Alberta_Rose

I'm going back in May to stay with my parents. They have a car which they have offered for my use but now they tell me their insurers won't let me drive it as I am visiting from "abroad".
Even though it is an automatic and I have driven in the UK for over thirty years (on a manual) before I came out here!

Is this the case for all insurers? I've been back in the past and driven, but maybe they forgot to mention last time that I was just visiting??

Is there any way around this or must I suck it up and rent a car?? (seems a shame when they have one sitting there that neither of them currently drive!)

Alberta_Rose

http://www.aviva.co.uk/short-term-ca...formation.html

They are insured with these guys.....

edit: I've looked at AA, RAC etc for temporary insurance and actually they all say the same thing. RAC specifically says Canadian Licence is NOT accepted.

Has anybody got round this ? I think my parents' mistake was mentioning that I live abroad at all!!

Geordie Lass

The only bit I can see that "*might* relate to you is this bit

"is being driven by any person not described in your certificate of insurance as entitled to drive"

Surely they can just add you as a named driver? My dad's done it for me loads of times just for a couple of weeks at a time and I've put him on mine a couple of times too just for a couple of weeks.

It's doesn't mention anywhere where are visiting from. If it were me I would ring them again and just state that they want to put their son/daughter on it for a couple of weeks as a named driver.... I reckon they've talked to a muppet and hopefully they'll/you will get another muppet next time...

dreadsoc

If you still hold a valid UK driving licence (you mentioned you drove in the Uk for some years prior to moving to Canada) then you are legally entitled to drive in the UK.
If you have a UK licence then your parents need to contact their insurers and tell them this as it makes a difference.

Dread - x

el_richo

Direct line always were fine when adding our Canadian visitors.

macadian

When visiting the UK I used to borrow my mates car and was added to his insurance, however, a couple of years back things changed. Insurance company concerned changed their policy regarding 'foreign driving licence holders'. On enquiring with them I was informed that many insurance companies had changed their policy too. Even though I had held a UK driving licence for over 30 years it made no difference.I now was the holder of an Ontario Drivers Licence and that precluded me. I now have to hire a car etc. Last year my brother tried to have me added to his policy for my stay using his car. Again, hit the same policy, it was a no go. It's possible all UK Insurance companies don't have this policy, it all depends on who the owner of the vehicle is insured with, but at least three different insurance companies in the above instances now have the above mentioned policy.

As an aside, my brothers car Insurance was about to expire (a few weeks down the road after my visit) and when he found that I could not be added to THAT policy, he phoned around other companies to see if they would accommodate me on his car insurance in the future when visiting the UK. All had the same policy regarding 'Non UK D/L holders. I now include car hire in my budget for future trips....

It's worth baring in mind that failure to state that you are not the holder of a UK licence e.g have a Canadian licence, when application to the Insurance Company concerned is being made for you to be added to an existing policy e.g, parents/brother/friend etc, would be considered fraud and would invalidate coverage in the event of an accident/claim and depending on the circumstances may render you AND the owner of the vehicle open to prosecution. Just a thought.

Piff Poff

Year before last my Mum insured me to drive her car for two weeks, it cost 12 pounds. I have no idea who they have insurance with.

lmartin999

Up to the insurers.

Alberta_Rose

I had to hand over my UK licence when I exchanged it for my Alberta one.

I know some people on here got a "replacement" from the dvla, I guess saying that they had lost theirs, ......

I don't know whether the rules have changed over the years or whether every insurance company had the same rules, but I think I better just hire a car this time at least.

Mum isn't well enough to drive now, and dad is blind, and they live in a tiny village about 10 miles from the nearest town with any public transport, so I think both for my sanity and to be of any use to them I do need a car.

jericho

I've been back 4 times in the last 6 months, and never had an issue being added to my parent' car insurance.

Alberta_Rose

Do you know who their insurers are?
Maybe the issue is that mine specifically asked for short term coverage as opposed to just adding me as a named driver.

I have searched short term coverage with companies that offer cover for 1-28 days. I have found nobody that will cover drivers with Canadian licence so far, except Direct Line, who insist that you take out a one year policy.

I think I shall rent a car

Alberta_Rose

Any way you could find out? It might be helpful for the future.

jericho

I cannot remember, but I think you are over complicating the issue.
Your family member calls up and asks to add a named driver to the policy for 30 days or whatever. They ask how long you've had a license, any convictions, accidents etc. The first time I did, I explained it was a Canadian license, but I had a UK license before that. He put me on hold for a while whilst he checked to make sure it was OK, and bingo, I was added. It cost about 30 quid for 3 weeks, and a new insurance certificate arrived a few days later in the post.

If you have someone telling you that you cannot be added, ask to speak to the team leader because they're probably just a call centre worker and dont know what they're doing.

Alberta_Rose

They did this. They were put through to a supervisor who confirmed that I was not in fact eligible. They argued with everybody at length, and explained that I had driven for years in the uk, all to no avail.

If you read macadian's post you will see that it is not just my experience, or something my parents did or didn't do right.

The daft thing is that mum's car is an automatic, but if I hire a car I will be able to get a manual with no problems, even though I have a Canadian licence (or that was our experience 2 years ago anyway)

On that subject: If ever I go back to the UK and want to exchange my Canadian licence for a UK one I shall only be able to get one for an automatic (despite having driven for 25 years - did my sums wrong before - in the UK with a manual and originally passing my test in a manual drive car). If I want a UK license for a manual car I shall have to retake the driving test. And so will you and everyone else who gave up their UK licence!


Anyway thanks for your input.

conjonway

No frikkin way! That is complete bollocks.

No plans to return to the UK for any long length of time, but is certainly a crappy thing to have to think about! I was already dreading the concept of teaching my Canadian missus how to drive manual, AND on the correct (left) side of the road!