Insurance in Italy for British expats: what you need, explained in English
In Italy only a few insurances are compulsory for a private person: motor insurance for any car you own, e-scooter insurance since July 2026 and, in practice, the fire policy a bank asks for with a mortgage. Health, home, travel, pet and life insurance are choices, but each fills a gap that British residents often discover the hard way. This guide explains which, in English, from an Italian licensed intermediary.
Consultation in English is included
Italian policies are written in Italian. We explain the cover, the exclusions and the paperwork to you in English, before you buy and when you claim, at no extra cost. Call +39 0141 441493 or email info@assicurazionecastellodiannone.it.
In short
- Compulsory: motor third-party liability for vehicles, e-scooter liability (since 16 July 2026), and the cover your bank requires with a mortgage.
- Not compulsory but common: health insurance alongside the SSN, home insurance, travel insurance for trips back to the UK, pet and life insurance.
- Italian policies are written in Italian and governed by Italian law: our consultation in English is included, before you buy and when you claim.
- We are an Italian intermediary registered with IVASS (RUI Section E no. E000517439), placing policies with Reale Mutua.
Which insurance do you need in Italy?
| Insurance | Compulsory? | Our guide |
|---|---|---|
| Motor third-party liability (RC auto) | Yes, for any vehicle on the road | See the car section below |
| E-scooter third-party liability | Yes, since 16 July 2026, for privately owned e-scooters | E-scooter insurance |
| Fire and explosion on a mortgaged home | Required by the bank, not by law; you can choose your own policy | Mortgage insurance |
| Health insurance | Not if you are in the SSN; otherwise one of the ways to meet the law's cover requirement | Health insurance and SSN, S1 and GHIC |
| Home insurance | No for households | Home insurance |
| Travel insurance | No, but a UK policy may not cover Italian residents | Travel insurance |
| Pet insurance | No, except liability for dogs on the ASL at-risk register | Pet insurance |
| Term life insurance | No; premiums can give a tax credit | Life insurance |
Healthcare: start here
Healthcare is the first question for most people moving from the UK. Whether you are covered by the Italian health service depends on whether you work, when you arrived and whether the UK pays through an S1. If you are not covered, the law asks you to register voluntarily (with a contribution) or hold a policy valid in Italy. Read the SSN, S1 and GHIC guide first, then the health insurance guide to see what a private policy adds.
Your home in Italy
Buying a house in Italy does not oblige you to insure it, unless a bank lends you the money. But Italian home policies are built differently from UK ones, and the policy we offer, like many on the market, excludes earthquakes and floods. The home insurance guide explains sections, holiday homes and exclusions; the mortgage insurance guide explains your right not to buy the bank's policy.
Your car and driving licence
Motor third-party liability (RC auto) is compulsory for every vehicle on Italian roads. gov.uk explains that if you move to Italy with a UK-registered car you must register it on Italian plates within 90 days of becoming resident (the Italian Highway Code, art. 93-bis, says three months), or it may be impounded. Your UK licence must be exchanged for an Italian one once you have been resident for a year; under the UK-Italy agreement in force since 2023 there is no driving test.
We do not sell car insurance online, but we offer a free reminder of your RC auto renewal date by email: promemoria scadenza RC auto (page in Italian).
Trips home, pets and your family
- Trips to the UK: once you are resident in Italy, a UK travel policy may no longer apply, and an EHIC does not pay for private care or repatriation. See travel insurance.
- Dogs and cats: they must be registered in the Italian pet registry, and as owner you are liable for damage they cause. See pet insurance.
- Family and mortgage: term life cover pays a lump sum to your family, and premiums give a 19% tax credit within the legal limit. See life insurance.
- Online fraud: Cyber Family by Reale Mutua offers legal protection for disputes linked to the web and online purchases, with optional cover for money stolen through card cloning, identity theft or online purchase fraud, under the conditions of the policy.
Why an Italian intermediary, in English
An Italian policy is a contract under Italian law, written in Italian. The DIP (pre-contractual information document) and the Conditions of Insurance are what count, and words like franchigia (a fixed excess), scoperto (a percentage excess), carenza (waiting period) or tacito rinnovo (automatic renewal) decide what you get paid. We place policies with Reale Mutua and explain every one of them to you in English, at no extra cost: before you sign, at renewal and when you need to claim.
| Italian | English | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Franchigia | Fixed excess | An amount deducted from every claim |
| Scoperto | Percentage excess | A percentage of the loss you pay yourself, often with a minimum |
| Massimale | Limit | The most the insurer pays |
| Carenza | Waiting period | Days or months from the start before some cover applies |
| Tacito rinnovo | Automatic renewal | The policy renews unless cancelled within the notice period |
| Sinistro | Claim / insured event | The event you report to the insurer |
| Codice fiscale | Tax code | Needed to sign contracts and register with the SSN |
Online quotes and purchase are not available in every Italian region: the quote tool tells you at the first step if the service is not available in your region.
Frequently asked questions
What insurance is compulsory in Italy?
For a private person: third-party liability for any motor vehicle on the road and, since 16 July 2026, for privately owned e-scooters. Owners of dogs on the ASL register of dogs at increased risk must have liability cover. Banks normally require fire cover on a mortgaged home.
Do I need health insurance to live in Italy as a British citizen?
Not if you are registered with the Italian health service through work, the Withdrawal Agreement or a UK S1. Otherwise the law asks you to register voluntarily with the SSN, paying a contribution, or hold a policy valid in Italy.
Is home insurance compulsory in Italy?
No, not for households. A bank lending you money for a property will normally require fire and explosion cover, and you are free to choose your own policy with the content the bank requires.
Can I get insurance in Italy with help in English?
Yes. We are an Italian intermediary registered with IVASS (RUI Section E no. E000517439) and consultation in English is included: we explain the Italian documents before you sign and help you when you claim.
Do I need a codice fiscale to buy insurance in Italy?
Insurers will normally ask for your Italian tax code when you sign. You can get one from an Italian consulate before you move, or in Italy from the Questura or an Agenzia delle Entrate office.
Sources
Official sources checked on 24 October 2026. Rules change: always check the latest version before you act.
- gov.uk: Living in Italy (updated 5 October 2026)
- UK-Italy agreement on the mutual recognition of driving licences (2022)
- Italian Highway Code, art. 93-bis (Normattiva)
- Code of Private Insurance, art. 122: compulsory motor insurance (Normattiva)
- IVASS: the Italian insurance supervisor
- Agenzia delle Entrate: tax code for foreign citizens (in Italian)
Important information
This guide is general information, not personal advice. Cover, limits, excesses and exclusions are set by the policy documents (DIP, additional DIP and Conditions of Insurance), which are in Italian and are what counts legally: we give them to you, and talk you through them in English, before you sign.
Assicurazione Castello di Annone di Rabacchin Matteo, VAT no. 01627330051, is an insurance intermediary registered in the Italian Single Register of Insurance Intermediaries (RUI), Section E no. E000517439, supervised by IVASS. Online quotes and purchase are not available in every Italian region: the quote tool tells you at the first step if the service is not available in your region.