24 May 2010

Make Sure You’re Covered Before Driving In Europe This Summer

• M&S Premier Car Insurance policies include European Union and UK breakdown cover, covering the policyholder not just their car

As research reveals that only 12% of car drivers will fully read the manual before driving off in a car (new or used) for the first time*, M&S Car Insurance is calling for Brits who are planning to travel by car to Europe this summer to make sure they prepare before heading overseas.

Avoid the queues on the road

Millions of Brits will be heading overseas in the coming months. During last year’s May half term holiday alone, it was estimated 1.8 million Brits** travelled abroad. 

Car travel is a popular alternative to avoid airport queues and delays. Driving into mainland Europe by car means making the most of the scenic routes and discovering parts of a country that are missed when flying.  However, the distance can take its toll and result in car breakdowns and delays if adequate preparations are not taken.

Make sure you’re covered

For those who intend to drive in the European Union outside the UK this summer, it is important to make sure your insurance policy covers EU travel. Some insurance policies, such as M&S Premier Car Insurance, will come with this included, but drivers should not assume this is the case with all policies.

Andrew Ferguson, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: “With the recent air travel problems, many people may be looking for an alternative to flying. Travelling by car avoids the risk of flight delays and cancellations. However, it is crucial for drivers who are making longer journeys by car for the first time, to make sure they have the adequate car insurance and breakdown cover in place, so that they have peace of mind should the worse happen.”

Tips to ensure driving overseas is a breeze:

• Plan your journey beforehand using a route planner
• Have a travel book to hand that contains local phrases to ask locals for directions and good places to stop
• Make sure you have some local currency in case you need to pay for toll booths
• Bring plenty of entertainment when travelling with children to ensure they are kept occupied and do not distract the driver
• Have refreshments in the car to avoid dehydration in the heat and in case you get caught in a traffic jam
• Check the car over before setting off, ensuring the oil, screen wash, coolant and tyre pressures are at correct levels

For more information about M&S Car Insurance or to apply, customers can visit www.marksandspencer.com/carinsurance or telephone 0800 107 1800

Ends

Notes to editors:

* Figures from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 2102 adults, of those 1734 had a current driving licence. Fieldwork was undertaken between 20th - 22nd January 2010.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

** According to the Association of British Travel Agents 2009 http://www.abta.com/about/news/view/128

For further information please call the M&S Money press office:

Simon Coughlin on 020 7992 1574
simon.coughlin@mandsmoney.com

M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc, making 2010 the company's 25th anniversary.

The company is a top-ten credit card provider and the second-largest travel money retailer in the UK.  M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including home insurance and car insurance, as well as loans, savings and investment products.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC. HSBC Holdings plc, the parent company of the HSBC Group, is headquartered in London. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 8,500 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,422 billion at 30 June 2009, HSBC is one of the world's largest banking and financial services organisations. HSBC is marketed worldwide as 'the world's local bank'.

M&S Money has an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer. M&S Car Insurance is arranged by BISL Ltd using a panel of insurers.