Expat Car insurance for the UK is proving to be impossible

[QRM]

I have just come across and bit of a stumbling block:

I have a UK driving licence, I have UK registered Car (mothballed)
The car/licence is registered at one of those mail forwarding firms as all our properties have been rented.

I am returning to the UK for a 2 week break next month and thought it would be nice to dig out my Classic Mini (3000 miles on the clock) for a spin, its been moth balled for 6 years.

So far no one will insure me even for a a whole year let alone 2 weeks, because I don't live in the UK proof require council tax bill etc.

I found a firm that does offer insurance to expats BUT they will not cover cars in the expats own passport country so I can drive it in France but not in the UK!

Any ideas? I can BS and give my parents address but, if I do have a prang it wont take a rocket scientist to figure out I have not been in the UK for a while and they wont pay out.

[carteki]

How about getting your parents to insure it for all drivers? That way you can say they have use of the car - you still own it - and you're just driving it there on holiday.

[QRM]

It would mean transferring ownership to the old man, I would like to keep it as a one owner car. On top of that Dad who is 80 has just lost his licence for speeding! So him getting insurance for my car for 2 weeks, the cost makes it uneconomical may as well rent a nice sports coupe for 2 weeks.

Just seems very daft I cant insure my own car.

[carteki]

Okay - do you have a brother / sister or close friend who is resident in the UK?
Having a 3rd party insure your vehicle doesn't mean that you need to transfer ownership. Under a finance lease agreement the Bank owns the vehicle, but it is up to the driver to insure it. The insured just needs the permission of the owner to do so.

[QRM]

Carteki,

Thanks for your help managed to finally find one Zurich Insurance although I had to pay for a whole year upfront, they said if I cancel it within 2 weeks I just have to pay the cancellation fee! which works out to be about GBP50.

[JR8]

That'll be the statutory 2-week cooling-off period that you get on financial products in the UK.

[carteki]

Carteki,

Thanks for your help managed to finally find one Zurich Insurance although I had to pay for a whole year upfront, they said if I cancel it within 2 weeks I just have to pay the cancellation fee! which works out to be about GBP50.

Unless you claim - then you'll be liable for the full premium.

[ausinsg]

Is it worth putting your name on your folks' electricity bill so you always have "proof" of residence in the UK should you need to get something done there again?

[QRM]

Old thread but digging it up for an update, a couple of heads up points.

1. The new Photocard licence has an expiry date unlike the original paper licence that last forever. Mine just recently expired.

2. Do not give an overseas address when you re new your plastic licence as they will void the old one and not issue a new one unless you reside in the the UK. Apparently if you no longer reside in the UK you should in theory return your licence.

3. UK paper licences part of the new licence are being phased out in 2015,

4. Item number 2 above is the reason it was impossible to get insurance for a UK resident living overseas driving his own UK registered car. You are technically illegally holding a driving licence which makes your insurance void.

5. I know many folks just "pretend" they live in the UK but should you be involved in an accident the insurance firm will try every trick in the book to not pay, finding out you actually live overseas would be the perfect excuse they are looking for.

There seems to be light at the end of the tunnel for those who want to be honest I just found a insurance firm that will insure UK expats ( at a hefty premium) for 28 days at a time.

https://secure.dayinsure.com/yourdetails.aspx

[PNGMK]

Australia has a similar issue - you are not meant to hold an Australian driving licence unless you live there.

US D/L are becoming a giant PITA as well thanks to the True ID program - my wife gave up holding one.

[Primrose Hill]

Do you know how long that the UK licence last before it expires?

[ScoobyDoes]

3. UK paper licences part of the new licence are being phased out in 2015,

QRM, sorry but what do you mean here? I have a paper licence but are you saying after next year it will expire?

I can't find any information on the DVLA website other than categories have changed.

[QRM]

3. UK paper licences part of the new licence are being phased out in 2015,

QRM, sorry but what do you mean here? I have a paper licence but are you saying after next year it will expire?

I can't find any information on the DVLA website other than categories have changed.

There is a bit of confusion over the original paper licence and the paper part of the photocard licence. see link below

http://www.pedigreeas.co.uk/PaperlessDr ... istsBy2015

[QRM]

Do you know how long that the UK licence last before it expires?

Supposed to be 10 years and if you dont re-new it you will get fined according to:

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-20968886

[Beeroclock]

1. The new Photocard licence has an expiry date unlike the original paper licence that last forever. Mine just recently expired.

2. Do not give an overseas address when you re new your plastic licence as they will void the old one and not issue a new one unless you reside in the the UK. Apparently if you no longer reside in the UK you should in theory return your licence.

I think mine recently expired too, so I should post it back to DVLA? Do you know if there is any fine or consequence of not doing so? Many thanks