Taking your vehicle abroad - frequently asked questions

• A Green Card is an international certificate of insurance that proves you're insured to drive in the EU. They're issued and signed by your vehicle insurer, and include your vehicle and registration details. You'll need to have one with you if you're driving in Europe and you'll need a second one if you're towing a trailer or caravan.
• Once you've requested your Green Card, it will be uploaded to MyAccount for you to print it and take with you when you travel. Please make sure we've got the right email address for you.
• If you do not have access to MyAccount and you have told us that you prefer for documents to be posted, then we will send these to you in the mail but we cannot guarantee postage so make sure you allow enough time for it to arrive. We suggest at least five working days before you're due to travel.

You need a Green Card if you're travelling to any country in the European Union, plus Bosnia and Herzegovina, Gibraltar, Iceland, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Andorra and Serbia. You'll also need a Green Card if you plan to drive between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. See the full list of countries.

A Green Card can last for up to 90 days (or until you're due to renew if your renewal date is less than 90 days away), but check your policy booklet for details on how long you're covered to drive in a single trip abroad.

No. If you want to rent or borrow a vehicle, you'll need to arrange insurance separately and your Green Card won't cover this.

• You could get fined if you don't display a GB sticker on your vehicle or trailer.
• You'll need a GB sticker even if your number plate already has a GB or the EU symbol on it.
• They're available from a variety of high street and online retailers, as well as departure points in the UK, and only cost a couple of pounds.

You could be breaking the law, be refused entry into the European country, receive a fine and/or have your vehicle seized. Your policy doesn't cover loss or damage caused by the legal confiscation of your vehicle by HM Revenue and Customs, the police, a local authority or any other government authority - check your policy booklet for full terms and conditions.

• You'll need to tell us when you ask for your Green Card as you need a second Green Card for your caravan or trailer.
• If you plan to take a commercial trailer weighing over 750kg or a non-commercial trailer weighing over 3,500kg, you must also register it with the Government before you can travel to, or through, most EU and EEA countries. Find out more about IDPs and how to get one.

You need a Green Card for each vehicle you're taking to the EU. So if you're taking two cars that are on the same multi car policy, you'll need a separate Green Card for each of them.

You'll still need to share your driving data with us if you plan to drive in the EU. If you're concerned about your mobile data usage, you don't need to have your mobile data turned on while driving to record your trips and you can also set up your app so it only sends us data when you reach a WiFi location. To do this, simply go into the app's settings, select 'preferences' and turn on 'upload trip data using WiFi only'. Please make sure your location services and Bluetooth are still switched on in your phone settings. You can revert back to the original settings at any time, simply follow the above steps again and turn off 'upload trip data via WiFi only'.

Green Cards are valid for up to 90 days but if you travel frequently, let us know when you request your Green Card as we may be able to extend this.

• If you plan to drive in the EU (or between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland) you can request your Green Card by using the link below. If we have your email address, we'll upload your Green Card to MyAccount. You can then simply print it to take with you when you travel. If you've asked for it to be posted, it can take up to five working days to arrive.
• You also need to take your vehicle registration document (V5) to prove you own the vehicle and have a GB sticker on your vehicle and any trailer.
• In some countries you'll need an international driving permit (IDP) Check if you need an IDP.