OK, let’s all take a deep breath and consider the mad possibility that the UK might actually leave the EU. It’s highly unlikely, as MPs, Brussels politicians and the mainstream media are all working 24/7 to sabotage the entire project, by re-enacting some of the classic scenes from Dad’s Army, but yes, Brexit could still happen.
If we do leave, then technically drivers would need a Green Card to prove they had valid EU zone insurance. It’s a quaint throwback to pre-1973 days, when middle-class families would pack their Heinz beans and a Primus stove into a Vauxhall Cresta and head off to France on a camping holiday.
Bizarrely, because nobody thought Brexit would happen, the EU still want a physical Green Card. It’s as if an electronic policy document on a smartphone, or email, hasn’t been invented or something.
It’s this type of pettifogging silliness that makes Macron, Merkel and Juncker so proud of the EU state. Really is top class pointless behaviour and job creation.
INDUSTRY REACTION
James Blackham, co-founder of By Miles, said: “A no deal Brexit will mean British motorists driving in Europe require a Green Card. This is a certificate your insurance provider gives you, proving that your policy gives you at least the minimum cover you need to drive in Europe.
Insurers would need to post out millions of these, with the extra paperwork likely to create huge backlogs, and some insurers may even be charging small admin fees. If you’re driving in Europe, our advice would be to leave plenty of time to apply for your Green Card, as some insurers are saying they’ll require up to a month’s notice.
At By Miles, we’re ready to respond to requests for Green Cards but we’ve also taken the initiative: we’re the only car insurance provider that will give customers the power to immediately download their Green Card themselves from our app or web dashboard, completely free of charge.
Some insurers are advising customers to apply online and order a Green Card through the post. Admiral are one of them and the RAC advise that drivers should play safe and apply now. Meanwhile Confused.com also make the valid point that drivers will need to go to a miserable place called a Post Office, stand in a queue, and apply for an International Driving Permit. Crazy stuff eh?
BUT DO YOU NEED AN ACTUAL GREEN CARD, ON A BIT OF GREEN CARDBOARD?
Yes. Unfortunately, the Council of Bureaux (who administer the Green Card across the EU) still insist on drivers having an actual physical piece of green card or paper with the certificate on, so customers will need to print theirs on green paper.
By Miles hopes their Green Card download idea will help out some people in a last minute rush to sort their holiday list. We also already include fully comprehensive insurance in EU countries for up to 90 days as standard in our policies, so it’s really easy for members to go on a European road trip – and we want to keep it that way.
Insurance Edge Comment;
If you’re thinking of going to Rymans online and ordering 3 tons of stiff green paper, forget it, we are way ahead of you. No seriously, it’s a shambles isn’t it? Cancel that driving holiday to Italy, it just isn’t worth the aggravation. See you in Skegness, bring a pac-a-mac.
Be the first to comment