Car Insurance

[ChezTinns]

We are just in the throws of buying a holiday home in the Gers (32) and we have the opportunity of purchasing the vendors car separately.  Can anyone give us any info on how to insure a car in France - where, how much etc.

Thanks

[Eslier]

You'll also be needing house insurance so you can organise it all at the sme time, along with any other insurance you might want. Just call into one of the insurance offices  in your local town (there will almost certainly be several to choose from) and sort it all out at once. One of the pelasure of France is being able to do this sort of thing face to face and get a personal service. NO MORE CALL CENTRES HOORAY !!!!

[ChezTinns]

Thanks.  I understand that there isn't any car tax (hooray!) but what about the french version of MOT - is this similar to how it works in the UK? ie needed on an annual basis/cost etc

[Opalienne]

Controle technique, French version of MOT, is needed every two years for cars over 4 years old.

[Sunday Driver]

To re-register the vehicle in your name, you'll need to present a Controle Technique certificate which is less than 6 months old.  I'd ask the seller to put it through its test before you buy it.

[Deimos]

[quote user="Opalienne"]Controle technique, French

version of MOT, is needed every two years for cars over 4 years old.[/quote]

I believe that when a car is sold, any existing CT test is only valid for a

max. 6 months (less if it would have expired anyway - at least this is what the

guy that did mine earlier this month said. 

My comment is based only on limited experience and others may know

better – do say so if I am wrong on this.

Ian

[Nick Trollope]

[quote user="Deimos"]

[quote user="Opalienne"]Controle technique, French

version of MOT, is needed every two years for cars over 4 years old.[/quote]

I believe that when a car is sold, any existing CT test is only valid for a

max. 6 months (less if it would have expired anyway - at least this is what the

guy that did mine earlier this month said. 

My comment is based only on limited experience and others may know

better – do say so if I am wrong on this.

Ian

[/quote]

No, a CT is valid for as long as it is valid. The rule is (as implied above) that the CT must be less than 6 months old (ie. 18 months to run) for the new owner to register the vehicle. And since not registering the vehicle is illegal, it is important to ensure that you get/can get the CT.

It is nothing like as tough as a UK MOT - my Clio passed with a blowing exhaust and knackered gearbox mount.

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="nicktrollope"]It is nothing like as tough as a UK MOT - my Clio passed with a blowing exhaust and knackered gearbox mount.

[/quote]

The CT is actually quite extensive, containing 125 points of inspection, but unlike the UK test, many faults are merely reported on the certificate and do not attract a fail.  The owner can then have them rectified without having to take the car back for a contra visite.  A (partial) blowing exhaust and defective gearbox mounting are classed as non-fail faults.

Details [url=http://www.utac-otc.com/fr/ctvl/contenu_ctrl_liste.asp]HERE[/url]

[Quillan]

The person selling the car needs to get, what I can best describe as I have forgotten the name as, a clearance certificate which shows there is no debt attached to the car. This is simple for him/her to do they go to the prefecture and these days there is a machine where you type in the Carte Grise number and registration and it prints it off for you, it costs a couple of Euros and you put the money straight in the machine so theres no waiting.

[Sunday Driver]

Its called a certificat de situation, or "non gage" and its the French equivalent of the HPI check.  It can also be obtained on line [url=http://www.interieur.gouv.fr/rubriques/b/b8_teleservices/rubriques/b/b8_teleservices/new_telecarte_grise] HERE [/url].  Just key in the registration number and date of first registration.  You can then print out the certificate.

If it shows anything attached to the vehicle record, eg lien, debt, stolen vehicle marker, then you'll need to visit the Prefecture with proof of identity/address and they'll give you full details.

[Scarlett]

[quote user="nicktrollope"][quote user="Deimos"]

[quote user="Opalienne"]Controle technique, French version of MOT, is needed every two years for cars over 4 years old.[/quote]

I believe that when a car is sold, any existing CT test is only valid for a max. 6 months (less if it would have expired anyway - at least this is what the guy that did mine earlier this month said.  My comment is based only on limited experience and others may know better – do say so if I am wrong on this.

Ian

[/quote]

No, a CT is valid for as long as it is valid. The rule is (as implied above) that the CT must be less than 6 months old (ie. 18 months to run) for the new owner to register the vehicle. And since not registering the vehicle is illegal, it is important to ensure that you get/can get the CT.

It is nothing like as tough as a UK MOT - my Clio passed with a blowing exhaust and knackered gearbox mount.

[/quote]

We've been having real problems with our Renault Scenic just recently - keeps cutting out, loss of power.  The Renault garage say it's not a serious problem but when you live in the country you need something reliable so now my husband wants to flog it.   We have a controle Technique valid til next February, will we have to put it through a new one before we sell it if we sell it to a garage, as they won't actually be the new owners?  Also, can you trade a car in for a used car or can you only trade in on new cars in France?

[Will]

There is a subtle difference here - you don't need a newish CT to sell a car, it's just the new owner needs one in order to register it in his/her name. So for a private sale you will normally be expected to provide a new CT, unless the buyer is prepared to organise this himself before registering. A garage probably won't be too bothered, though the length of CT may affect the price they offer.

We have traded in two or three cars for newer, but not totally new, ones at our local garage, and got very good trade-in values. The best was, incidentally, an elderly LHD Peugeot bought in England (but re-immatriculated, and lots of km added, in France). It probably depends on the garage, how much business you give them, and whether or not they could re-sell your car. A RHD British model almost certainly won't be worth their while.