susique

Has anyone solved this problem? My current insurer AXA have booted me out. As the car was suffering from not being driven I gave my son permission to drive which technically makes him the main driver at the moment as I am in Spain. When I tried to do the right thing and advise AXA they refused to continue my policy as I hold a Spanish licence and am resident in Spain. I have got a quote of nearly £800 for my son to take over ownership and insure the car in his name with me as named second driver (Spanish residency and licence OK here) but its a heck of a lot of money. The car isn't worth that.

Longlegpete

All you can do is get your son to shop for quotes, he will be the main driver and obviously being younger the premium will be higher, it's not just the value of the car it's the damage that can be done with it

missile

As you probably know with you as insured and son being main driver is fronting. In the event of an accident this would likely been identified and your insurance would have been invalidated.

susique

Which is why I called to advise that he would be main driver, and was told he would have to be the "keeper" but incidentally, I would no longer be able to be insured because it seems that I've become a massive insurance risk that no one will entertain simply by changing where I live.

Listen Very Carefully

A UK insurance company can only insure a UK resident It is not that you are now a massive risk they just cannot do it

Joppa

That is not true. Some insurers (more likely Lloyds syndicates for non-standard risks) do insure non-UK residents. Try specialist brokers/intermediaries like Car Insurance for Non UK Residents - Insure2Drive and comparison site like Car Insurance For Non UK Residents | comparethemarket.com

snikpoh

As Joppa states - this is simply false.

I am named on UK policies. I have lived here in Spain as a resident for 16 years and have a Spanish licence

Notdunroamin

I may be wrong but from a perusal of their websites the insurers mentioned appear to me to be offering insurance for non UK residents temporarily in the UK, NOT UK citizens resident in Spain - or elsewhere.

del.Almendro

The circumstances described by the OP confirm quite clearly that he is not an insurable risk. Only the actual main driver can legally insure this car for road risk. Any other arrangement is likely fraudulent and would result in void insurance in the event of a claim.

snikpoh

Sorry, but I don't see the difference.

non UK residents temporarily in the UK
UK citizens resident in Spain

Those two statements are not contradictory.

susique

Wrong - see my post below.

Listen Very Carefully

There is a whole lot of difference in being named on a policy and being a policy holder.The two sites mentioned quite clearly state that they are for non uk residents moving to the UK or UK citizens returning to the UK from abroad They are aimed at a niche market and probably cost the earth.
Once you are no longer a resident of country X you cannot be insured by an insurance company from country X whilst you are in your new country Hence all those ex pats driving around in UK reg cars with UK insurance are unlawful.
But of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating and playing around with car insurance always ends up in a problem

susique

Which is why I told AXA the situation had changed any my son was now main driver. Well temporarily at least, I hope to get back to UK for a while at some point. And yes, I can see why they were not happy with that, but the issue was that they refused to insure me at all any more because I am Spanish Resident. I had hoped they might be more helpful and offer a solution/advice, not boot me out.

EuroTrash

You could try Stuart Collins. He insures UK reg cars owned by EU residents, and I believe his cover allows the car to be driven in the UK. Whether he will insure a vehicle in the name of an EU resident when that person is not the keeper and the car is not kept in the country where the policyholder lives, I do not know, but then, I don't really understand how he operates but it all seems to be legit despite sounding a bit odd. Google will find him for you.
But I don't really see the problem. If your son is the main driver and he keeps the car, he should be the main policyholder. Are you saying they will not even include you as a named driver on your son's policy? If so, suggest you find a different insurer.

missile

Are you saying they will not even include you as a named driver on your son's policy? That makes no sense to me, but AXA make their own rules.