driving their cars whilst abroad on holiday should exercise extreme caution before hitting the road.
Such is the assertion of Sainsbury’s Car Insurance which states that unless drivers take steps to make sure that they have adequate cover before going on a foreign driving holiday then they could face a costly repair bill. According to the company, just under a fifth (17 per cent) of people are planning on driving their vehicle overseas during the next 12 months. Overall, France was targeted as being the most popular destination for an overseas driving holiday, with some 4.58 million drivers looking to take their vehicles to the European country over the next year. Meanwhile, 1.89 million are set to hit the road in Ireland, with 1.7 million going on a road trip to Germany. Spain, Italy and Belgium were also shown to be sought-after locations for drivers.
Additionally, it appears that people are planning a comprehensive journey, with about half of all those travelling abroad predicting they will cover more than 1,000 miles driving while away, meanwhile 19 per cent are predicting to drive between 501 and 1,000 miles.
However, before setting off to hit the road for Paris, Rome, Berlin or any other Destination in Europe, Sainsbury’s Car Insurance not only urged motorists to get fully comprehensive car insurance but also to get in touch with their provider to advise them of their holiday driving intentions before they travel. It came to light that although many insurers provide cover for driving on the continent, policyholders need to let their insurer know of their intentions. If this is not done, Sainsbury’s said motorists could see their cover reduced to only incorporate third party, fire and theft.
For those people who fail to ensure that they have an adequate policy while on their trip abroad it could well be that they have to raid their own finances in order to meet the cost of repairs to their vehicle following a breakdown, accident or theft. This could easily impact on their ability to manage loans, credit cards and mortgage repayments upon their return to Britain.
To minimise the chances of getting into difficulties whilst on holiday, the company urged drivers to plan their route carefully and to make themselves aware of the motoring laws for the countries that they will be going through. In addition, checking tyre pressure and brake fluid levels before departing was also recommended.
Joanne Mallon, car insurance manager for Sainsbury’s, reported: “When going on holiday, most people will remember to take travel insurance but we are concerned that some motorists are overlooking the need to ensure that their car journey is fully covered. Having an accident anywhere is bad enough but when abroad it can be compounded by a lack of local knowledge; to then find that the other party’s damage is covered, but not your own, is surely a blow worth avoiding.”
Those people looking for an effective way to finance a holiday may well find that obtaining a personal loans is a good course of action. And for those wishing to buy a car to take to the road for an adventure on the continent, a cheap loan may not only help with purchasing a new car but also help fund an adequate comprehensive insurance policy. Getting a loan for the means of getting a car could also be recommended, as a recent Experian study showed 20 per cent of males are prepared to go overdrawn just to get a set of wheels.
Tags: Travel and Leisure
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