Ikea Malaga

Hello

We are contemplating moving into phase 2 sometime in the summer.

Does anyone know a good insurance company for insuring a vehicle in Spain?

I have a PCV  { Bus  Drivers}  License and  will be looking to purchase either a Van or a Minibus or at the very least, a large Estate car if and when we do move into phase 2.

Would it be simpler to buy an imported left hand drive vehicle in the UK and Ferry / Drive it to Spain or to buy direct from someone in Spain?

Does anyone have experience of purchasing and insuring these types of vehicles in Spain and an idea of the cost please?

My last insurers allowed me 9 years No Claims Bonus which hopefully would lower my insurance costs.

Thank You

Helen and Kev

hi   if you own a british reg car in spain you can operate such a car for six months in a calender year with no formalities beyond the presentation at the border of your driving licence reg and insurance certificate that is if anyone bothers to ask for them

you can keep your foringn reg car in spain permantly but you will have to garage it for six months of each year you can only drive on spanish roads for 6 months

if you own a vacation home in spain that you visit at christmas and summer time you can freely operate your car as long as  total visits do not go over 6months in any calender year the 6 months do not have to be continuose it could be three visits of two months each 

 because  this period lies in a calender year it has this perculiarity ; if the visitor enters spain after june 30 he can keep and drive the car for the last 6 months of that year and the first 6 months of following  year   however   the six month stay is based on the person  and not the car if you stay in spain for 4 months then go to your home country and bring your car back with you to spain you can only  operate it legally for 2 months you can keep it in spain but not drive it     so keep any  proof of entry into spain  like air line tickets  or ask to have your passport stamped  the spanish police have been very lenient  in the past but are now starting to crack down  in areaswhere many  foreigners live       

there is no problem if you change to spanish reg apart from changing the dip on headlights as well as they will need to dip right

Hello  Babe

Thank you for your information.

There doesn't seem much point bringing a vehicle from the UK and leaving it in a garage for six months if we intend to live in Spain. I shouldn't imagine that a RHD car from the UK would sell in Spain under those restrictions.

We have already sold our decent car and used it as a deposit for an apartment.  We have just kept our banger worth a few hundred pounds for  work.

At the moment that is all I have been doing in the UK, working my life away for the last number of years. Nine hours per night, thirteen nights a fortnight and doing odd jobs during the day as well such as gardening, fencing, painting.  I don't get much family time at the moment so that is why we intend to move to Spain and give it a very good try.  There must be more to Life!   so  I don't intend to be working those kind of hours when we are in Spain.

It is a good idea though for anyone like us, who will be moving to Spain for the first time who are not sure that they will adapt or settle in Spain. We may find that we can't actually find work and afford to  and live in Spain.  We will keep our house in the UK as a safety net and will rent it out on a six month contract in the meantime.

Therefore if we bring our banger over for six months and decide that we can afford to stay in Spain we can then buy a Spanish Registered vehicle and use it all year!

Thanks Again Babe

Kev and Helen