Datalink Insurance

"We are the largest insurers of expatriates in Spain and Portugal"

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Frequently Asked Questions

Motor FAQs

What are the laws regarding motor vehicle insurance in Spain?

Spanish Law is similar to the road traffic laws in other countries throughout member states of the European Union – all vehicles using the roads must be insured for third party liability risks. All Euromotor policies fully comply with the Regulations of all EU territories.

Datalink is able to offer insurance for both UK and Spanish registered vehicles owned by expatriates in Spain as the insurer of the EuroMotor policy is Lloyd's of London. Lloyd's is allowed, under the EU "Freedom of Services" Directive, to cross border service from the UK and Gibraltar and thus can insure UK registered cars driven in Spain. Equally Lloyd's is "established" in Spain through the Spanish Regulatory Authority – the DGS – and therefore can also insure Spanish registered vehicles owned by expatriates living in Spain.

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If I live in Spain can I drive a UK registered vehicle legally?

Yes providing you have not applied for, and received, "Residencia", you can bring your UK registered vehicle with you when you come to Spain but by law you can only use it for six months in any calendar year in Spain. We can however continue to offer cover it for as long as you keep it in Spain

Any Non-resident who changes to resident status after six months must either import the car into Spain, which can be expensive and complicated, and re-register onto Spanish plates, or sell it and buy a Spanish registered vehicle.

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Do I need to produce an MOT Certificate before I can obtain insurance for my UK registered vehicle?

We do not request sight of an MOT (or its Spanish equivalent ITV) before we insure you but there is a strict policy requirement that your vehicle is roadworthy at all times and you should also comply with the law of the country in which your vehicle is being used. Any breach of this could invalidate your insurance cover and, failure to produce a certificate of roadworthiness may render you liable to prosecution and /or a fine by the authorities.

It is now becoming common in Spain for UK vehicles to be tested at the local ITV (MOT equivalent) centre. But remember the ITV certificate will only be valid in Spain, so if you travel back to the UK and don't have a valid MOT certificate it could lead to problems with the Police there. So be sure you comply with the law and keep your vehicle in a roadworthy condition.

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Is it true that I must carry all my vehicle documentation in the vehicle at all times? And what happens if the vehicle is stolen?

Yes it is! Whilst driving your car on the road in Spain you MUST have the following documents with you:

  • Driving licence
  • The car's Ficha Tecnica (showing the technical details of the car) or Log Book if UK registered
  • All your insurance documents – receipt, certificate of insurance (for UK vehicles) and Green Card

If your vehicle is stolen and the documents have gone with it the situation can become problematical. So, although slightly inconvenient, we recommend that whenever you leave your vehicle unattended that you take the documents with you. However if you don't you will have to arrange to replace them before your claim can be settled.

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Can I recover my uninsured losses?

An accident may not only affect your vehicle and the no claims discount under your policy, but it can leave you out of pocket. Costs such as the payment of your policy excess, hire car charges, additional travelling expenses, and the inability to work and claim earnings are all known as Uninsured Losses. In the UK when the accident is not your fault there is a strong chance that such costs can be recovered if you have opted to add legal assistance cover to your policy, however, in Spain things are slightly different and you are only likely to receive reimbursement of your policy excess. Spanish insurers are unlikely to consider anything else.

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Am I able to transfer my No Claim Discount from my previous Insurer?

If you have a UK or no claims bonus from your own country this can be used in Spain and we will accept written proof from your previous insurer.

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Can I tow a trailer or caravan?

Yes if they are not being used for commercial purposes and are within the limits allowed by law. A small additional premium will be charged.

Your EuroMotor policy provides cover for legal liabilities while you are towing, but it doesn't provide cover for damage to the trailer itself or the items being towed, nor does it provide cover whilst the trailer is detached from your vehicle. We recommend that you arrange separate cover for these risks.

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Am I insured under my own policy if I drive someone else's vehicle?

No. You must ensure that if you are driving a vehicle that does not belong to you that the owner of that vehicle has arranged for you to drive under the terms of their Insurance policy.

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What if I want to take my vehicle outside of Spain?

If you are travelling abroad especially to the UK for a period longer than a month please tell us how long you are travelling for.

Your EuroMotor policy provides free foreign cover for Temporary visits to:

  • Any country that is a member of the European Union
  • The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands
  • Finland, Norway and Switzerland

If you are intending to visit any country not listed above you must contact us prior to departure.

If you intend to stay in any EEA country other than Spain for longer than 3 successive months you should arrange a new policy locally. When you return your Certificate of Insurance & Green a return premium will be due based on the unexpired period of cover.

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What do I do if I want to include an additional driver on my policy?

Your current schedule/certificate of Insurance shows who is covered to drive your vehicle. If you need to add any further drivers you need to call us. In certain cases an additional premium may be charged and we may need to issue a new policy.

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Household FAQs

What does Buildings insurance cover?

Buildings insurance aims to cover damage to the actual structure and fittings of your home by the perils stated in the policy. It will also cover toilets, baths and fitted kitchens, your interior decorations and bedroom fitted cupboards. Don't forget swimming pools, gates, fences, tennis courts, drives, garages and other outbuildings - these are all covered under the Eurohome Plus policy. Eurohome also includes cover against subsidence, heave and landslip if your buildings are not more than ten years old (However this can also be included for older properties subject to a satisfactory survey).

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What does Contents insurance cover?

Almost everything that you own and would take with you if you moved house. This will include furniture, kitchen equipment, food and drink, electrical appliances including televisions, computers, entertainment equipment, clothes, ornaments and valuables.

As with all policies there are some exceptions and exclusions so we recommend that you take time to read the policy booklet to discover those that apply. If you are in any doubt, please contact us.

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How much do I need to insure my home for?

For Buildings insurance, you should insure your home for its full rebuilding cost i.e. how much it would cost to rebuild if it was totally destroyed. This is different to the market value of your home. You can find your home's rebuilding cost on the Valuation Report or Survey you had done when you purchased the property (although if it is more than a couple of years old it almost certainly needs to be increased to take account of inflation).

For contents insurance, you should insure the contents of your home for how much it would cost you to replace them new today.

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I own a small holiday apartment and I only need contents cover, what should I do?

The EuroHome Holiday Apartment policy has been especially designed to cover small holiday apartments. It provides the same cover as home contents but is rated on the number of bedrooms. Check out the household page for more information.

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What if my Lender asks for a copy of the policy?

No problem, we will be happy to send a copy to you to pass on. If you have bought your home through a Spanish lender we will send copies in Spanish including a Schedule that notes their interest and complies with what they want.

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Are my belongings covered outside the home or when I go on holiday?

Only if you have arranged cover for All Risks. Items specified under this section are covered against theft, loss or accidental damage outside your home and within the geographic area you have chosen - Europe or Worldwide.

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Is my PC covered?

Yes, if it is for personal use only.

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Are there any important Exclusions or Conditions that I should be particularly aware of?

All insurance policies have exclusions and conditions. Available through Datalink, the Ibex Eurohome policy has been modelled on the type of policy you can expect to obtain in the UK market but also incorporates extensions of cover that are familiar to Spain - damage caused to electrical goods caused by a surge of the electricity supplier for example. Eurohome has also been written in Plain English thereby eliminating any discomfort of not understanding a policy written in the Spanish language. There are nevertheless one or two important points that you should be aware of.

Firstly the application of the Consorcio cover when natural disasters occur. In Spain, all policies contribute to a national natural disasters fund - the Consorcio. When a natural disaster occurs, such as wide spread flooding, it is this fund which deals with any claims.
In the case of Holiday Homes, Valuables are not covered so remember to have these included under your primary home policy, or a travel policy, before coming to Spain.

When your property is left unoccupied for any length of time you must lock all doors and windows and activate the alarm system if you have one.

And when your home is left unoccupied for more than 14 consecutive days then the water must be drained and switched off - and if friends or family visit the property or you rent the property you must remember to tell them.

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How can I make my home secure?


You may be busy tanning on the sun-drenched beach or by the communal pool, or have just nipped out to the local shops or for a coffee, but if you're not careful you could be setting yourself up for a very unpleasant homecoming - a burglar can be in and out of your home in two minutes
The feeling that someone else has been in your home can live with you for a long time. The key to real peace of mind is prevention in the form of security.
Depending on the total and individual value of your contents we may have recommended minimum security requirements for your property, but your circumstances can quickly change and it is important that you keep us informed of such changes. For example, you may have had a minimal amount of valuables at the start of your insurance and we may not have insisted on the installation of a safe, but since then you may have purchased various items of jewellery. This has obviously changed the nature of the risk and it is unlikely that we will insure these higher valued items unless you install a suitable safe or alarm system.
The following is the minimum standard of security we expect for standard properties:

Doors
Outside doors should be solid timber and be secured with 5 lever mortice deadlocks or their equivalent. These locks can only be opened by key. A burglar cannot just use a plastic card to push back the tongue of the lock or break a glass panel and reach in to open it. Doors that you usually lock from the inside - for example the back door should also be fitted with bolts.

Patio doors or other glass door should be fitted with key operated bolts to the top and bottom opening sections in addition to a central locking device - this stops the sliding frame being lifted off the tracks. In addition sliding grilles should be fitted internally and secured with clasp locks.

Windows
Most burglaries are through windows. Where grilles or rejas have not been fitted, key operated locks must be fitted to all accessible windows - those on the ground floor and those near drainpipes and flat roofs.

If you own valuable property we may insist that a safe or burglar alarm be installed before you buy one. Please consult us as to which type is best suited to your needs.

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