Moving to Germany – What to Do About Insurance?

Germany is one of the most vibrant countries in the world, and due to its similar culture/infrastructure when compared to the UK, for a Brit moving to Germany shouldn’t be too much of an upheaval; however, just like with any move, whether you’re moving to France or moving to Germany, careful consideration should be paid to insurance – which will work in your favour down the line.

On one level, it is important – depending of course on the value of what you’re are taking with you – that you insure any particularly valuable item that you are taking with you, of course this isn’t just a consideration when moving to Germany – and insurance is important where ever your moving, but particularly so the further your goods are going, where loss or damage etc are more likely.

Unlike the UK, if you are moving to Germany you will require heath insurance, which will be deducted from your income over there depending on your income; however, if you are moving there from the UK on a temporary basis then there is an EU agreement that you will be covered, providing you have filed the right forms before your trip.

Of course the best way to be sure about whether you are covered or not, and if, for example, your current insurance (ie. from your own country) is applicable in Germany is to check with your provider – remember, despite the collaboration between EU countries there are still significant differences that can complicate temporary or permanent moves.

An Easy Removal To South Of France

Moving house should be a time of joy and anticipation of the new environment and possibilities that await. This should only be amplified by not only moving house but moving country as well. At European Removal Experts we aim to keep the excitement and anticipation of moving by providing you with a thoroughly professional service that is designed to give you every confidence your belongings will arrive on time and in the exact same condition they left, even if we have provided storage options for you. As one of the UK’s best removals and storage companies we are members of certain independent organisations who ensure that we constantly strive for the best levels of quality. These include The Removers and Storers who ensure that our customers receive the highest levels of protection in the removals industry. When you choose us as your removal company, you also get this peace of mind because we are dedicated to providing a quality service on which you can always rely.

When it comes to removals to South of France, there are many different hazards to take into account. The method of transport across the channel is particularly important since ferries can be particularly rough. This is why we opt for the Eurotunnel. This not only gets you a service that can be run around the clock but it also ensures that nothing is held up due to bad weather conditions. Our vehicles also have breakdown cover across Europe which means that we can always call on assistance should there be a problem. Unlike other companies, this means that we will be able to give you an estimated time of arrival rather than all of your belongings being stuck in a potentially hazardous place somewhere.

France is a particularly good country to move to for a whole host of reasons, but one of the best cultural places to move to is Paris. The capital is quite easy to get to and with our experienced drivers we will be able to give you an exact times of arrival. We can also offer you fantastic rates on partial or small loads, even for single items. You do not need to fret about the delivery of a piano, for instance, since we have all of the experience and equipment to get it to you in perfect condition. If you are interested in a quote then you can simply click on our Free Quote Service which comes with no obligation. You will however need to have a complete list of your goods and as well as information on the size of your property. It also helps if you have an idea of the size of the load in cubic metres, although this isn’t always necessary and can be estimated. You will also need to have information about the place you are moving to, most notably which floor it is on. Those in flats will obviously require a lot more manual moving than ones who are on ground floors. Being able to park near the entrance will also affect this.

Moving Abroad Doesn’t Have To Be A Hassle

Living in Europe, we have the great benefit of being able to move freely between countries that are part of the European Union. When you live in the UK, however, it is easy to forget that this is a great benefit and one that is easy to carry out. Whilst other Europeans with wanderlust can simply pack their belongings into their car and head off over a border or two, it does seem that to move freely across Europe is quite a large undertaking when you have a large body of water cutting you off from the mainland.

However, whilst viewing property might have traditionally been a little more tricky, the rise of the internet and cheap flights means that heading out to view carefully chosen properties is unlikely to be too expensive or too much of a hardship.

And when it comes to the actual act of moving to France or moving to Belgium, again it is much easier than it has ever been. At European Removal Experts we specialise in trans-continental removals and can make moving to France as stress-free as moving to Runcorn, but ultimately a whole lot more exciting and rewarding. Whatever you need moving and whether you need it moving to Belgium or the highest peaks of the Alps we can offer all the help and expertise you could need to make the move abroad not only stress-free but also extremely cost-effective.

So don’t let distance put you off that dream move, contact us today and we can give you all the help and advice you could need.

Moving to Switzerland - Move to Basel - European Removal Experts - Removals Company London UK

Removals to Basel

Basel is a city in northwest Switzerland, on the river Rhine, situated at the intersection of the Swiss, French and German borders. Due to this, it has suburbs both in France and in Germany. Its over 170,000 inhabitants make Basel the third most populous city in Switzerland, after Zurich and Geneva. The Basel agglomeration was in 2011 the third largest in Switzerland, with a population of 500,600 in 74 municipalities in Switzerland and an additional 53 in neighbourhood countries. Most of the population (as of 2000) speaks German,Italian being the second most common language and French the third one.

Basel is an important centre for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. The city’s industrial production is focused on pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. Companies like: Novartis, Syngenta, Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Clariant, Hoffmann-La Roche, Basilea Pharmaceutica and Actelion are headquartered there. Banking is also of high importance to Basel.

Basel is one of the most important cultural centres of Switzerland, hosting many theatres and museums. The Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, a worldwide centre for research on and performance of music from the Medieval through the Baroque eras, belongs to Basel. Besides plays, Theatre Basel is home to the city’s opera and ballet companies.In 1999 it was chosen as the best stage for German-language performances and in 2009 & 2010 as “Opera of the Year” by German Opera Magazine “Operwelt. Basel also hosts the largest orchestra in Switzerland. The Museum of Fine Arts exhibits the world’s oldest art collection accessible to the public. Basel has the oldest university of the Swiss Confederation, the Basel, founded in 1460.

The city’s cultural life is marked every year by the carnival of the city of Basel (Basler Fasnacht), the biggest carnival in Switzerland, with dozens of fife and drum clubs parade in medieval guild tradition wearing fantastical masks and illuminated lanterns.

Basel is known in Switzerland as a successful sporting city.

Europe Remove is specialised in Removals to Switzerland with door to door deliveries. We offer Storage and Removal Services at attractive prices and will ensure your moving will take place as a fast paced and secure operation.
We provide a cost effective and reliable service to you. Be it a small or a large number of boxes that needs moving, we can arrange collection of your belongings and relocation, as well as Storage, all only under the best conditions and with highly Qualified Professionals Removers. You can even leave the Packing to us. We will make sure everything will be Packed Securely with only the best Packing Supplies available. If you’re not convinced just use our Free Quote service.
You can contact us for any questions you might have. +44 020 3150 2668

Mittlere Brücke BS
Photo Credits: © patpatpat on flickr

Moving to Corsica

Southeast of the French mainland is the island Corsica. It is situated west of Italy and north of the Sardinia Island that appertains to Italy. Corsica is a French island that has three parts covered by a chain of mountains. The island came under France’s ownership after the French domination took place, until then it was owned by the Republic of Genoa.
The Corsica Island is one of the many regions of France and it is a territorial collectivity as seen by the law, meaning that it has a local government and a certain degree of freedom of administration although it is a subdivision of France. As a result, the Corsica Island has a greater power than other regions and that in itself makes it special. Although Corsica is an island and it has its own local government, it is still considered a region and listed as one of the 27 regions of France. The island is divided into two departments, namely Corse-du-Sud and Haute-Corse. Its regional capital is located in Ajaccio, meaning in the Corse-du-Sud prefecture. The second as size town in the region is Bastia which is in the prefecture of Haute-Corse.
The island is closer to Italy than to the French mainland but nevertheless Corsica has been part of Metropolitan France from a political point of view. Corsica was conquered by France back in 1769 and its culture is a mixture of both French and Italian elements. The language spoken on the Corsica Island is a native Corsica language that has earned the recognition of a regional language by the French government.
The island has several attractions mainly related to the fact that it is the place where French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte took his first breath in 1769, in Ajaccio. The island has his ancestral home open as a museum to those who want to visit, named Casa Bonaparte. Another well-known figure that was said to have been born in the town of Calvi, northern of the island, is the explorer Christopher Columbus.
The Corsica Island is compartmented by referring to the altitude, into three ecological zones. These are the coastal zone, represented by what is bellow 600 metres, the montane zone, ranging from 600 to 1,800 metres altitude and the high alpine zone which altitude reaches 2.700 metres.
The coastal zone has Mediterranean climate with forests, shrubs and woodlands that go together with the climate. A large area of the coastal lowlands have been used for agriculture and cleared for logging and grazing resulting in a decline of the forested areas.
In the montane zone the mountains have a range of mixed forests and broadleaf, and whose vegetation is typical of northern Europe. The population that lives in this zone, usually bellow 800 metres, are mainly hikers and shepherds.
And finally, in the Alpine zone, there are no inhabitants due to the high altitude and the vegetation is thin.
The Corsica Island is famous for its natural park called Parc Naturel Regional de Corse that has various plant species and animals under its protection. The park was first created in 1972 and it is the home of the Scandola Natural Reserve which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and it also includes the Golfe de Porto.
The language specific to the Corsica Island is still used every day and it is related to both French and Italian, but its closer to Italian. However since the island has changed ownership to France, the influence that the media and commerce had over the years lead to a decrease of the Corsican language usage and today only around 10% of the inhabitants still speak it.
The Corsica Island is famous for its various foods made with specific ingredients found only there and which is based in a large percentage on seafood such as trout or boar meat. Also some delicacies are made out of goat or sheep milk such as casgiu-merzu cheese. A special ingredient that grown on the Corsica Island is the Maquis, this gives a certain taste that can’t be easily replicated outside the Island.
Overall, the Corsica Island offers beautiful scenery, along with great cuisine and it is the perfect place for nature-lovers and hikers. If you’re one that enjoys spending time in nature then moving to Corsica is the best thing you can do. We can even help you make your transit easier.

Europe Remove is specialised in Removals to France with door to door deliveries. We offer Storage and Removal Services at attractive prices and will ensure your moving will take place as a fast paced and secure operation.
We provide a cost effective and reliable service to you. Be it a small or a large number of boxes that needs moving, we can arrange collection of your belongings and relocation, as well as Storage, all only under the best conditions and with highly Qualified Professionals Removers.

You can even leave the Packing to us. We will make sure everything will be Packed Securely with only the best Packing Supplies available. If you’re not convinced just use our Free Quote service.
You can contact us for any questions you might have. +44 020 3150 2668

Photographer: Jean-Pol GRANDMONT

Top Tips On Moving To Switzerland

Whatever your reasons for moving to Switzerland, whether it is for a new job which means you have to relocate, or retirement, you will want to make a move that is as easy as possible. You will already be aware that planning a move to Switzerland entails a lot of work and planning, so here are a few extra little tips which will hopefully make your move that bit easier!

If you are planning to apply for residency in Switzerland, you will have to relinquish your British residency. Don’t forget to let the Inland Revenue know that you are moving. Once you have gone through the process of relocating to Switzerland and are settled, inform the taxation office in Switzerland that you have arrived. Do some research into what this entails, because the last thing you want is to get on the wrong side of the law, which may result with you being hit with a fine.

It may sound silly to point this out, but when you leave your home in the UK, don’t forget to let the relevant utilities companies know that you are no longer a resident at that address. It’s surprising how many people forget to do this, which means they can be caught up in resolving the problem when they are living abroad. And finally, when you are planning the logistics of moving to Switzerland or even moving to Belgium for that matter, don’t forget to get in touch with European Removal Experts, the experts in home moves to locations all over Europe.

Driving Wild: European Driving Guide

So, you’re moving to France, well you’ll want to keep the car’s log book on hand if you want to avoid a hefty fine upon involvement in a traffic accident or offence! Moving to Germany? Do you know what the upper speed limit of the Autobahn is? There isn’t one! Moving to Holland? Did you know that a red triangle light at a roundabout means roundabout traffic has right of way? Only if the light is OUT does traffic entering the roundabout have right of way. Europe is a patchwork of different (and continually changing!) traffic laws, guidelines and protocols.

The legal side of foreign driving – particularly when crossing multiple borders – is rarely simple. However, for the most part, prudence, rationality, patience and airing on the side of caution will get you far.

As a UK citizen, your UK driving license covers all EC/EEA countries. It’s worth noting that the age limits of a country override UK age limits. If you’re seventeen-year-old UK driving license holder, wave goodbye to driving until you reach eighteen in Germany, Holland, Norway, Sweden, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Finland, Luxemburg, Belgium, Malta and Portugal!

To drive in a non-EC/EAA country, purchase an IDP (International Driving Permit) for £5.50; applications are available at the Post Office. Most IDPs are valid for a year and are non-renewable from abroad. After one year applicants must sit the native driving test of their domicile country.

Familiarising yourself with local traffic protocols and etiquette will take a little time and patience. Our advice? Be cautious, be polite, be diligent.

International or Dutch: Education in Holland

Moving to Germany your options are pretty simple, however moving to Holland will have you tearing your hair out at the complexity of the Dutch education system! The simple fact (one of the only simple things about education in the Netherlands!) is that education of Holland is all about providing students of all ages with a broad choice of learning, commitment and qualification options.

So, when moving to Holland, what are you legal obligations in terms of children’s education? Under Dutch law, children from ALL nationalities residing in Holland are required to attend school between the ages of five and eighteen years.

International schooling is available at both private and public schools throughout Holland. Both are mostly free, “Private” usually more accurately means “Specialist”. Since 1917, equal state funding has been available to all types of school (e.g. those with particular religious conviction, subject focus, education ideologies etc), increasing the number of privately run establishments significantly.

Choosing the right school for your brood depends on a number of factors; amongst them are length of stay, children’s ages, financial situation, location and study aims. For example, if relocating to Holland with very young children, assimilation into a Dutch-speaking public or private school could help them settle. Older children could reconcile with the move more effectively through education at an International School.

Specific International Special Schools are rare, and entry is usually via referral. However, some international, and many public and private schools, provide Special Needs teachers. Dutch education places great emphasis on educating students with special needs in mainstream schools.

International Removals EU - Moving Abroad From the UK

Stress Reduction Techniques

Why is moving house considered to be so stressful? Assuming we do accept that it is stressful, the question then becomes, “What can we possibly do to reduce this stress?” If we have already accepted that moving house is stressful, supposing we add an additional layer of complication by, for example, moving to Germany, or moving to France, or another continental Europe country such as Belgium, Spain, The Netherlands or Switzerland?

Planning your move carefully is vital to reducing the amount of stress you may experience. Every single step of the moving process can benefit from a bit of planning, although it is fair to acknowledge that some less critical aspects can be done on the hoof, if intricate planning is not your thing. As most of us will have limited experience in the moving process, effective planning will benefit greatly from some expert input. Taking the example of moving to Germany and we believe that, at European Removal Experts, we are the first choice experts to help with both the planning and execution of your move.

We are a London-based company. This puts us in the ideal geographic location for arranging moving from the UK to Germany or the continent. For different individuals and families, a move can represent very different things. For some it is simply a matter of a few items being despatched to a second residence or for others, a complete house move abroad. As a result, there is no one-size-fits-all moving technique. Our services include dedicated removal vehicles for complete house moves but it is also possible to share space within containers for cost effective lower volume removals.

Ensuring that your goods pass freely through customs and that your belongings are not held up through a misunderstanding of local or regional practices is achieved through the expert knowledge that many typical removal firms may not necessarily be able to offer.

Removals to FREIBURG-IM-BREISGAU- Removals to Germany from UK

Moving to Freiburg im Breisgau

Move to Freiburg im Breisgau!

Freiburg im Breisgau is located in the Baden-Württemberg in Germany. Baden-Württemberg is one of the 16 states of Germany and is situated in the southwestern part of Germany. Freiburg is one of the old German university towns; it is well known for its medieval ministry and university. It has advanced environmental practices and it is considered a green town as well as a high standard of living. Freiburg is the primary entrance point for admiring the Black Forest and it is located in a major wine-growing region.
Freiburg is famous for its beautiful scenery and its climate, which is relatively warm and sunny. The easy access if offers to the Black Forest give the town a steady income of tourists therefore helping it leave its mark on the map.
The city also has the longest cable car run in Germany, which goes from Günterstal to the mountain Schauinsland that is nearby.
One of the characteristics of the city is the gutters system, named Bächle, which stretches throughout the center and that used to provide water for extinguishing fires and feeding livestock. The water in these gutters is constantly being diverted from the Dreisam, which empties into the Elz. In the Middle Ages, using these Bächle as sewage was punishable. The water running through these now cools off the atmosphere in the city and its calming sound makes for a pleasant and calming atmosphere.
When visiting the old city, a rather famous place to go to is the Augustinerplatz, which is one of the central squares there. In the past there was an Augustian monastery there, that was remodeled in the Augustiner Museum in 1921 and is now a vastly popular social space where Freiburg’s young resident gather. There are several restaurants and bars and a well-known brewery that hundreds of students frequent named “Feierling”.
The Münsterplatz is located at the centre of the old city. Münsterplatz can be translated as Cathedral Square and it is the largest square in Freiburg. In this place, every day except on Sunday, farmers markets are held. Also here is located Freiburg’s Münster which is a red sandstone gothic minster cathedral which was build in the year 1200 and 1530 and that has an amazing towering spire which is what made it famous.
Other places you should visit if you ever get a chance are the Historical Merchants Hall on the south side of Freiburg’s Münsterplatz that displays a Late Gothic style capable of making you wonder at it for hours and that is decorated with the coat of arms and statues of four different Habsburg emperors. Then there is the old city hall, the Altes Rathaus completed in 1559 and the Platz der alten Synagoge meaning the Old Synagogue Square, on the outskirts of the historic old city.
For an breathtaking overview of the city and it’s sorounding region, head over to the east of the city centre, at the Schlossberg hill. You can go there by using the Schlossbergbahn funicular railway that connects the city centre and the hill.
Many choose to move to Freiburg because of its long history as a centre of research and academia and to try to step on the footprints of numerous Nobel Laureates and intellectual figures that lived there. The city is the home of a renowned university in Germany and also one of the oldest, as well as its medical centre. The Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg has nurtured great, important figures such as Friedrich Hayek, Max Weber, Johann Eck and Martin Heidegger and it is considered as one of the top when it comes to research and teaching in Europe.
There are also other educational institutes that one can choose from such as the Freiburg Music Academy, the Freiburg University of Education, the International University of Cooperative Education IUCE and others just as important to our evolution.
There are many other sites to visit and knowledge to acquire during a trip there, and many of the visitors decide to stay and slowly take everything in. If you want to move we can help.

Europe Remove is specialised in Removals to Germany with door to door deliveries. We offer Storage and Removal Services at attractive prices and will ensure your moving will take place as a fast paced and secure operation.
We provide a cost effective and reliable service to you. Be it a small or a large number of boxes that needs moving, we can arrange collection of your belongings and relocation, as well as Storage, all only under the best conditions and with highly Qualified Professionals Removers. You can even leave the Packing to us. We will make sure everything will be Packed Securely with only the best Packing Supplies available. If you’re not convinced just use our Free Quote service.
You can contact us for any questions you might have. +44 020 3150 2668

Author Taxiarchos228