Travel Insurance - Are You Properly Covered?

At some point during the year most of us hope to take one or more trips away, whether to far off countries or the UK and consider taking travel insurance. But, have you ever read the policy and do you actually know what you are covered for?

Many people ask "why should I bother with travel insurance for the UK or Europe?" Whilst you EHIC card (E111) will cover you for emergency treatment, what about repatriation, which can cost you or your family thousands. With delays and cancellations, depending on the reason the flight companies don't always pick up the tab!

How many of you wait until the week before travelling to take out your insurance, as it seems a bit pointless taking it before, doesn't it? You should always take your insurance when you book the trip. It won't cost anymore and you will be covered for cancellation from the date you take the cover. Also, if you have an accident and can't travel you will be covered. Especially important for long haul or expensive trips.

Are all of your journeys covered? Check your policy. Some cover all flights, some cover first flight but not subsequent flights. The companies we work with cover all flights.

You have some medical conditions to be considered, will they be covered? Check the policy. They all have different rules regarding pre-existing conditions. If your condition changes between taking the policy and travelling, make sure you advise the insurance company, otherwise you might not be covered. We can cover medical conditions for you.

Are sports and skiing covered? Depends on the policy. With many policies general sports are included, but check the list as some will be covered high risk and maybe excluded. Wintersports/skiing are usually an add on to the policy.

No matter where you are travelling, always give travel insurance a consideration. Make sure you don't end up being left in an unfortunate position and needing to find a lot of money quickly.

Is My UK Driving Licence Valid in Spain?

Recently much has been written and questions asked about the legality of UK driving licences in Spain. The law changes at the drop of a hat and lots of rumours filter around so people don’t know what to do or who to believe.

The law regarding UK driving licences was approved in Spain in 2009, but did not come into force until 19th January 2013. It states that all European residents who have been living in Spain for more than 2 years who DO NOT have a European driving licence (photo card style) have to change their UK paper licence for a Spanish licence.

If you have the UK photo card style you don’t have to change it straight away, but if you live full time in Spain, or more than 183 days per year then you are required to change it to Spanish at renewal. 

Several years ago many people resident in Spain used to report their UK licence as lost to DVLA, get a duplicate and then use the original ´lost´ licence to apply for a Spanish licence. Not legal. You cannot have a licence in each country and nowadays Trafico and DVLA are in contact with each other.  If you choose to go back to the UK you can hand in the Spanish licence and request a UK version.

Applying for a Spanish licence is quite simple and can either be done in person at Trafico offices, selected medical centres that supply the medical certificate will also do the paperwork for you, or you can use your Gestor. You will need; an application form, your current paper driving licence, medical certificate (not always necessary), photo and NIE.

Another point to be aware of with UK photo card licences is the expiry date. These licences only last for a maximum of 10 years (depending on your age) and then have to be renewed. Is yours still valid.

Welcome to Dragon Insurance

Welcome to the blog of Dragon Insurance SL. For those of you that don’t know us, we are an insurance and financial services company set up in 1998 by Company Director Maria Morawiec. Initially to provide insurance for ex-patriots with both British and Spanish registered vehicles, as well as home insurance.

The company has moved from strength to strength and we now offer a very wide range of insurance products for European clients including Spanish nationals.  We have added on to our services and can also offer financial and tax advice from our office base in Benitachell.

The aim of our blog is to provide you with information, advice and helpful hints, as well as some of the legalities and legal changes as and when they happen in Spain.

Happy reading.