GoCompare offers post-Brexit insurance need-to-knows whether a deal is passed or not.

The UK is set to leave the EU on 31 October 2019, which means if you’re travelling to Europe after Brexit, there are four main policy changes you need to be aware of. These include changes to your passport, EU healthcare, driving abroad and travelling with pets.

If we leave Europe with a deal, how this affects your travel plans will depend on the terms of the agreement reached, so keep checking gov.uk/visit-europe-brexit for updates.

Sally Jaques, from GoCompare offers advice on preparing for Brexit:

“As we enter the final two weeks ahead of 31 October, the Government are beginning to issue advice for travellers in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Some of the key things to remember are:

Travel Insurance and European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)

“While the EHIC currently entitles any EU national to access the same level of state medical care as eligible nationals of the EEA country they’re in, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, these UK issued EHICs will cease to be valid.

“The cover provided by an EHIC has previously been overestimated by most British holidaymakers, with research from GoCompare travel insurance revealing that 4% of people believe an EHIC means they don’t need travel insurance for holidays in Europe.”

“Travellers should be arranging travel insurance as soon as they book their holiday, to take advantage of valuable cancellation cover.

“Cover levels and prices vary widely between insurance policies, so families should shop around to find the policy which meets the needs of their family and holiday plans, particularly if they plan to travel around the end of October over half term or after the Brexit date.

Passports

“If you’re travelling on or after the Brexit date, the Government recommends you have six months left on your passport when you arrive at your EU destination. Some countries have varying rules and may require you to have longer on your passport.

“An easy way to check the validity of your passport under these rules is by using the Government’s online tool.
“As is always advised, if you do need to renew, make sure you’re leaving plenty of time to do so before you travel to avoid any disruptions to your plans.”

Travelling with pets

“If you’re taking your pet abroad after October 31, you’ll need to start preparations at least four months prior to the date you’re travelling. So, if you’re planning on taking your pet away in February or March, it’s advised to start preparing now. You can visit your vet for advice on this, or keep up to date any further changes issued by the government here: gov.uk/brexit-pet-travel.

Health certificates and pet passports

“Another thing to note is that if the UK leaves Europe without a deal, you won’t be able to use the existing pet passport on its own. Make sure you take your pet to the vet at least 10 days before you travel to be issued with an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). It’s worth checking with your vet that they can issue AHCs for pets.

“Your pet’s Animal Health Certificate will be valid for 10 days after the date of issue for entry into the EU and is valid for 4 months after the date of issue for onward travel within the EU and re-entry to the UK.

Pet insurance

“Before travelling, check with your pet insurance provider they’ll cover your pet for travel to the EU after Brexit and what policy documents you’ll need to take on your trip.

“If you’re travelling with a pet, you’ll need to enter your European destination through a designated traveller point of entry.  

“If you need any further advice on specific policy wordings, get in touch with your insurer directly.”

 

Matt Oliver, car insurance expert at GoCompare offers advice on driving abroad post Brexit:

Driving licences and green cards for car insurance

“If the UK leaves without a deal, UK nationals driving their vehicle in an EU country would be required to have a Green Card for their car insurance to be valid.

“Insurers issue these cards, so make sure you’re getting in touch with them directly if you’re planning a trip over half term or after October 31^st to avoid being caught out.

“The ABI (Association of British Insurers) recommends contacting your provider at least four weeks before you travel to seek advice and get sorted with a card.

“As for driving licences, under current rules, if you hold a full licence you don’t need an additional licence to drive in the EU. Post 31 October, depending on destination and length of stay, you may need to apply for an International Driving Permit. More details on International Driving Permits can be found on the Government website here .”

For more information on insurance post Brexit, visit our new guide page here: https://www.gocompare.com/brexit-insurance-need-to-knows/

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For further information please contact:

Anders Nilsson or Louisa Marsden at GoCompare on 01633 654 054 / 01633 655 132

Gordon, Jason or Liz at MAW Communications on 01603 505 845

Keep up-to-date with GoCompare on Twitter; @GoCompare

GoCompare

GoCompare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.

GoCompare does not charge people to use its services, and it does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. GoCompare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.

GoCompare does not sell its customers’ data.

When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. GoCompare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest, and has teamed up with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.

GoCompare is the only comparison website to be invited to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

For more information visit www.gocompare.com and www.gocomparegroup.com