Try here is you are looking for holiday home insurance
http://www.money.co.uk/home-insurance/overseas-property-insurance.htm
the AA also does holiday home insurance with a 4 month unoccupancy clause
I remember when we were looking to insure our what was then our holiday home, my husband looked at a Norwich Union policy.
We were horrified to find out that they wanted us to keep the house at 50 degrees F even during the winter when we were not living there. This would have cost us a fortune.
The better second home policy we took out from an insurance office in Cluny just statred that we should take steps to prevent the housing from freezing during periods of prolonged cold weather.
We had had a frostat installed, so took out this other policy.
Just beware, it is not just being able to understand the French policy, but what is in the terms and conditions of any policy you look to take out.
Try here
It mentions the 183 days in 12 consecutive months
Try Credit Agricole - Britline
Their insurance policies for Car & Home are pretty reasonable and all in English.
You can get a quote via email so that you are clear about what you have asked for.
telephone: 0231556789
The only way to get a reliable English version of the policy is to pay for a translation.
Cost would be somewhere in the region of 500 euros, depending on the length of the document.
If you are really worried about this, do not rely on English speaking staff (who are likely to explain things wrongly in English).
Hello
I have just done my house insurance through AXA and I know the rep for them who is English and has all the policies in English too.
Just let me know if want her details and I will send them on to you
Amanda
When I worked in the industry, and we were asked for a translation, we provided it but made it absolutely clear that, in the event of a claim, it was the English wording that applied and that any translation was a matter of offering a service and had absolutely no legal standing at all.
Yup, so often the case I suspect.
I think that the ability to ask for a translation of the policy may be the sticking point here unless the OP can obtain help from an agency with English speaking staff.
If your immediate family is in one country within the EU and you spend a lot of time working in a different country, then the country where you maintain a home for your family is your country of residence, seems simple enough. The six month rule (185days) can be found here on the EU site, naturally because we are on a Vehicle post I've directed you to that portion. Requirements to register a foreign car EU rules. You can trace the requirements by varying the country and the same rules apply should you have a residency in any EU member state.
The French do not consider the 6 months rule of the UK - here is the official definition of 'fiscal residency' as defined by the French rules - not sure if normal residency has a different definition, can't find anything.
My husband received his SS number whilst officially UK resident, (we didn't apply for it) on the basis that he was married and I lived here with our children, so they declared he was resident here, no choice!
Wow, that was quick. I'll paste in the relevant bit:
"International regulations say that insurance policies can only be issued in the official language(s) of a country. If it is an international company they will probably have translations. Aviva most certainly are international and since they are UK owned will have English translations of policy documents at their French HQ."
Hope that helps.
I think Véronique hits the nail on the head. The office language is French, so we must live with that.
My son works for Allianz at their Munich international HQ and heads a Hannover office is also linked with the USA operation in Minneapolis and travels between both often. He knows about these things because he has, as I understand, several professional translators for precisely this kind of thing on his staff. I'll e-mail him to see if he has an answer to this but am quite certain you will get the answer that French is all you are entitled to.
It's just about lunchtime if he is in Germany, so I may well have an answer back in the next hour.
I rather think that a policy written in English would have no legal validity here, nor would a quote. But you could get an explanation in English and a written translation for information purposes. Our language is French so all legally binding/official documents have to be in French.
I did neglect to add, I am Australian. I will need to clarify with Aus rules. But certainly worthy of note - thanks !
Your residency depends upon where you spend most of the year ie if you spend six months and one day in France you are considered a French resident, subject to French taxation and you will need to re register your car in France the same rules apply if you are Polish or French and spend a long time in the U.K. a part of a long letter from UKgov site follows and explains the official attitude throughout Europe for vehicle ownership I'm sure someone here will be able to give chapter and verse on Taxation, health care provision etc.
"Foreign vehicles brought temporarily into the country by a person resident outside the UK for their own use, are permitted to circulate in the country for a period of 6 months in any 12 month period provided they are able to satisfy the authorities that the vehicle is licensed and registered in the country of normal residence and they are resident outside the UK. The Motor Vehicles ( International Circulation) Order 1975, as amended, provides temporary exemption for vehicles which comply with the provisions of Council Directive 83/182, from licensing and registration requirements during this period.
Normal residence means the place where a person usually lives for at least 185 days in each calendar year. Drivers may be asked to produce proof of their place of residence to the authorities of the country the vehicle is being used in.
If at any time a vehicle being used here on foreign plates is stopped by the police, it is the responsibility of the keeper to demonstrate that s/he is eligible to use the vehicle here without registering and licensing it."
Thanks Roger - can you please explain in a little more detail, the “country of residence” issue?
Having been in a similar situation when we moved over here I was grateful to Credit-Agricole who arranged for an English speaking member of staff to talk to us by appointment, we were able then to arrange Car,and Household insurance as well as opening a French bank account which eased everyday life no end. being a total meanie I also got some quotes elsewhere as I'm sure you will do, Choose the best policy for you and get that provider to price match :-)
PS when you say six months over here You mean less than six months otherwise this becomes your Country of residence, just a thought.