On this page
Your UK car insurance gives you at least the minimum third-party cover you need to drive in France, and you don’t need a green card. Breakdown cover isn’t a legal requirement, but it’s well worth having: if you break down on a French autoroute, only an approved recovery firm can tow you, and you pay it on the spot. Before you go, check two things with your insurer: whether your full cover applies in France, and for how many days. And if you buy breakdown cover, check its level of cover: two policies from the same company can pay out very different amounts.
Does my car insurance cover me in France?
GOV.UK says all UK vehicle insurance provides the minimum third-party cover required to drive in the EU, so you are legally insured in France. That’s the minimum, though. Third-party cover pays for damage you cause to other people and their property, not for damage to your own car or its theft.
Ask your insurer:
- Does my comprehensive cover apply in France, or does it drop to third party only when I’m abroad?
- For how many days? Many policies cover a set number of days abroad per trip or per year. If your trip is longer, you may need to extend it.
- Is anything excluded, such as towing a caravan, or extra drivers?
Take your insurance certificate with you, with your licence, passport and V5C.
Driving without insurance in France
Driving without insurance in France is a criminal offence (délit). Service-Public says it carries a fine of up to €3,750, the car can be impounded, and a court can add penalties such as a licence suspension of up to 3 years or confiscation of the car. For a first offence, the police can instead issue a fixed fine: €750, reduced to €600 if paid within 15 days.
Do I need a green card for France?
No. GOV.UK says you don’t need to carry a green card when you drive in the EU, including France. You still need valid insurance, and your certificate is your proof.
Breaking down on a French autoroute
French autoroutes have their own rules for breakdowns, and they apply whether or not you have breakdown cover.
- Only an approved recovery firm can work on a toll autoroute. You can’t call out your own breakdown company, even the AA or RAC.
- Call for help from an orange emergency phone, or dial 112. The operator sends the approved recovery firm, which should reach you within 30 minutes.
- Get out safely. Put on your hi-vis vests before anyone gets out, and wait behind the safety barrier.
- The firm repairs the car on the spot if it can. If not, it tows the car to its garage, or on request to a place within 5 km of the autoroute exit.
- You pay the firm directly. The prices are set by the government.
| Autoroute breakdown, car under 3.5 tonnes (2026) | Weekdays 8am to 6pm | Nights, weekends, public holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Repair at the roadside | €151.00 | €226.50 |
| Towing, up to 1.8 tonnes | €151.00 | €226.50 |
| Towing, 1.8 to 3.5 tonnes | €186.72 | €280.08 |
Parts are extra. The firm must show its prices in the truck and give you an itemised bill. Keep it: your breakdown cover may pay you back. Once you’re somewhere safe, call your breakdown provider. More in what to do if you break down in France.
Breaking down on other French roads
The approved-recovery rule applies to toll autoroutes. On other roads, call your breakdown provider’s European helpline (the number is on your policy documents) and it will send help.
- Get off the road if you can, as far to the right as possible, and switch on your hazard lights.
- Put on your hi-vis vests before anyone gets out, and get everyone out on the side away from the traffic.
- Place the warning triangle at least 30 metres behind the car if you’ve stopped somewhere dangerous, such as on a bend, unless that would put you at risk.
- Tell your provider exactly where you are: the road number, your direction of travel and the nearest town or junction. A phone map with your location helps.
- If anyone is hurt or you’re in danger, call 112.
Do I need European breakdown cover for France?
It isn’t a legal requirement, and standard UK breakdown cover usually stops at the UK border. But a breakdown in France can quickly become expensive: recovery, a garage that may be closed until after the weekend, somewhere to stay, and getting home if the car can’t be fixed.
I broke down in France once, on a bank holiday weekend. Our RAC European cover meant the car was taken to a local garage, and we were put up in a hotel until it was fixed.
What European breakdown cover usually includes
- Roadside repair, or recovery to a local garage
- Help with garage labour costs, up to a limit
- Hotel accommodation while the car is repaired
- Onward travel or a hire car so you can continue your trip
- Bringing the car back to the UK if it can’t be repaired in time
- An English-speaking helpline, 24 hours a day
Check your level of cover
European breakdown cover is sold at different levels, and the cheapest isn’t always enough for a family trip. Before you buy, and again before you travel, check:
- How many claims you can make. The RAC’s Comprehensive level allows one claim per trip, while Comprehensive Plus has no limit.
- How much it pays for hotels and onward travel. The RAC’s Comprehensive level pays up to £500 for a hotel or £1,500 for onward travel; Comprehensive Plus pays up to £4,200 in total.
- Garage labour and parts. The RAC’s Comprehensive level pays up to £150 towards garage labour, and the AA sells parts and labour cover as an optional extra.
- How long you get a hire car, and whether the car is brought home if it can’t be fixed in time.
- Whether your vehicle and trip fit the policy: its weight and size, towing, and the length of your trip.
You can buy single-trip cover for one journey, or annual cover if you go abroad more than once a year. Buy it before you leave: the RAC, for example, says you can’t buy European cover once you’ve left home.
Single-trip or annual cover?
Single-trip cover suits one holiday: the RAC sells it for trips of 1 to 90 days. Annual cover is worth pricing if you’ll drive abroad more than once in a year; the AA recommends it for two or more trips in 12 months. Check how long each trip can last on annual cover: the RAC’s limit is 90 days per trip, while the AA’s annual cover allows trips of up to 364 days.
How to claim
- Call your provider first, unless you’ve broken down on a toll autoroute, where you call the autoroute’s emergency service.
- Ask before you spend. Some policies pay for hotels, hire cars and onward travel only if the provider has agreed first. The RAC asks you to get its authorisation before claiming back autoroute recovery costs.
- Keep every receipt, including the autoroute recovery firm’s itemised bill, garage invoices and hotel bills.
- Take photos of where you broke down and of the paperwork, in case receipts go missing.
- Claim promptly when you get home, following your policy’s instructions.
Conditions your car must meet
Breakdown policies have conditions too. The AA, for example, says your vehicle must have a current MOT if it needs one, be taxed rather than SORN, have valid insurance for driving abroad and be used privately. The RAC excludes trips to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man unless you also have UK cover that includes them. A car that fails these conditions may not be covered when you need it.
AA and RAC European cover compared
These are the limits that matter most for a trip to France, from the AA’s and RAC’s own pages on 9 October 2026. Check the policy details before you buy, as cover levels and limits change.
| AA European Breakdown Cover | RAC European Breakdown Cover | |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle age | Any age | No age limit |
| Vehicle size | Up to 3.5 tonnes, 7m long, 2.3m wide, 3m high | Up to 3,500kg, up to 9 people |
| Motorhomes, caravans, trailers | Within the size limits; single trips with towing are sold by phone | Motorhomes, caravans and trailers covered |
| Motorbikes | Over 200cc | 121cc and over |
| Trip length | Annual cover: trips up to 364 days | Trips up to 90 days |
| Claims | Up to 3 a year on annual cover | Comprehensive: 1 per trip, 3 per year on annual; Comprehensive Plus: unlimited |
| Hotel and onward travel | Hotel up to £500, onward travel up to £1,500 | Comprehensive: hotel up to £500 or onward travel up to £1,500; Comprehensive Plus: up to £4,200 |
| French autoroute recovery | Pay the approved firm and claim it back, no prior agreement needed | Keep receipts and ask the RAC for authorisation before claiming |
Other providers, including Green Flag and insurers’ own add-ons, sell European cover too. Compare the limits above, not just the price.
Choosing breakdown cover for France: checklist
- Covers France, and every country you’ll drive through
- Covers your vehicle’s age, weight and size (check motorhomes carefully)
- Covers towing, if you’re taking a caravan or trailer
- Long enough for your whole trip
- Enough hotel, onward travel and hire car cover for your family
- Brings the car home if it can’t be fixed
- Covers you on the way to the port or tunnel
- Explains how French autoroute recovery is paid back
Insurance, green card and breakdown cover for driving in France FAQs
Is breakdown cover compulsory in France?
No. Breakdown cover isn't a legal requirement in France. It's worth having, because a breakdown abroad can mean paying for recovery, a hotel, repairs and getting home.
Does my UK car insurance cover me in France?
GOV.UK says all UK vehicle insurance gives at least the minimum third-party cover required in the EU, including France. Check with your insurer whether your comprehensive cover applies abroad, and for how many days.
Do I need a green card to drive in France?
No. You don't need to carry a green card to drive in the EU. You do need valid insurance, so take your insurance certificate.
Can I call my own breakdown company on a French autoroute?
No. Only approved recovery firms can work on toll autoroutes. Use an orange emergency phone or call 112, pay the firm, keep the itemised bill, then contact your breakdown provider.
How much does autoroute recovery cost in France?
The prices are set by the government. In 2026, a roadside repair or tow for a car up to 1.8 tonnes costs €151 on weekdays from 8am to 6pm, and €226.50 at night, at weekends and on public holidays. Parts are extra.
Will my breakdown cover pay for autoroute recovery?
Most European breakdown policies cover it, but the rules differ. The AA says you can claim the cost back without prior agreement. The RAC says to keep your receipts and ask it for authorisation before claiming. Check your own policy.
Does UK breakdown cover work in France?
Usually not. Standard UK breakdown cover stops at the UK border. You need European breakdown cover, either single-trip or annual.
What should I check in a European breakdown policy?
Check the level of cover, not just the price: how many claims you can make, how much it pays for hotels, onward travel and garage labour, how long you get a hire car, whether the car is brought home if it can't be fixed, and whether your vehicle, any caravan or trailer, and your trip length are covered.
Can I buy European breakdown cover once I'm in France?
Don't count on it. The RAC says you can't buy European cover once you've left home, so buy it before you go, ideally when you book your crossing.
Is my old car or motorhome covered by European breakdown cover?
The AA and RAC both cover vehicles of any age, but both have weight limits of 3.5 tonnes, and the AA also limits length, width and height. Check your motorhome's measurements against the policy.
What happens if I drive in France without insurance?
It's a criminal offence. Service-Public says the fine can be up to €3,750, the car can be impounded, and a court can suspend your licence. For a first offence, the police can issue a €750 fixed fine.
Should I buy single-trip or annual European breakdown cover?
Single-trip suits one holiday; the RAC sells it for trips of 1 to 90 days. If you'll drive abroad twice or more in a year, compare annual cover, and check how long each trip can last: the RAC's annual limit is 90 days per trip, the AA's 364 days.
What should I do if I break down on an ordinary French road?
Pull over as far as you can, switch on your hazard lights, put on your hi-vis vests, get everyone out away from the traffic and put the triangle 30 metres behind if it's safe. Then call your breakdown provider's European helpline. On a toll autoroute, use the orange phones or 112 instead.
Do I need permission before paying for a hotel after a breakdown?
Often, yes. Some policies only pay for hotels, hire cars or onward travel if the provider agreed first. Call your provider before you book, and keep every receipt.