The good news is that if you are taking your car abroad for a shortish period for a family holiday or similar you should normally be covered, usually for up to 30 days or so outside the UK. Check with your insurer for exact details, but this is the norm.
The bad news is that coverage for greater periods can be difficult to obtain.
Some countries will demand that you have a local policy on your car in case the company is sued because of something that you do. Like in the UK, most developed-world countries have laws demanding a certain level of third party cover to protect you from this. Check what is demanded.
Certain specialists will supply cover if you fit into a standard ‘sector’ of international insurance risk: e.g. diplomats, charities, religious orders, ex-pat business people. If you do not fit so easily into one of these slots you may have to shop around still more.
Luckily however, the insurance business – like many others – is much more international today than it used to be and such demands are more common as a result. Certain types of standard car insurance may cover you within the EU as if you were in the UK, and some companies even use this feature as a selling point – check with the insurers.
