Insuring a southern car in the North. A Rant.

Ismhunter

What a pain in the ring the border is!!

Ive been trying to get my car re-registered up here (ive moved to a loyalist/unionist area and i was advised to get the plates changed )
I was told i needed insurance and the MOT . I'm insured in the south so i thought that would do so i went and got the MOT. I had a few lights and the back window wiper broke on the car so i spent a day trying to find a place to get em fixed and another day trying to find parts. In the end a lad at a garage told me they wouldnt fail me for the wiper so i just went in and got the mot .
Rang my insurance to make sure and they said they wouldnt insure my car if i was in the North.. Right so i thought ill just get a new insurer (it was up in a month anyway) In the mean time i went into the DVA office and they gave me 4 forms to fill out, told me i needed proof of insurance, id, proof of address and a certificate of conformity ( another rabbit-trail that took a few days-eventually i rang Toyota ireland they sent it to me after i sent them a copy of my log book and license). they also told me that i probably wouldnt get insurance without NI plates but that i wouldnt get NI plates without insurance.... So i have to get a commital from a company that i will be insured by them once i get my plates.

Today then i started ringing insurance companies. Alot of them simply wont insure an imported car and those that do are quoting me ....1800 sterling. I payed 357 euros last year!!

I currently have the phone (which btw is probably costing me a bomb because its pay as you go which i have to use because i cant get a bill-pay because all though i have an address i dont have a PROOF of address which i need to set up a bank account which i need to set up a bill pay phone) beside on speakerphone for the last 31 mins as i wait to get through to the NI version of my insurer.
So anyway sorry for the rant.. im just culture shocking i guess.

Update: I bought 10£ credit this morning. After 44 minutes on hold... My phone hung up and told me to get more credit. ....

rugbyman

Ism,

often one falls into form filling nightmares.
Interesting point , you took a southern reg car to a N.I. testing station and got it tested? is this a short term cert for re reg purposes or a full years MOT?

try asking for quotes for a non imported car to see what prices you get. If you need a registration number for this, copy one down off another car.

re the bank and phone companies , is a letter from your land lord not sufficent.? lots of people like you will not have a utility bill.

Finally. if your car is not very old, you may find it better to sell it and buy a N.I. one( I realise ,perhaps you know it/like it/ are only staying a while)

regards,Rugbyman

Ismhunter

They didnt care about the car being a southern one at the MOT. They just booked the car under the chassis number instead of the Reg.

The landlord letter will work for getting a bank account but the DVA have a list of what they will accept and Landlords letters aint on it.

Thanks for your reply. I just need to vent here.

Ismhunter

Thats a good idea about trying to see what the price is for a non-imported car.. I'll try that.

mickdw

Sell the car, buy the same type of car cheaper in the north. Profit.
there would not be too many people trying to do what you are doing hence the system is a mess.