Insuring a car in the UK
#1
Insuring a car in the UK
Have just bought a car in the UK for when me or wifey are over there.
Any idea who I can get insurance through? The three companies contacted so far said I needed to be a permanent UK resident - which luckily I am not!!
Any idea who I can get insurance through? The three companies contacted so far said I needed to be a permanent UK resident - which luckily I am not!!
#2
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 605
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
No idea - I have had this problem for many years. Last time I tried to solve it we went to Swinton insurance and explained the situation. They arranged insurance with AXA but when I read the small print it does not provide cover if you are overseas for more than 180 days. I did have insurance with Churchill, but as soon as we inadvertently mentioned that we were overseas they immediately cancelled the policy. We now ignore the problemand take the cheapest. The only time I have had to make a claim no one asked if we were UK resident.
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 5,125
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
yes you can but as you are not a resident you will need to find a company that does specially that expat insurance... you will pay a lot more.
#6
Just Joined
Joined: Jun 2014
Location: England
Posts: 6
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
give Adrian Flux in Kings Lynn, Norfolk a try - they do specialist policies for all sorts
#7
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 605
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
deleted
Last edited by gottheTshirt; Jun 4th 2014 at 1:07 am. Reason: not correct
#8
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 344
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
As is usual with most UK bureaucracy it doesn't make any logical sense. If you are out of the country for a most of the year then you will be driving on the road in the UK for a much shorter period of time and your risk of having an accident is therefore presumably much lower !!! You would have thought that they would be offering huge discounts for expats who want to take out a full year of car insurance whilst working overseas and making it a condition that you do not drive in the UK for longer than xx days !!!
#9
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 605
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
As is usual with most UK bureaucracy it doesn't make any logical sense. If you are out of the country for a most of the year then you will be driving on the road in the UK for a much shorter period of time and your risk of having an accident is therefore presumably much lower !!! You would have thought that they would be offering huge discounts for expats who want to take out a full year of car insurance whilst working overseas and making it a condition that you do not drive in the UK for longer than xx days !!!
#10
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 344
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
Do the Insurance companies think that it is a bigger risk to them if you leave your car in the garage for 10 months. Are they exposed to a higher risk because you have a non resident status, i.e. are they exposed to different liabilities. Or is it just "tick box" mentality. I just cannot understand the commercial sense in cancelling your policy. Surely your premium is money for old rope for them ?
Last edited by hong_konger; Jun 4th 2014 at 5:22 am.
#12
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
#13
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
It is a bit clearer now that being non resident means my license is invalid.
I can see a parent being utilised as a the registered keeper and policy holder and me being named driver coming on!!
#14
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
Do the Insurance companies think that it is a bigger risk to them if you leave your car in the garage for 10 months. Are they exposed to a higher risk because you have a non resident status, i.e. are they exposed to different liabilities. Or is it just "tick box" mentality. I just cannot understand the commercial sense in cancelling your policy. Surely your premium is money for old rope for them ?
#15
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 605
Re: Insuring a car in the UK
Possibly it's because, depending on your country, you might well spend most of the year driving on the right, and then have to swap sides for your visit, maybe they feel you are somewhat more likely to have an accident. Also, with your car being left for severaal months, they have no real idea how secure it is, and they may think it's more likely to be stolen or vandalised. It's all to do with risk assessment.