From breakdown cover to tolls and getting a GB sticker, here’s what you need to know

No one forgets the first time they drive their car off a ferry at the start of a motoring holiday abroad – either for the thrill of excitement, or the fear that comes with driving on the right for the first time. But it doesn’t have to be stressful if you follow the Money guide to taking your car away this summer. It just needs a bit of planning.

Insurance

Almost all UK car insurance polices automatically give drivers third-party cover across the EU, so it will pay out if the driver hits someone on Paris’s périphérique but not pick up the cost of damage to the driver’s car. If you want to have comprehensive cover for a trip abroad you need to contact your insurer.

Some companies automatically extend a policyholder’s comprehensive cover abroad – for example, LV= gives free cover for up to 180 days in Europe. Others will make you pay a surcharge, typically £40. It is worth noting that if you know you are going abroad during the year, it is often cheaper to add European cover when you take out the policy.

Breakdown cover

It is a brave person who drives from London to Nice without this, but there is no obligation to buy it. If your car is relatively new and your UK breakdown cover is provided through your car’s manufacturer, you may find you already have European cover as standard.

If you don’t, ask your provider to quote for a European upgrade. If it wants more than £50 for a two-week trip, you will be better off buying a standalone policy.

GEM Motoring Assist, which wins Auto Express’s best provider award most years, quoted us £50 to take our 11-year-old car to Europe for two weeks. Euro Rescue is another firm to consider – it is a bit cheaper if you are travelling to France or the Benelux countries.

Be sure to check the minimum car age, trailer cover, if it needs towing, as well as whether it offers a replacement hire car in the event yours cannot be repaired. Beware the cheapest European breakdown policies, which tend to be riddled with get-out clauses.

Documents you need to take

If you get pulled over, most European police will want to see your UK driving licence, an insurance cover note and – the one that catches UK drivers out – the car ownership, or V5, document. Having these will save you a lot of hassle and a potential on-the-spot fine.

Other must-take items

First up is the GB sticker, which is still required by most European countries. Next is something you may not carry at home – a red warning triangle that must be placed on the road if you break down. These are compulsory in France and Germany. Don’t pay Halfords £13 for one – Screwfix and eBay sell these for £5.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Most European countries require a GB sticker. Photograph: Alamy

It is a similar story for a reflective jacket – in most cases the driver must have one in the event of a breakdown. In Austria, a first-aid kit is compulsory, but it is not in other countries.

Don’t forget to use a headlight adjustment kit to stop your headlights dazzling other road users. This can be bought for £8 at Halfords or £3.65 on Amazon. Remember, the lights on many estate cars can be manually lowered using the button on the dashboard.

In France, you are obliged to carry a single-use breathalyser, but you can’t be penalised for not carrying one. The breathalyser has to be certified by the French authorities, showing an NF number. These are available in the UK for £3 online, or £5 at Halfords. French supermarkets sell them widely.

Tolls

France is covered in toll motorways and when you see the prices, you understand why these roads are often empty. The Via Michelin website says a driver going from Calais to Nice this summer will have to shell out €108 (£96) in tolls alone. With some planning you can avoid the tolls altogether, but be prepared for significantly longer journey times.

If you are going to be doing a lot of driving in France consider getting a Sanef Télépéage tag. The toll prices are the same, but the windscreen-mounted tag allows buyers to use the special Télépéage lanes. The advantage is you avoid the long queues that can build up at toll booths.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Beware cashless tolls, such as on the M50 around Dublin, which use automatic number plate recognition only. Photograph: Julien Behal/PA

You can order the tag paying €41 up front from the Sanef UK website. The firm says it will send it out the same day if ordered by 2pm. The toll payments are taken by direct debit from your UK bank account. When you return the tag you get €20 back. The firm also offers tags for Spain and Portugal.

Note that in some countries you can’t pay in cash at toll points as they use automatic number plate recognition only. For example, the M50 ring road around Dublin, Ireland, has camera-only €2.60 tolls. Don’t try to chance it by not paying as details are passed on to a UK debt recovery company, with the fine for non-payment set at €41.50 before the debt recovery firms add their fees. Instead, take a note of the number to call (displayed on the motorway) and pay by 8pm the following day.

Satnav and radar

It is forbidden to carry, transport or use radar detectors in France. You could be fined heavily and have your vehicle and the device confiscated.

The AA recommends that if you have a satnav capable of displaying camera locations in France you should disable camera alerts before driving in the country.

Petrol stations

Be aware that many petrol stations in Europe are fully automated much of the time, especially after normal office hours. They tend to pre-authorise your card with a larger sum – typically €147 and then refund the balance if you put in less fuel. In the past, many refused UK bank cards but this appears to be less of a problem now. Also, be aware you might come across diesel fuel containing 8% biodiesel. This fuel – named B8 – is not suitable for use in all cars, so stick to the standard stuff if unsure.

Speeding

French police in particular are strict on speeding, and radar traps, even on a Sunday afternoon outside a quiet village, are not unusual. The motorway maximum in France is 130km/h (80mph), while the urban speed limit is 50km/h (31mph). And don’t assume that in Germany all autobahns are free from speed limits – many have 130km/h limits in busy areas.

Finding a ferry deal

If you haven’t booked your ferry, there’s still time to grab a bargain.

This week the Ferries.co.uk website was offering returns from Dover to Dunkirk with DFDS from £129 – leaving on a peak Saturday 14 July and returning two weeks later. If you prefer to travel to Calais – a much better option for onward travel into France – it would cost £140. This is for a family of four in a standard family car.

Switch to the speedier Eurotunnel and the price rises to £257 for those peak-time dates.

If you prefer to go from Newhaven to Dieppe, which gets you a bit further south, the price for the same dates rises to about £300 with DFDS. Brittany Ferries want £424 for Portsmouth-Le Havre.

The overnight ferry from Portsmouth to St Malo comes in at £743 return – and that’s before you have added any cabin costs. Switch to Poole-Cherbourg and you can bring the cost down to £590.

Depending on where you live in the UK, it is generally cheaper to take a Dover-Calais option and to drive the rest of the way. You’ll pay less in extra fuel and tolls than the increased ferry fares, and it probably works out just as quick – albeit with much more driving.