Motorists looking to take a driving holiday across the channel should check if their

Do you have continental car insurance?

Motorists looking to take a driving holiday across the channel should check if their car insurance covers them while abroad. Research by Moneysupermarket.com shows there is a lot of ignorance surrounding the matter.

According to a study conducted by the comparison site, a third of Brits (32%) think that they will have full comprehensive cover while overseas. However, this is not always the case - as many insurers do not offer the same level of cover for Europe.

Some 33% of those polled believe that their insurance is only valid for the UK, while 23% simply don't know.

One in eight expect their comprehensive cover to be automatically downgraded to third party only while on European soil, which is what happens in many cases.

Commenting on the study, Peter Harrison, car insurance expert at the comparison site, says that no one wants their motoring break to be ruined.

"A number of policies automatically downgrade as you soon as you hit continental soil. If you were unfortunate enough to have a crash while abroad and were only covered for third party, you could be left with a hefty bill," he warns.

"It's therefore crucial motorists study the small print of their policy, as their provider could automatically downgrade a fully comprehensive policy to either the minimum cover required for the country you are driving in or even third party only."

Marks & Spencer and Endsleigh back this trend. These insurers honour their fully comprehensive policies for 90 days of driving in Europe, making them the ideal cover for continental driving.