Driving in UK on Irish plates?

Darkest Horse

Really sorry to drag up an old thread but I'm in a similar position so just said I'd add to this one. To what extent am I covered in the UK beyond the 93 day limit and does it cost extra, or is it even possible, to attain comprehensive cover beyond this time limit? I'm over in the UK, the car is with me and I want to retain full cover without changing my plates.

Cheers,

DH

biko

Moved out from old thread as regulations may have changed between then and now.

UK will allow Irish plates for 6 months as a tourist (need tax, insurance etc to be up to date). If you will become a permanent resident the car must be switched over immediately.
Perhaps if you can tell us a bit more on the circumstance around the move we can help better.
How long will you stay?
Work or study?
Who are you insured with now?

CiniO

In relation to insurers there's good few in Ireland that will cover you fully comprehensive in UK for the whole period of the policy.
F.e. Allianz or FBD.
Possibly many more.

fmcg_scribe

Darkest Horse wrote: »

Really sorry to drag up an old thread but I'm in a similar position so just said I'd add to this one. To what extent am I covered in the UK beyond the 93 day limit and does it cost extra, or is it even possible, to attain comprehensive cover beyond this time limit? I'm over in the UK, the car is with me and I want to retain full cover without changing my plates.

Cheers,

DH

It looks as if you will be importing your car into the UK temporarily:
https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports

See how your enquiries with Irish insurers go because I can't see that any UK insurers would cover you for more than 28 days:
http://www.moneymaxim.co.uk/short-term-car-insurance-uk-overseas-residents
http://www.temporarycarinsurance.ws/driving-guide-for-foreign-visitors.html

Darkest Horse

biko wrote: »

Moved out from old thread as regulations may have changed between then and now.

UK will allow Irish plates for 6 months as a tourist (need tax, insurance etc to be up to date). If you will become a permanent resident the car must be switched over immediately.
Perhaps if you can tell us a bit more on the circumstance around the move we can help better.
How long will you stay?
Work or study?
Who are you insured with now?

I think as a student I have the right to hold onto my plates? I'll be here 3 years and I'm insured with Liberty. I certainly have 93 days full cover and possibly another 93 in the new year as my policy is due for renewal. I know also by law that I must be covered for third party in the EU so just exploring options for full cover now.

whomitconcerns

you will have to register in UK. 3 years means you will be almost certainly resident in the UK.

whomitconcerns

whomitconcerns wrote: »

you will have to register in UK. 3 years means you will be almost certainly resident in the UK.

Students are in a bit of a grey area when it comes to residency and technically you are not a resident when studying.

For instance being a student in the UK does not satisfy the residency criteria for importing a car VRT free to Ireland and time spent in a country as a student does not count towards your time in a country for someone looking to become a citizen/get permanent residency etc.

That said a friend of mine who studied over there and brought his car changed it over in the end as it was less hassle from an insurance/nct point of view.

whomitconcerns

maybe but for car insurance purposes, I think its not as clear. Whats the point of paying for insurance if you offer them a get out clause due to residency.

You need to spoeak to your insurance company. But I think if you are spending over the amount of days per year, you will ease to be Irish ordinary resident and your insurance may be invalidated.

Call your insurance company is the only way you will know!

Some info
http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/International-Students/Study-work--more/Other-useful-information/Driving/

Darkest Horse

whomitconcerns wrote: »

you will have to register in UK. 3 years means you will be almost certainly resident in the UK.

There's no way I'm registering it here, no way. As far as I can see, students are exempt anyway:

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports

fmcg_scribe

Darkest Horse wrote: »

There's no way I'm registering it here, no way. As far as I can see, students are exempt anyway:

https://www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/temporary-imports

You're not reading that information correctly. You fail this criterion for students and workers: "you normally live outside the EU".

Further, even if you didn't fail that criterion, you didn't contact HMRC about customs relief before you arrived in the UK.

Reckon that you have two options:

• Register the car in the UK for the duration of your studies and insure it with a UK insurer.
• Sell your car (probably in Ireland) and buy a UK car for the duration of your studies.

Darkest Horse

It seems I'm wrong about the UK law for students but I'm sure that does not supersede EU law?

http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/vehicles/registration/taxes/index_en.htm#!lightbox-uid-0

In this link it says "If you are staying in another country only in order to study, you can drive your car without having to register it or pay taxes there - for as long as you are enrolled in an educational establishment in that country".

Darkest Horse

There is even an example:

Sample story

Mathieu is French and living in Belgium where he is doing a 2‑year post-graduate course. Mathieu's car was damaged, so he went to the police to get a report for his insurer. When the police discovered that Mathieu had been living in Belgium for over a year without registering his car there, they told him that he was in an irregular situation and would be fined.

Mathieu could prove that he was registered at Antwerp University and therefore, as a student from another EU country, he didn't have to pay car or road taxes in Belgium.

Marcusm

biko wrote: »

Moved out from old thread as regulations may have changed between then and now.

UK will allow Irish plates for 6 months as a tourist (need tax, insurance etc to be up to date). If you will become a permanent resident the car must be switched over immediately.
Perhaps if you can tell us a bit more on the circumstance around the move we can help better.
How long will you stay?
Work or study?
Who are you insured with now?

Students are, by EU directive, excluded from the requirement to reregister their car for the duration of their course. THis is explicit; the underlying theory is that they retain their normal residence in their home state and would return there during holidays etc.

DH needs to speak with his/her current insurer and establish whether they are willing to continue cover on the basis tht while the usual residential address is in Ireland, the car will normally be kept in the UK. Many companies such as Allianz and Axa already include GB and NI as part of the territorial limits meaning that the full benefits of the policy apply for 365 days not jsut the legal minimum third party element.

EDIT: I've just noticed that the OP is with Liberty - this is another insurer which has a UK & Ireland territorial limit. A phone call to the insurer is the first step.

Darkest Horse

Thanks Marcus, I'm in the process of talking with the insurers. Despite the contradictory laws, it seems that I am ok to drive here for the time being.

DH

Marcusm

Darkest Horse wrote: »

Thanks Marcus, I'm in the process of talking with the insurers. Despite the contradictory laws, it seems that I am ok to drive here for the time being.

DH

I think that's a typo on the website. Some of it has changed in the move from dvla.gov.uk. I'm convinced that used to say "outside the UK" not "outside the EU".

whomitconcerns

All the above not pertain to taxes though...we are talking about insurance.

I would still think that as the insurer cant asses the risks of another country on a permenant basis it would still be invalidated in that period. You need to contact your insurer

Darkest Horse

Hi guys. It seems my insurer, Liberty, will not cover my car in the UK. Anyone know of any Irish (or even British) insurers who will?

Cheers,

DH

Carawaystick

My fbd policy covers me anywhere in the EEA, Morocco or Turkey. Without time limits.

whomitconcerns

Carawaystick wrote: »

My fbd policy covers me anywhere in the EEA, Morocco or Turkey. Without time limits.

i think you will find if your residency changes this is not the case

CiniO

whomitconcerns wrote: »

i think you will find if your residency changes this is not the case

But in OP's situation his residence won't change (he still will be resident in Ireland).

whomitconcerns

CiniO wrote: »

But in OP's situation his residence won't change (he still will be resident in Ireland).

for car insurance purposes...i am pretty sure that 3 years outside the country will make him non resident..but its moot as the insurance company has confirmed they wont cover him..

CiniO

whomitconcerns wrote: »

for car insurance purposes...i am pretty sure that 3 years outside the country will make him non resident..but its moot as the insurance company has confirmed they wont cover him..

Well there isn't anything like "residence for insurance purposes".
Either he is resident in Ireland or he isn't.
And as a student abroad, he is resident in Ireland, so Insurance company can not just say - sorry, we won't cover you as you live abroad.
They offer cover for Irish residents and OP will be one of them.

What his insurance company won't do is to cover the car abroad fully comprehensive. But as pointed above, there's many insurers which will be happy to provide full comprehensive cover for car abroad for whole period of the policy.
FBD is happy to do that in EU. Allianz only in UK but that's enough for OP.
Possibly there's more insurers like that.

ardmacha

CiniO wrote: »

Well there isn't anything like "residence for insurance purposes".
Either he is resident in Ireland or he isn't.
And as a student abroad, he is resident in Ireland, so Insurance company can not just say - sorry, we won't cover you as you live abroad.
They offer cover for Irish residents and OP will be one of them.

They can refuse to insure anyone or charge a ridiculous price.

Darkest Horse

CiniO wrote: »

Well there isn't anything like "residence for insurance purposes".
Either he is resident in Ireland or he isn't.
And as a student abroad, he is resident in Ireland, so Insurance company can not just say - sorry, we won't cover you as you live abroad.
They offer cover for Irish residents and OP will be one of them.

What his insurance company won't do is to cover the car abroad fully comprehensive. But as pointed above, there's many insurers which will be happy to provide full comprehensive cover for car abroad for whole period of the policy.
FBD is happy to do that in EU. Allianz only in UK but that's enough for OP.
Possibly there's more insurers like that.

Wow great news if so! FBD you reckon? I've been stressing about this all day as it seems the insurance companies are not totally in line with EU law.

slimjimmc

Darkest Horse wrote: »

Wow great news if so! FBD you reckon? I've been stressing about this all day as it seems the insurance companies are not totally in line with EU law.

EU law on territories covered by insurance only applies to compulsory 3rd party cover. You will find that every policy issued in Ireland covers you 3rd party throughout the EU for the full duration of the policy. Anything extra, such as comprehensive cover, is not regulated in the same way so insurers can dictate the terms of cover in their contracts.

Darkest Horse

CiniO wrote: »

Well there isn't anything like "residence for insurance purposes".
Either he is resident in Ireland or he isn't.
And as a student abroad, he is resident in Ireland, so Insurance company can not just say - sorry, we won't cover you as you live abroad.
They offer cover for Irish residents and OP will be one of them.

What his insurance company won't do is to cover the car abroad fully comprehensive. But as pointed above, there's many insurers which will be happy to provide full comprehensive cover for car abroad for whole period of the policy.
FBD is happy to do that in EU. Allianz only in UK but that's enough for OP.
Possibly there's more insurers like that.

I called FBD today and they don't seem to do this. Anyone have any recommendations on who would?

keithclancy

Hi OP

The problem is if you over complicate things then you will just confuse the crap out of the insurance agent.

Once you start out with the "I'll be in X country for X years" they'll immediately answer saying they don't do that.

Just take out insurance at your home address in Ireland, parents house I would assume and drive on.

Students are deemed to be resident in their home country for the duration of their study.

Only thing really is that your insurance is Third Party Only after 90 days (depends on the policy)

Remember to get your EHIC card also.

Darkest Horse

keithclancy wrote: »

Hi OP

The problem is if you over complicate things then you will just confuse the crap out of the insurance agent.

Once you start out with the "I'll be in X country for X years" they'll immediately answer saying they don't do that.

Just take out insurance at your home address in Ireland, parents house I would assume and drive on.

Students are deemed to be resident in their home country for the duration of their study.

Only thing really is that your insurance is Third Party Only after 90 days (depends on the policy)

Remember to get your EHIC card also.

Hi Keith, many thanks for the help, very much appreciated. I'm not sure what a EHIC is?

CiniO

Darkest Horse wrote: »

Hi Keith, many thanks for the help, very much appreciated. I'm not sure what a EHIC is?

European Health Insurance Card.
Nothing to do with motoring.
You apply for it in Medical card office (or online) and it's for free.
This gives you access to public health services in the whole EU (f.e. GP or hospitals).

CiniO

Darkest Horse wrote: »

I called FBD today and they don't seem to do this. Anyone have any recommendations on who would?

They do.
Probably just agent you spoke to, was misinformed, like most insurance call-centre people.

That's their policy:
http://www.fbd.ie/media/FBD/pdf/fbd-pmv-policy-book.pdf

Territorial limits
We will provide cover as set out in the
schedule for events which happen during the
period of insurance in
a. Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, the
Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
b. other European Union member states
c. any other country which the Commission
of the European Union is satisfied has
made arrangements to meet the minimum
insurance requirements set out by the
European Union Directives on insurance of
civil liabilities arising from the use of motor
vehicles and
d. while the car is in transit by sea (including
loading and unloading) between any ports
in the territories covered by this policy.

So they provide full cover all over EU and even outside in some countries for whole period of the policy.
They even advertise it in their website.

anydroid

Darkest Horse wrote: »

Hi guys. It seems my insurer, Liberty, will not cover my car in the UK. Anyone know of any Irish (or even British) insurers who will?

Cheers,

DH

I was able to take a UK policy on Irish plates with Quinn Direct UK, but that was ~5 years ago and things may have changed since. Specialist brokers can sometime offer chassis insurance but this may be restricted to travel to/from your MOT centre lol

Speaking as someone who ultimately re-registered my car in the UK, it was a very easy and straight-forward process. Obviously you may not want to go this far if you intend bringing the car back to IRL at some stage.

Some other OT observations:
- aside from motorways, there is almost no visible traffic policing in England...
- judging my by local supermarket car park, there are plenty of Poles, Slovaks and Hungarians who evidently don't bother re-registering
- there is some change afoot in UK law to allow DVLA search customs entry records to establish which cars are here beyond six months. Prior to this, they had no way of confirming a vehicle's arrival date.

Darkest Horse

CiniO wrote: »

They do.
Probably just agent you spoke to, was misinformed, like most insurance call-centre people.

That's their policy:
http://www.fbd.ie/media/FBD/pdf/fbd-pmv-policy-book.pdf



So they provide full cover all over EU and even outside in some countries for whole period of the policy.
They even advertise it in their website.

I wonder would that change if they found out I would keep the car in the UK though. On the other hand, that text is quite clear and they don't speak of any bullish1t 93 day limits in the EU.