All motor insurance issued in the EU provides the minimum cover legally required throughout the whole EU. The only exceptions under EU law are where the vehicle or rider is not legal under that countries national law (so say a 17 year old rider in a country that makes their own wait until 18).


For a UK policy this is typically extended to provide the cover you paid for (so theft etc. if you bought fully comp) for a period that is stated on the policy documents (typically 30 days) and then reverts to the minimum (Third Party Only).


UK insurers are unprincipled swine who will try get out of paying by any means possible. They are also typically utterly incompetent on the sales side until you hit the highest level. They will for example tell you they don't issue green cards (true), you don't need a Green card (for the EU true, but not for say crossing Albania) and that Morocco is in the EU (*****cks). They will also include clauses such as cost of recovery/legal expenses (at their rate which leaves you owing them money) or having to inform them if you intend to go over the 30 days and use the TPO cover, so read the policy and jump through their hoops until is really ceases to suit you.


If you have a full UK license and intend to ride in the EU for less than 30 days you can usually just go, the in-sewer-ants don't want to know about the odd trip to Lake Garda.


As you leave the EU you need to buy local insurance. This can be easy with huts at border crossings or nigh on impossible needing to go into a city and find an office. The insurance is often worthless for anything except the piece of paper to keep the plod happy (and therefore less hassle than the UK sort where some people actually believe they'll get paid out and want to involve the dodgy reverse-bookies). It has been known for people just to not bother in the "difficult" places with vary degrees of hassle if caught. Best bet is to read on here what other people are doing for the places you want to go, it varies from border crossing to border crossing. I once for example paid a UK company many pounds for a Green card for Morocco and spent days on the phone explaining Morocco and Monaco are different places. My mate spent a tenner and five minutes at a booth at the border crossing!


Andy