Temporary insurance to export a car to North Africa
You have bought a car in France and it needs to reach a ferry at Marseille or Sète, bound for Algiers, Tangier or Tunis. The stretch you actually drive on French and EU roads must be insured, and that is what a short-term policy covers, from one day up to the ninety you might need while paperwork and sailing dates line up.
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For a vehicle exported to Algeria, it must stay insured while driven in France, up to the port of departure (often Marseille or Sète). Short-term insurance covers this transport and the formalities, with no annual contract.
For Morocco, the vehicle must be insured up to departure (Marseille/Sète to Tangier). Short-term insurance covers exactly this transport and formalities phase, with no annual commitment.
For Tunisia, the vehicle stays insured throughout its journey in France, up to departure (French ports to Tunis / La Goulette). Short-term insurance covers the transport and the export.
Your sign-up in 3 steps
Step 1: your situation and duration
Tell us your vehicle and the duration you need, online or by phone.
Sign-up
Price and subscription online, or an adviser does it with you.
Step 3: instant certificate
Instant proof of cover by email. We also handle your paperwork.
Short-term insurance for export to North Africa
A vehicle bought in France and bound for North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia) must be insured to be driven legally up to the port of departure and during handling in France. Short-term insurance (1 to 90 days) covers this export phase with no annual commitment, whether you are a private individual or a professional.
When should you take it out?
As soon as you buy or take possession of the vehicle: to collect it, drive it to the port, handle customs clearance and any paperwork (registration pending, temporary WW plates). The duration is set to match your export schedule.
Conditions for export to North Africa
Duration of 1 to 90 days, renewable · driver aged 21 to 90 · French or foreign licence held for more than 2 years · non-EU licences accepted with a residence permit, or a passport carrying entry stamps · drivers whose previous policy was cancelled accepted · France, Corsica, EU & French overseas territories.
We support you through the whole process
Beyond insurance, we help private individuals and professionals with export-related paperwork: vehicle registration, temporary WW plates, vehicle history certificate. An adviser follows you from start to finish.
Why choose us
Shipping a car to Algeria, Morocco or Tunisia from France
- What this cover is for — the road portion in France, Corsica and the EU up to the moment the car leaves. You can legally drive from where you bought it to the quay; it does not insure driving on Algerian, Moroccan or Tunisian roads.
- WW export plates — a car being taken abroad usually runs on temporary WW plates rather than a permanent registration, and our short-term policy insures a vehicle on those plates. See how they work on temporary WW plates.
- Choosing your days — count the drive down to Marseille or Sète, any wait for a sailing, and a margin if the crossing is delayed. If collection and departure are a week apart, take enough days to bridge the gap rather than the bare minimum.
- Driving across a land border instead — if you plan to drive the car out through a frontier rather than ship it, the product is border insurance, not this one. Read border insurance before you set off.
- Registration paper — keep the carte grise (or the WW registration certificate) in the car; the shipping agent and customs will ask for it. Details on vehicle registration.
- Who can drive it — a French or foreign licence held more than two years is accepted, and a non-EU licence only alongside a valid residence permit, or a passport carrying entry stamps. Drivers are covered between 21 and 90.
See also: transit insurance · See also: Imported vehicle · Motor trade professionals · Registration (carte grise)
Will your vehicle be driven in any of these countries?
Your green card does not cover them. We have a separate policy for these.
Yes — temporary insurance for these countries →
An adviser answers within 24 hours. This policy is arranged by hand: there is no instant certificate on this route.
Frequently asked questions
How do I insure a car to export to Algeria from France?
Take out short-term cover for the days you will actually be on French and EU roads, from buying the car to reaching the ferry at Marseille or Sète. The attestation is emailed once you subscribe online, so you can drive to the port the same day. Note that the policy covers the French and EU leg, not driving once the car is in Algeria.
Does this insurance cover me driving in Morocco or Tunisia?
No. It insures the vehicle while it circulates in France, Corsica, the DOM and the wider EU, up to the point it leaves. For roads inside Morocco or Tunisia you arrange local insurance on arrival, usually at the port or border.
I want to send a car to Morocco by ferry. What do I need to be insured for?
You need cover for the drive from wherever you collect the car to the departure port, plus any days it sits waiting for the sailing. Pick a duration that includes a buffer, because ferry schedules to Tangier can shift. The car travels as freight on the boat; your policy is about the road part before it.
Can I insure a car on WW plates for export?
Yes, a vehicle on temporary WW plates can be covered by this short-term policy, which is normal for an export car that no longer has a permanent French registration. You will enter the WW number when you subscribe. There is more on the plates themselves at our temporary WW plates page.
How many days should I take?
Add up the drive to Marseille or Sète, the wait for your booked crossing, and a day or two in case of delay. Many people buying to ship take somewhere between a week and a month; you can renew up to 90 days if the paperwork drags on.
What is the difference between this and border insurance?
This policy suits a car that leaves by ferry, insuring the French and EU road up to the port. If you instead drive the car overland across a frontier, that is border insurance with WW plates, explained at our border insurance page. Choose by how the car actually leaves the country.
I have a foreign driving licence. Can I still buy this cover?
A foreign licence held more than two years is accepted. If it is a non-EU licence, you also need a valid residence permit, or a passport carrying entry stamps for it to be accepted. The named driver must be between 21 and 90.
What documents do I need to subscribe?
Your driving licence, an identity document, and the vehicle's registration paper, whether that is the carte grise or the WW registration certificate. Having the carte grise details ready speeds things up; see our vehicle registration page if you are still sorting the registration out.
How quickly do I get proof of insurance?
The attestation is sent to your email right after you complete the online subscription and pay. That green-card document is what you show if stopped on the way to the port. There is no waiting for a posted certificate.
I was previously cancelled by my insurer. Can I be covered to export a car?
Often yes, depending on the reason and the circumstances, though it is never automatic. Give the honest history when you subscribe so the situation can be assessed properly. It is worth asking rather than assuming a refusal.
Can two people share the driving down to the port?
Each driver has to be named on the policy, and each must meet the licence and age conditions. A non-EU licence holder still needs the residence permit. Add every driver before setting off so nobody is uninsured on the motorway.
Does the cover include the ferry crossing itself?
The road insurance concerns the car while it is driven; on the boat the vehicle is carried as freight under the shipping company's terms. Ask the ferry operator or your shipping agent about cover during transit. Your job is to be insured for the drive to and from the quay in France.