European Motor Insurance for UK Vehicles in Italy

If you are driving a UK registered vehicle in Italy, your standard UK insurance probably will not cover you the way you would expect. Most UK policies include the legal minimum for EU travel, usually Third Party only and a maximum 90 days in Europe in any one year. For a long stay in Italy, or full time living, that is not enough.

Stuart Collins & Co Limited has been arranging European motor insurance for over 35 years. Italy comes up often, whether it is people touring through the country, those with a second home, or ex-pats who have settled there permanently. A lot of mainstream Insurers do not offer European cover, so we can arrange the level of cover you actually need rather than the bare minimum.

Who this is for

Two situations call for a dedicated Italian motor policy. The first is the regular visitor spending over 3 months in any one year, someone with a holiday home or who spends long stretches in Italy and wants full cover instead of the minimum their UK insurer provides abroad. The second is the ex-pat who has moved to Italy permanently but kept a UK registered vehicle. Standard UK insurance is not built for residents of another country and driving on a standard UK policy after you have moved can leave you uninsured without realising.

Driving in Italy: what to know

Italy drives on the right. Speed limits are 130 kph on motorways, 110 kph on dual carriageways, 90 kph on main roads, away from built up areas and 50 kph in towns. In rain, the motorway limit drops to 110 kph and dual carriageways to 90 kph. The drink-drive limit is lower than the UK at 0.5 grams per litre, and it is zero for drivers under 21 or with less than three years’ experience.

You are legally required to carry a warning triangle and a reflective jacket, and the jacket must be worn if you step out of the car on the roadside. Right hand drive cars need headlamp beam deflectors and you need a UK sticker on the back unless your number plate already has the UK identifier. Dipped headlights are compulsory on motorways and outside built-up areas, even in daylight.

The thing that catches most visitors out is the ZTL, the Zona Traffico Limitato. These are restricted zones in the historic centres of cities like Rome, Florence and Milan which are monitored by cameras. Drive into one without a permit and you will get a fine in the post, often weeks later and sometimes several at once if you passed multiple cameras. If your hotel is inside a ZTL, ask them to register your plate in advance. Otherwise, park outside the zone and walk in.

Do you need a Green Card for Italy?

Since 2021 a Green Card is no longer legally required to drive a UK registered vehicle in Italy or the wider EU.

We include an annual Green Card with every policy as the authorities will sometimes request it. It is recognised proof that your cover meets the requirements and it is accepted across the countries we cover. It saves you carrying paperwork or explaining your policy at the roadside. It costs you nothing extra.

Common Questions

Can I drive my UK car in Italy on my normal insurance?
Your UK policy usually includes the legal minimum for EU travel, often Third Party only and limited usually to 90 days in any one year. For longer stays or living in Italy, you need a specialist European policy that gives you full cover.

Can I insure a UK car in Italy if I live there full-time?
We arrange motor insurance for persons living in Italy who keep a UK registered vehicle for longer periods than 90 days. We offer a European policy which gives you unlimited use in Europe and back in the UK as a standard UK insurance is not designed for this.

What do I legally need to carry when driving in Italy?
A warning triangle and a reflective jacket. Right-hand drive cars also need headlamp beam deflectors, and you need a UK sticker unless it’s already on your plate. Watch out for ZTL restricted zones in historic city centres.

What documents do I legally need to carry whilst travelling in Italy?
You are legally required to carry a valid driving licence, vehicle registration documents (V5), proof of insurance and your passport.

Why use an FCA-regulated broker

Stuart Collins & Co Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, firm reference number 1013445. That gives you protection most expats don’t get if they buy insurance through a local broker abroad. You are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and you have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service if a claim ever goes wrong. When you are insuring a car a long way from home, that backstop matters.

To get a quote for cover in Italy, go to www.stuartcollins.com and complete the European quote form. We can usually turn quotes around quickly and we are happy to talk through which level of cover suits your needs.