Homeless … and European cover

Voyager61

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Hi All

I have just sold my house (STC), where my bike is garaged.

I have an opportunity to house sit for friends on the Loire for five months, and, frankly, it would be rude not to.

My motorcycle policy includes 90 days EU cover fully comp, but I will need a further 22 days … and I may even wish to make other European trips in the same period of insurance (renewal August 2019).

My questions are:

1 has anyone here been effectively homeless (ie bike cannot be garaged overnight) and wanted to travel?

2 what did you arrange motorcycle insurance-wise?

3 have you exteneded the EU cover for a fee or taken out a separate policy?

Before anyone recommends I talk to my insurer, I certainly will. In the meantime I am interested in wise words from the experienced hereabouts.

Thanks in advance

Paul
 
Half the HUBB has sold their house and went travelling so there must be a way to do it . :)
 
Your UK policy covers you for legal risks.

Live dangerously and take the FC risk for the sake of 22 days.
 
Do you not have a relative or friend that can provide an accommodation address? You won't want your mail going to the new owner of the house. Can you use this for V5 & insurance purposes? You need somewhere for your foreign speeding tickets to be posted.

Is your insurance renewal in the 5 month period? If so, the 5 months will be spilt over 2 separate policies, each with a separate European travel allowance.

Will you come back to the UK in the 5 months splitting the periods into less than 90 day chunks? I have always wondered how an insurer will find out you have made more than 90 days of European trips in a year if you do not tell them. They won't have access to the passport control records and these won't link to a specific vehicle anyway.
 
@Brads: I thought much the same.

@stolzy: it’s tempting

@wessie: my current policy covers a maximum of 90 days during any one period of insurance, so returning doesn’t help.

My neighbour has offered me a garaging/postal address.

I wonder about how they might know too, but I get the impression the insurance industry is more joined up these days.

Foreign speeding tickets? Pah! I have only ever had three points on my licence (SP30) in 23 years ;-)
 
If going over the 90 days bothers you why not terminate the current policy early and then take out a new one with another insurer? This will most likely be the least worst option balancing cost with peace of mind. Use the 90 days on the original policy first, obviously.
 
I’m not sure whether this would work and it’d only be 3rd party cover if it does but could you take out green card cover the same as you can do for non EU countries?

There’s probably a reason why you can’t do it but there’s no obligation to go with your normal insurer for a green card and riders coming from non EU countries manage it ok so it might be an option.
 
Hi All

Thanks for the views and suggestions.

I had a long chat with Bennetts … lots of too-ing and fro-ing for answers, but basically cover outside the 90 days is at the minimum required in the territory. Being homeless is another matter entirely, and yet to be worked out.

Realistically, the highest risk will be within the first 90 days: a trip east for three weeks in October, and a ride to Milan for the bike show in November. The day’s ride to Calais could/would be covered at the minimun required in France.

Everything depends on whether I find a property I want to buy – if I do I will return earlier.

Cheers

Paul
 


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