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Driving friends car in England

Driving friends car in England

Old Jul 28th 2022, 8:36 pm
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Default Driving friends car in England

Hi all,

im headed home in a few weeks (West Yorkshire) for holidays (From Kelowna) and my friend has offered me her car to borrow but her insurance company want a letter from the DVLA? i have no idea what this is? I’ve done the bot chat on DVLA online but it isn’t bringing anything up? I have a BC drivers license and had a UK but surrendered it here when I moved in 2015. Any help appreciated!
-Beckie
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Old Jul 28th 2022, 9:01 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

Ask your friend to ask her insurance company what the letter should state?
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Old Jul 28th 2022, 9:56 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

Originally Posted by Beckie and Morgan UK
..... I'm headed home in a few weeks (West Yorkshire) for holidays (From Kelowna) and my friend has offered me her car to borrow but her insurance company want a letter from the DVLA? i have no idea what this is? I’ve done the bot chat on DVLA online but it isn’t bringing anything up? I have a BC drivers license and had a UK but surrendered it here when I moved in 2015. Any help appreciated! ....
I think her insurance company is confused, and either doesn't realise/ understand that you are (now) licenced in Canada, and/or that there is no DVLA in Canada for you to get your driving record from ... Does the BC licencing authority issue a copy of your driving record on request?
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Old Jul 28th 2022, 11:04 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

The short of this is that it's usually cheaper to rent a car than to arrange coverage to drive someone else's car, Most companies will not add a driver to a policy if that driver does not have a valid UK license (that means living at the address on the license). There is a company, Car, Van, Home or Breakdown Insurance from Sterling (sterling-insurance.co.uk), that deals in short term coverage for non-resident drivers.
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Old Jul 29th 2022, 3:17 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

What dbd says. I have never been able to get my parents insurance during visits home with no UK licence.
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Old Aug 25th 2022, 6:01 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

I've always found this issue with UK insurance very peculiar that they don't allow for this.

In Canada, the vehicle is insured, and most insurers will cover a visitor with foreign license borrowing the car so long as that license is recognized by the province/territory the vehicle is being operated in and/or the person has a valid IDP.

In Malta, i've had no problem being listed as a permanent driver on a vehicle with my Canadian license. There, also, the vehicle is insured to be driven by anyone over 25 years old no matter where their license was issued. The only reason I need to be on the policy is that i'm a young driver.
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Old Aug 25th 2022, 9:29 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

Originally Posted by Gozit
I've always found this issue with UK insurance very peculiar that they don't allow for this.

In Canada, the vehicle is insured, and most insurers will cover a visitor with foreign license borrowing the car so long as that license is recognized by the province/territory the vehicle is being operated in and/or the person has a valid IDP.

In Malta, i've had no problem being listed as a permanent driver on a vehicle with my Canadian license. There, also, the vehicle is insured to be driven by anyone over 25 years old no matter where their license was issued. The only reason I need to be on the policy is that i'm a young driver.
You can get "any driver" policies in the UK, but I'm not sure even those cover drivers licensed outside the UK, and they are relatively expensive compared to UK named-driver insurance which is much cheaper than US car insurance.

I only ever had naned driver coverage, and I think moat British car owners are the same. I had no reason to buy "any driver" coverage.

Last edited by Pulaski; Aug 25th 2022 at 9:32 pm.
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Old Aug 25th 2022, 9:36 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

Originally Posted by Gozit
I've always found this issue with UK insurance very peculiar that they don't allow for this.

In Canada, the vehicle is insured, and most insurers will cover a visitor with foreign license borrowing the car so long as that license is recognized by the province/territory the vehicle is being operated in and/or the person has a valid IDP.

In Malta, i've had no problem being listed as a permanent driver on a vehicle with my Canadian license. There, also, the vehicle is insured to be driven by anyone over 25 years old no matter where their license was issued. The only reason I need to be on the policy is that i'm a young driver.
An IDP is an official translation of the driving license of another country, it alone does not indicate a right to drive and, in the case of two jurisdictions that issue licenses in the same language, such as the UK and most, perhaps all, Canadian provinces, has no relevance. Someone with a Canadian license does not need a IDP to hire a car in the UK but they do in Italy.

Clients of Canadian insurance companies benefit from vehicles in Canada typically being insured for "any driver". In Ontario the carrier is on the hook even if the car is involved in an injury claim after being stolen or after the policy has lapsed if no new one has been purchased. The policy is priced based on the known drivers in the household (unless excluded).

If the insured were to advise the insurance carrier of the presence of a foreign driver they might be charged extra or the foreign driver might be explicitly excluded. I don't read the T&Cs of policies but would not surprised to find that there are conditions, widely ignored, limiting undeclared drivers either by jurisdiction of license or by extent of use. It certainly isn't the case that insurance companies here welcome use of vehicles they cover by transient people.

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Old Aug 26th 2022, 12:55 am
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

Originally Posted by dbd33
An IDP is an official translation of the driving license of another country, it alone does not indicate a right to drive and, in the case of two jurisdictions that issue licenses in the same language, such as the UK and most, perhaps all, Canadian provinces, has no relevance. Someone with a Canadian license does not need a IDP ....
I continue to be astounded by how many people believe that an IDP adds pixie dust to any foreign driving situation, adding miraculous protections and rights. .... Just a few weeks ago someone in the US forum reported having been told by a "professional" relocation agent that an IDP would allow him and his wife to drive for 12 months after arriving to live and work. Clearly the agent was oblivious to the fact that the "12 months" is a concession granted to visitors by the federal government under the international treaty on driving and recognition of driving licenses, and that it is state driving laws and regulations that apply once you become "resident" in a state, by actions such as renting or buying a home, starting work, putting your children in school, etc.
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Old Aug 26th 2022, 1:45 am
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

Originally Posted by Pulaski
I continue to be astounded by how many people believe that an IDP adds pixie dust to any foreign driving situation, adding miraculous protections and rights. .... Just a few weeks ago someone in the US forum reported having been told by a "professional" relocation agent that an IDP would allow him and his wife to drive for 12 months after arriving to live and work. Clearly the agent was oblivious to the fact that the "12 months" is a concession granted to visitors by the federal government under the international treaty on driving and recognition of driving licenses, and that it is state driving laws and regulations that apply once you become "resident" in a state, by actions such as renting or buying a home, starting work, putting your children in school, etc.
The name of the thing is misleading, it's not a permit at all. That said, the ease of obtaining one should tip people off to its value; I walked in, paid the fee and it was written up; no test, no medical, no questions,
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Old Aug 26th 2022, 2:19 am
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

Originally Posted by Atlantic Xpat
What dbd says. I have never been able to get my parents insurance during visits home with no UK licence.
I once did supposedly get on my parents insurance for a visit, according to my dad, but in retrospect he probably gave them incorrect info or they misunderstood. In any event I think most insured drivers (UK/Canada/USA) do not have the coverage they think they have, once it comes to a claim.

Having documentation for legal purposes is the key (and the problem) to not getting busted for driving without insurance at a traffic stop or accident.

eta as others said IDP is useless in this scenario - unless the Canadian license is in French!

Last edited by RICH; Aug 26th 2022 at 2:31 am.
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Old Aug 26th 2022, 12:38 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

I'm not arguing that an IDP is a magic bullet...just know it has been required in some countries and by some insurers. I don't think the average insurance agent you get on the phone knows the rules for this either, so they think IDP = magic bullet. (Speaking for Ontario.)
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Old Aug 26th 2022, 12:55 pm
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Default Re: Driving friends car in England

Originally Posted by RICH
Having documentation for legal purposes is the key (and the problem) to not getting busted for driving without insurance at a traffic stop or accident.!
This, IMO, is the biggest thing. At the end of the day, insurance companies, police, etc are going to nickle and dime you for everything, you can't trust them. Just get what you need to have in place legally, and otherwise do what you wish with your vehicle, because at the end of the day a lot of the time if you want it to be 100% back to the way it was you will have to put in some $. The ins. co won't always cover 100% of everything.
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