Motorbike Insurance FAQ’s

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 Ibex Motor policies fully comply with the Regulations of all EU territories.

Ibex is able to insure both UK and Spanish registered vehicles owned by expatriates in Spain, as the insurer is QIC Europe Limited. QIC Europe Limited 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 QIC Europe Limited 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.

es, you can bring your UK or any EU registered vehicle with you when you come to Spain but the new traffic act that came into force in Spain on 9th May 2014 requires all foreign vehicles that are kept in Spain to be re matriculated to Spanish plates within 30 days of importation.

*Please click here to find a summarised re matriculation quick guide.

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 was common in some areas of Spain for UK vehicles to be tested at the local ITV (MOT equivalent) centre but fewer and fewer ITV centres will now accommodate this. You should remember the ITV certificate will only demonstrate that the vehicle is roadworthy and it does not constitute an MOT certificate as required by UK law, so if you are stopped by the police it could lead to problems. So be sure you comply with the law and keep your vehicle in a roadworthy condition.

Whilst driving your bike on the road in Spain we would recommend to have the following documents with you.

  • Driving Licence

  • The bike's Ficha Técnica (showing the technical details of the car) or Log Book if UK registered

  • All your insurance documents - certificate of insurance (for UK vehicles), Green Card and copy of the receipt

If your vehicle is stolen and the documents have gone with it the situation can become problematical. So, although slightly inconvenient, we at Ibex 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.

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.

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

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.

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 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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