Ballpark number car insurance France

[Chris]

Hi everyone,

I am a German-American and own a house in the Perigord region. Since we are getting on in years, the 1.000 km from Stuttgart one way are beginning to  wear us down more and more. Train connection to the place would be great (actually 2 h less than the road) but we do need a car to get around and do our shopping, sightseeing etc.. So, we are currently thinking about getting a small Peugot 205 or similar to use during the summer and keep in a neigboring farmer's barn (who has agreed to look after it for a small fee) during the winter.

I have been searching the Internet but found very little information on two related topics:

1) Does France know insurance by the month like?, i.e. keep the car only insured May-October, since it spends the winter in the barn (in Germany, we have special license plates for that).

2) What is the ballpark number per month/year for a small Peugot 205 or similar for liability and collision insurance (CDW)?

I am 59 years old and would newly-insure the car in France, i.e. not try to use my German rebate. Thanks in advance for any help.

Chris

[Loiseau]

Welcome to the forum, Chris,

I did something similar to you, buying a small French car to leave at my résidence secondaire. It's too long ago now for me to give you a figure (I sold house and car two years ago), but I do remember that it wasn't outrageous to insure it via a local French insurance agent, and that he did take my UK no-claims bonus into account.

[suein56]

Chris wrote : ) Does France know insurance by the month like?, i.e. keep the car only insured May-October, since it spends the winter in the barn (in Germany, we have special license plates for that)

As far as I know the law here states that your car must be insured at all times just in case someone tries to steal it and runs someone else over with it or if it catches on fire in your friend's barn and destroys his property. There is always someone responsible or guilty for any incident in France.

On the other hand basic 3rd party insurance is v cheap here ☺

[BritinBretagne]

France does not offer the opportunity to have ‘seasonal’ insurance on your car as you can have in Germany and all motor vehicles have to be insured all of the time.

The best way to find the cost of insuring a small car in a France would be to ask an insurance agent, start with the one who insures your property. It’s over six years since I left Germany but in ‘ballpark’ terms the cost of insuring my cars here in France is very similar to what I paid when living in Germany. A bit less perhaps as here the premiums include breakdown cover.

[cajal]

Try having a trawl around THIS insurance comparison site for some prices.

[mint]

An astute French walking friend recommended direct-assurance.fr.  I have an old car which is nevertheless too valuable to me to let go and I tried these people.  It's a much larger car (2 litre monospace) than the car you are proposing to buy.

They actually advised me to have the basic policy but I opted for toutes risques and it's less than a couple of hundred euros, much cheaper than my previous insurer.

Mind you, I don't know what they are like with claims.  I have been with them less than a year and, so far, have not had to make any claims[:)]

You could look at their site and contact them by email.  They respond within a day or two and you can upload documents on their site and all could be done in the comfort of your own home.

I am not ENTIRELY impartial as I could "parrainer" you but I am not desperate for 25 euros so this advice is given to you entirely without self-interest[:)]

PS I have a much newer (2 year old) car which I am going to get a quote on from these same people and it would be interesting to compare premiums between an old car and a new one.