bons

I've done a Thread Search but can't find anything about this, though I'm sure there must something. When you move to Portugal and buy a car, how does the insurance work? Do they ask for anything from your previous insurer in the UK, no claims bonus or do you just start from scratch?

The reason I ask, I've been an idiot! I've probably written off my car driving at 1 mph, but clipping a wall in a very tight car park. If I claim for this on my insurance, will it affect the insurance I take out in Portugal?

Oh, and this was a car that we've owned for about 8 years and we were going to bring it with us and import it! If I buy another car now, I don't think we'll be able to improt it tax free. I have had a great day...

morro

When I first had Portuguese car insurance with Fidelidade, all they wanted to do was have a quick look at the car. They did not even ask if I had a Drivers Licence!

bons

How long ago was that? Have you taken out insurance since then?

SgtTroy

I don't there is a global exchange of information, but if you insist on bringing the same car here, it will come with some history of MOT, service, etc, not necessarily through the insurers.

Advice is always difficult to give, but calculate carefully the cost of registration of UK car in Portugal, then compare it with the same model and age if purchased here. Cars in Portugal seem to be bit expensive, but I don't think there are a lot of buyers right now.

*They do ask for the date of your driver's licence, which is a bit confusing, as you may initially think that it refers to the date the last licence was issued. Providing the date on which you acquired your first licence would be more accurate, the question is basically "how long have you been driving for".

**Exchange of licence - numerous threads in the forum, good luck with that one...

liveaboard

I think many people have brought their cars over from the UK when they would have been better off disposing of it and buying one in Portugal.

While second hand cars in PT are more expensive for a given year and model, most have been garaged and rust free cars are easy to find, even at 10+ years old.
RHD cars have zero resale value, and some parts are troublesome to get in the EU.

If you subtract the time, costs, and stress of importing your old UK car, I suspect there's little profit left.

Then there is emotional value. Come on, it's a car!

Driving on the wrong side is a drag too. If you're used to it or not.