bazzer70

Apologies if this has already been covered but I haven't seen anything.
Assuming I intend to bring my car with me when I move to Portugal I worry about how I can be covered insurance-wise because....
My UK car insurance won't be valid once I no longer have the UK as my residence.
So
Would I be able to insure my car in Portugal while I am in the process of going through the matriculation (i.e. while it is still registered in UK with UK plates)?
I assume Portuguese insurance companies will honour no claims discount as long as previous insurance hadn't lapsed.
In France I believe it is very difficult to get insurance if you hold a UK driving licence. What is the situation in Portugal?
I believe it is easy enough to swap one's UK driving license for a Portuguese one should that be necessary - is this true?
Any contributions gratefully accepted!
Baz

Red Eric

No problem at all if my experience is anything to go by.

The easiest thing to stay on the right side of the law once resident is to register the UK licence with the IMT (the PT equivalent of the DVLA).

However, should you wish or should it become necessary, the licence exchange process for licences from other EU states can hardly be described as difficult. Certainly no problem at all for a photocard type licence in a good state - but it does entail a small fee, a doctor's certificate and a slightly longer processing time, during which you might find yourself with a document authorising you to drive, valid only in PT, rather than a licence valid everywhere.

bazzer70

thanks Red Eric

Red Eric

You're welcome.

Perhaps I should add, just to make it absolutely clear, that I wasn't commenting on getting insurance for the UK plated vehicle - just the matter of whether it's difficult for holders of a UK licence to get insurance.

The vehicle itself during the in-betweeny period is another matter and I was waiting on someone who's actually been through the matriculation process to comment on that. However, in the meantime, I think I'm right in saying that there are a couple of firms which might cover you once you are no longer UK resident but before you start the matriculation process - Ibex is one that has been mentioned before in this regard, if I remember correctly.

mfesharne

I think you'll find that Portuguese insurance companies can only insure foreign registered cars if the matriculation process has been started & once the owner has registered residency in PT they are not allowed to drive a foreign registered vehicle............ Although I have no idea how they can enforce those 2 ridiculous requirements!

As far as UK licence holders getting insurance is concerned I've never had a problem although it should perhaps be noted that the premium increases dramatically for foreign registered vehicles during the interim period until matriculation is completed.

Red Eric

My understanding is that provided you have insurance etc the car is legal to drive by the owner and certain family members provided you're still within the grace period for starting the matriculation process. Probably best to start it immediately after registering residence, I guess.

mfesharne

Sorry....... I didn't make that as clear as I should have done.

To be more precise, once the owner is registered as resident here he/she can drive the vehicle if the matriculation process has been started but a PT resident cannot (in theory at least) drive a foreign registered vehicle that has not had the matriculation process started.

Ant that's another law that I see as absolutely pointless & unnecessary.

Red Eric

One of the relevant laws says that in order to benefit from the tax exemption, the matriculation process must be started within 6 months of fixing residence in the country.

Within that space of time, one is not considered "ordinarily resident" - even if staying beyond the period required for registration of one's presence as an EU citizen - and not therefore debarred from driving the vehicle being transferred, even if the matriculation process hasn't yet been started.

tonisdad

Baz your insurance will have a period of so many days you are able to drive your car overseas...you may already know this if so apologies.....some are 30 60 or 90 consecutive days depending on your policy.
Don`t know if that helps.

gedscottish

Insurance is what I do. Yes you can insure your UK vehicle once the process of matriculation has started. You'll should be able to find a company that will continue your no claims bonus IF you provide the correct documentation required and for the fact that you are importing the insured vehicle(I would say much more difficult if you were selling there and buying a car here, but not impossible). That said, Portuguese companies are in no way obliged to accept previous no claims from abroad.