Cover on your Spanish import plate
Once your imported vehicle has been issued its Spanish temporary import plate (matrícula temporal — the green "P" plate), Generali can insure it directly on that plate while you complete the definitive registration (matriculación). You drive on a fully valid Spanish policy from day one, with cover and claims handled in English.
Temporary import car insurance in Spain — Generali third-party cover issued on your Spanish temporary import plate (matrícula temporal, the "P" plate) while you complete the registration (matriculación) process. Arranged by Turner Insurance Specialists, Javea. Call 966 461 625 for advice.
What is Temporary Import Car Insurance?
When you bring a car from the UK or EU to Spain to register it on Spanish plates, Tráfico issues a Spanish temporary import plate (matrícula temporal — the green "P" plate) so the vehicle can be driven legally while the definitive registration (matriculación) is completed. Generali insures the vehicle on that Spanish "P" plate, providing the mandatory third-party liability cover required by Spanish law throughout the transition period.
Cover is issued against your Spanish temporary import plate, so it begins once Tráfico has assigned the "P" plate and the matriculación process is underway. For the full picture — the ITV, matriculation tax, customs and homologation, plus exactly when the "P" plate is issued — see our step-by-step guide to importing a car to Spain.
What it Covers
✅ Third-party liability (compulsory minimum cover under Spanish law)
✅ Legal defence (defensa jurídica) — included as standard
✅ 24-hour breakdown and roadside assistance — included as standard
✅ Allows vehicle to be driven legally on Spanish roads
✅ Issued on your Spanish temporary import ("P") plate
✅ Up to 60 days — the life of the temporary "P" plate
✅ Extendable with proof of registration delay
What it Does NOT Cover
❌ Comprehensive damage cover
❌ Theft protection
❌ Glass cover
❌ Courtesy car
Once on Spanish Plates
As soon as the matriculación is complete and your permanent Spanish plates are issued, normal Spanish car insurance is available — contact us and we'll arrange your full annual policy.
Extension Process
If the registration process runs beyond the validity of your temporary import plate (which can happen due to backlogs at the ITV testing station, Hacienda processing times, or administrative delays), the cover can be extended in line with a renewed "P" plate. You must provide:
Written confirmation from the relevant Spanish authority (Tráfico, Hacienda, or ITV centre) that the import process is underway
A clear explanation of the reason for the delay
Evidence of the expected completion date
Extensions are assessed on a case-by-case basis and are not automatic.
Next step: Once your vehicle is on Spanish plates, normal Spanish car insurance is available. See our full car insurance page for cover levels and benefits, or call 966 461 625.
Frequently Asked Questions — Temporary Import Car Insurance Spain
Temporary import car insurance is needed by expats who have brought a vehicle from an EU or UK registration into Spain and are in the process of re-registering it on Spanish plates (matriculación). Generali issues the policy on the vehicle's Spanish temporary import plate (the green 'P' plate), covering it from the moment Tráfico assigns that plate through to completion of the Spanish registration.
Temporary import car insurance provides the third-party liability cover required by Spanish law, with legal defence (defensa jurídica) and 24-hour breakdown and roadside assistance included as standard. It does not include comprehensive damage cover, theft protection or glass cover. It is designed to allow the vehicle to be driven legally in Spain during the import registration period.
The temporary import plate (matrícula temporal) is valid for 60 days, and the policy runs for that period while you complete the Spanish registration (matriculación). If the registration cannot be completed within the 60 days for reasons beyond your control, the temporary plate — and the cover with it — can be extended.
Yes — but only in genuine exceptional circumstances where the import/registration process is delayed beyond the initial 60-day period. To extend, you must provide written confirmation from the relevant Spanish authority (Tráfico, Hacienda, or similar) showing that the import process is underway and explaining the reason for the delay. Extensions are granted on a case-by-case basis and are not automatic.
To arrange temporary import car insurance, you need: proof that the import process has started (a document from the Spanish authorities confirming the registration process is underway — typically from Hacienda or Tráfico), the vehicle registration document from the country of origin, your driving licence, your passport or NIE, and the vehicle's technical specifications for insurance rating purposes.
No — once Tráfico issues your Spanish temporary import plate (the 'P' plate), Generali can insure the vehicle directly on that plate, so you have a fully valid Spanish policy from day one. This matters because most UK and EU insurers will not cover the car once you are resident in Spain. Once your permanent Spanish plates are issued, normal Spanish car insurance is available and we arrange your full annual policy.
If the Spanish registration (matriculación) is not completed within 60 days, you must stop driving the vehicle on public roads until either: the temporary policy is extended (with valid documentation proving the delay), the vehicle is successfully re-registered on Spanish plates and a full Spanish insurance policy is in place, or you arrange alternative transport. Driving without valid insurance in Spain is a serious offence and can result in fines of up to €3,000 and vehicle impoundment.
