All UK vehicle insurance provide the minimum third-party cover to drive in the EU (including Ireland), Andorra, Bosna and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Serbia and Switzerland. You no longer need to carry a green card when you drive in the countries listed above, however, you still need a valid vehicle insurance.

A Green Card, also known as the International Motor Insurance Card, is a document that is issued by insurance providers in the UK, guaranteeing that the motorist has the necessary third-party motor insurance cover for travel in the country being travelled to.

To find out more details about insurance, click here.

If you are going to Europe with your vehicle for less than 12 months, you can either bring your vehicle log book (V5C) or VE103 (a proof that you can use the hired/leased vehicle abroad). Please note, the address on your V5C must be up to date.

If you don’t have your original V5C, you can request a duplicate online, only if there is nothing to be changed on the log book. If you need to update your information on your log book before travelling to Europe, click here for more details.

If you are travelling in Spain, Malta or Cyprus you must display a UK sticker on the rear of your vehicle. If you are travelling in any other European country, you need a UK sticker if your number plate has:

• A Euro symbol;
• A national flag of England, Scotland or Wales;
• Numbers and letters only;

If your number plate has the GB identifier on its own or with the union flag, you don’t need a UK sticker. You also don’t need a sticker to drive in Ireland.

Safety first – If you get involve in a road traffic accident, make sure you stop your vehicle as soon as possible at a safe location and check yourself and other passengers for injuries. If anyone is hurt, call an ambulance (if you are in an EU country, call 112 to contact the emergency services).

Call the police – If no one is injured call the police first. Make notes of everything that has happened and take pictures, obtain the full details of the other driver as well as the contact details of any witnesses.

You should get a copy of the police report or a reference number.

*If you drive in Europe, you may be provided with an European Accident Statement (EAS). It is usually given by your insurer and is to be filled in by the drivers involved in the accident – to outline the details which are still fresh in mind. You and the other driver should receive a copy, but don’t sign the document if you disagree with the statements used to describe the accident.

Inform your insurer – you should get in touch with your insurance provider as soon as possible to let them know about the accident and provide the necessary details. What would happen next depends on your insurance cover e.g. the level of insurance cover you have, or whether your vehicle is rental.

In the UK, there aren’t any equipment that you’re required by law to carry in your vehicle, however, in many European countries there are, such as first aid kit (the required equipment varies between countries). For this reason, we recommend that you carry in your vehicle the following equipment when you travel in Europe – reflective jackets (one for each passenger), warning triangle, first aid kit and headlamp beam deflectors (depending on your vehicle you may need deflector stickers or you have to adjust the beam manually).