Anyone driving abroad this summer urged to make 'five checks' by Green Flag

Anyone driving abroad this summer urged to make 'five checks' by Green Flag Newspoint | 2026-03-30 19:39:48

An insurance provider has shared a checklist for drivers planning a European getaway. Ahead of summer, many families and adventurers are preparing for road trips or holidays abroad. For anyone planning to drive their car in Europe, Green Flag recommends checking five things before setting off.

Sharing advice for motorists online, Green Flag said: "It’s worth taking a few minutes to make sure everything is properly arranged before you head off on your European travels. A quick check, a few weeks before you go, means you’ll have time to address anything that’s not already in place. Take a few minutes and check:

Whether any existing breakdown cover includes European travel

Which countries are covered under the policy

You have your vehicle insurance documents

Your driving licence and passport are valid

Any local driving requirements, such as safety equipment rules and items you’re expected to have in your car."

The motoring experts explained that drivers should know their breakdown cover options, which could help them decide whether to take out European breakdown cover for the trip. Green Flag said the insurance helps drivers if their car develops a fault or breaks down during a trip outside of the UK but within Europe.

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If drivers don't take out insurance and then experience difficulties, it could prove costly. Green Flag said: "If you don’t have European breakdown cover and your car develops an issue while travelling abroad, you’d need to call up a breakdown and rescue service that operates in the country you’re in.

"This usually means contacting a local recovery operator and paying for roadside help and towing directly. Costs vary depending on the country, time of day and distance involved.

"In many cases, payment is required upfront, and getting English-speaking help may be difficult depending on where you are." Green Flag added that you might also need to arrange accommodation and pay the costs to return your car to the UK if it can't be repaired locally.

Despite this, some drivers might decide to go ahead without additional breakdown cover. The blog advised: "Whether it's worth getting breakdown cover for your trip to Europe depends on how much of a risk you consider breaking down abroad to be.

"If you’re happy to figure things out should they happen, then maybe European breakdown cover isn’t for you. But if you’d rather set off knowing you’re covered should your car break down, then you’ll probably want to consider getting European breakdown cover."

Nonetheless, knowing your options ahead of travel means you're prepared in case of an emergency. For drivers considering European cover, insurers often offer single-trip or multi-trip cover.