Traveling the world by car: how should you insure yourself?

If you are thinking of taking a trip around the world with your own car, you should definitely consider the question of the right insurance in the destination countries beforehand. Of course, this also applies to smaller road trips to (more distant) foreign countries – you don’t necessarily have to travel the whole world.

Learn more now about car insurance when traveling the world with your own car.

Protection abroad with green insurance card

When traveling by car through our European neighboring countries as well as a few countries in non-European countries, insurance coverage is provided under the so-called Green Card system. If there is an accident here, the domestic car insurance covers the damage.

The green insurance card is valid in the following countries:
Albania, Andorra, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Great Britain, Iran, Ireland, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Koratia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Czech Republic, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary, Belarus, Cyprus

If you are going on a trip that only takes you to the countries mentioned above, you do not need to worry about the basic insurance coverage for your car. It is only important that you carry the green card, which you received from your car insurer when you signed the contract, with you on your trip so that you can show it if necessary.

Car insurance coverage in other countries

If the trip leads to or through a country where the green insurance card is not valid, you have to take care of an adequate protection otherwise. Here it may be worthwhile to contact your car insurance provider and ask whether you can extend your current insurance cover for the duration of your trip around the destination country or. can extend the destination countries. Some insurers offer extended coverage for foreign countries, or. extended coverage for foreign travel for motor liability and also comprehensive insurance against payment of a surcharge on top of the regular insurance premium. If this is the case with your provider, have the insurance coverage taken out confirmed in writing by the insurer. This confirmation of insurance must usually be shown when entering the country and is also accepted at most borders.

In addition, at many borders you can optionally take out short-term liability insurance for your car. This insurance is usually not expensive and is valid for the duration of your stay in the respective country. To be on the safe side, you should find out before your trip whether and which options are available for short-term insurance of your car in the respective country.

For some destinations (countries, regions) like z.B. the USA you can also buy an insurance policy for your car online. For this, an address in the destination country is sometimes required, whereby the address of a hotel, camping site or relatives/friends living there is usually sufficient for this purpose.

Never cross the border without insurance!

Under no circumstances should you enter a country with your vehicle if you do not have valid insurance cover. – If an accident then occurs, it is usually the case that you, as a foreigner, have to pay for the damages. The question of guilt often plays no role at all.

Notes on special destinations

Australia / New Zealand

If you drive your own car through Australia or. New Zealand want to travel, you need two insurances:

• Third Party Personal Insurance> Personal injury
• Third Party Property Insurance> Property damage

Information and help can be found at the respective automobile clubs:

Without a valid and sufficient insurance cover, you and your vehicle will not be allowed to leave the harbour in Australia or New Zealand.

Japan / Siberia

In Japan and Siberia, you must take out a policy for your vehicle at the port of call. Other insurance policies already taken out for your car are not accepted there.

To the good conclusion

In many countries of the world, the car is not as important as it is here in Germany. It is seen as a commodity and accordingly used up to consumed. Fender benders, scratches or dents from parking are usually paid little attention to. For this reason, calling the police or waving your insurance card is unlikely to get you anywhere in such incidents.

So be prepared for the possibility of minor damage to your car in one country or another, which you will then simply have to put up with.