Temporary Insurance in UK for car with Irish plates??

sf94117 · 07-10-2010 02:41PM #1

Hi,

I'm looking for a bit of info so hoping someone here can help/may have some experience with this.

Story is my girfriend has moved to the UK and taken her Irish car with her. She has been over there for a month now and her Irish insurance has expired (and they wont renew it cause she is living in the UK now) and UK insurers wont insure her on her Irish plates.

She is in the process of converting the car to UK plates but needs to get an MOT before they will register it in the UK. The problem is she needs the car for work and needs to be able to drive it for the time between getting the MOT (and even getting the car to the MOT centre!) and the car actually getting UK plates. So she is in a catch 22 situation....she needs insurance to get the car to the MOT centre to get the UK plates but cant get insurance cause she doesn't have UK plates!! What I think she needs is some way to get some short term insurance on her Irish plates and I dont know if this is even possible??

Does anyone here have any advice on what she could do/experience of this/know companies that will do short term insurance for foreign cars in the UK??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
SF

Tepo · 07-10-2010 03:14PM

She could take out a policy here in Ireland on 11 installments and just cancel then when shes ready, that way she wont be out the whole years premium but she will have to give an Irish address. She can drive anywhere in europe then legally.

sf94117 · 07-10-2010 03:50PM

Thanks for the reply, we thought about that but what if (god forbid) she was involved in a incident in the UK? It would be investigated and then they could see from the ferry receipt that she has been in the UK for more than 30 days (which is the limit of cover her insurer gives in a foreign country) and she may not be covered.

I think she wants to go down the route of trying to get some sort of short term UK insurance on her Irish plates, if this is possible?

Tepo · 07-10-2010 03:59PM

It must be possible as you can take out insurance here on UK plates without any problem. If not she could buy a very cheap Uk registered car and flog it when she has her own in order. My daughter bought a 2000 peugeot 106 diesel on e bay for £300 recently. It had tax and mot and seems to be in good order.

the_syco · 07-10-2010 04:12PM

Similar thread: http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7006
Information: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/index.htm

May be what you're looking for: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_10014623

insurance guru · 07-10-2010 04:28PM

Apparently, to insure a car within the uk, the car has to be on UK plates. and to get UK plates the car has to be insured as per the dvla in the uk. this came up recently with someone with exactly the same problem as your friend. (kinda makes no sense but apparently this is the way)

there are insurers in the uk that will insure you on irish plates, the problem is finding them. the motor insurance industry in the uk is huge compared to ireland.

insurance companies in ireland give automatic 30 days EU Cover, and of course people do take advantage of this, as you dont need to advise if you are travelling to the uk, cover is automatic.

most irish people probably working in the uk who brought their cars over are still using their irish insurance but havnt advised their insurers that they have been there longer than the period allowed. if you get me!

sf94117 · 07-10-2010 04:43PM

the_syco wrote: »

May be what you're looking for: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_10014623

Thanks for links, yeah I had seen that but I think as she now lives over there (and has signed a contract for a year) she would be considered a resident there now so needs to swtich to the UK plates!

sf94117 · 07-10-2010 04:54PM

insurance guru wrote: »

Apparently, to insure a car within the uk, the car has to be on UK plates. and to get UK plates the car has to be insured as per the dvla in the uk. this came up recently with someone with exactly the same problem as your friend. (kinda makes no sense but apparently this is the way)

This is what I had suspected to be the case from the investigation we had done so far, was hoping someone could prove me wrong!!!

insurance guru wrote: »

there are insurers in the uk that will insure you on irish plates, the problem is finding them. the motor insurance industry in the uk is huge compared to ireland.

Yeah this is what I thought too......I dont suppose anyone would happend to know the names of any of these companies????

insurance guru wrote: »

insurance companies in ireland give automatic 30 days EU Cover, and of course people do take advantage of this, as you dont need to advise if you are travelling to the uk, cover is automatic.

most irish people probably working in the uk who brought their cars over are still using their irish insurance but havnt advised their insurers that they have been there longer than the period allowed. if you get me!

I think this might have been the problem she was too honest and told the insurance company she was moving for a year! But I think that its better to be safe than sorry. I could imagine there could be issues if you were living and driving round the UK for 6 months on Irish insurance/plates and were involved in an incident and had to put in a claim.

insurance guru · 07-10-2010 05:06PM

I think this might have been the problem she was too honest and told the insurance company she was moving for a year! But I think that its better to be safe than sorry. I could imagine there could be issues if you were living and driving round the UK for 6 months on Irish insurance/plates and were involved in an incident and had to put in a claim.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. they could ask for proof of your ferry ticket when you went across (worse case scenario) but in fairness to her she acted in "utmost good faith".

as for looking for an insurance company that would cover her, all i can say is best of luck, because there are literally loads..... sorry

Bogger77 · 07-10-2010 05:21PM

My policy with AXA had unlimited time in the UK, as they said UK insurance is cheaper, and we drive on the same side, it was less risk than mainland europe

sf94117 · 07-10-2010 06:57PM

Bogger77 wrote: »

My policy with AXA had unlimited time in the UK, as they said UK insurance is cheaper, and we drive on the same side, it was less risk than mainland europe

Thanks, might try AXA but I think the issue is that she lives in the UK now....cant hurt to give them a call and check!!

sf94117 · 07-10-2010 07:01PM

insurance guru wrote: »

as for looking for an insurance company that would cover her, all i can say is best of luck, because there are literally loads..... sorry

Thanks, when you say that there are loads I take it you mean that there are loads of insurance companies but not all of them may cover her.....I think thats what we've resigned ourselves to...........just having to ring them all up until we find one that will cover her!! I was hoping someone here may have known a company that does that type of thing!!

CiniO · 08-10-2010 01:32AM

sf94117 wrote: »

Hi,

Story is my girfriend has moved to the UK and taken her Irish car with her. She has been over there for a month now and her Irish insurance has expired (and they wont renew it cause she is living in the UK now) and UK insurers wont insure her on her Irish plates.

What do you mean it expired?
Did her annual policy just finished, or her insurance had a 1 month EU driving extension, and it just expired?

Just be advised, that all EU driving limits, only apply to fire, theft, and own car damage. Third party insurance (the one required by law) is still in place, as there can't be any limits. If you buy a yearly policy, it has to be valid for the whole year in whole EU. That's required by EU regulations from Insurance companies providing motor insurance (only applies to third party cover).

So in other words, if the policy is still in place (didn't expire f.e. after annual period), and her insurer allows her to travel abroad only for a month, even then if she exceed that 1 month period, she's still fully legal on the road, as her third party cover is still valid.

keithclancy · 08-10-2010 06:53AM

Just don't tell the Irish Insurance company you've moved, the b*stards normally automatically renew it anyway.

That'll cover you TPO and will keep you legal on the road.

oldyouth · 08-10-2010 08:04AM

keithclancy wrote: »

Just don't tell the Irish Insurance company you've moved, the b*stards normally automatically renew it anyway.

That'll cover you TPO and will keep you legal on the road.

You are obliged to disclose material facts at renewal to your insuer. Failure to do so can invalidate your policy and attract a poor insurance history that will take you years to shake off. Just because you might hold an insurance certificate does not mean you are in the clear with regard to your cover.

The OP is in a difficult situation but hitting the phones to brokers and insurers is the only solution. Tell them the exact circumstances and see if one can find a solution

maggy_thatcher · 08-10-2010 09:04AM

Slightly off-topic, but just something to keep in mind -- is your gf's car new enough to not have MPH on its speedometer? If it is, she will find it much harder to register it (or at least she'll have to modify the speedo so that it has MPH on it, and that the modifications are visible at night time as well as daytime).

ARGINITE · 08-10-2010 09:10AM

I am still in the process of importing my car to the UK.

First of you need to get it insured on the VIN number, I did this using Adrian Flux. It's expensive to say the least.

Even after getting the MOT you need to get it imported with the DVLA, which requires more than one or two forums to be filled out. You will also need a cert of conformity from the manufacturer and fill the three or four forums that you get from the DVLA. Then send them away with proof of address, identity and your log book and mot cert.

Just encase you are unaware of this, once you become a UK resident you are no longer allowed to drive a foreign registered car until it is registered in the UK.

sf94117 · 08-10-2010 11:38AM

maggy_thatcher wrote: »

Slightly off-topic, but just something to keep in mind -- is your gf's car new enough to not have MPH on its speedometer? If it is, she will find it much harder to register it (or at least she'll have to modify the speedo so that it has MPH on it, and that the modifications are visible at night time as well as daytime).

Really?? Oh no, it's a 07 and is in KPH, wow never even considered that it would need to be changed to show MPH.....it just seems to get more complicated by the day!!!

sf94117 · 08-10-2010 11:45AM

oldyouth wrote: »

You are obliged to disclose material facts at renewal to your insuer. Failure to do so can invalidate your policy and attract a poor insurance history that will take you years to shake off. Just because you might hold an insurance certificate does not mean you are in the clear with regard to your cover.

The OP is in a difficult situation but hitting the phones to brokers and insurers is the only solution. Tell them the exact circumstances and see if one can find a solution

Yeah I'd agree, I think she wants to go down the route of ringing around and being honest about it.....she's no good at lying anyway!!

sf94117 · 08-10-2010 11:50AM

ARGINITE wrote: »

I am still in the process of importing my car to the UK.

First of you need to get it insured on the VIN number, I did this using Adrian Flux. It's expensive to say the least.

Even after getting the MOT you need to get it imported with the DVLA, which requires more than one or two forums to be filled out. You will also need a cert of conformity from the manufacturer and fill the three or four forums that you get from the DVLA. Then send them away with proof of address, identity and your log book and mot cert.

Just encase you are unaware of this, once you become a UK resident you are no longer allowed to drive a foreign registered car until it is registered in the UK.

Thats great, thanks very much for the helpful reply.....I'll try Adrian Flux (i suppose her car is technically an import but its far from the "high performance" imports they seem to specialise in so hopefully it wont be too expensive!!)

I think she would be considered a resident in the UK now so this is why she wants to get this sorted ASAP

It seems like a fairly long and complicated process alright (especially if she will need to go about modifying the car to display MPH as another poster mentioned), I still think she would have been better selling the car in Ireland and buying one over there!!

keithclancy · 08-10-2010 01:33PM

oldyouth wrote: »

You are obliged to disclose material facts at renewal to your insuer. Failure to do so can invalidate your policy and attract a poor insurance history that will take you years to shake off. Just because you might hold an insurance certificate does not mean you are in the clear with regard to your cover.

The OP is in a difficult situation but hitting the phones to brokers and insurers is the only solution. Tell them the exact circumstances and see if one can find a solution

From the OP:

She has been over there for a month now and her Irish insurance has expired (and they wont renew it cause she is living in the UK now) and UK insurers wont insure her on her Irish plates.

Shes not resident and doesnt have to register her car for 6 months.

That doesnt make any sense, i.e. I'm on Holidays in spain in my own car, the insurance expires and they won't renew it becuase im in spain.

maggy_thatcher · 08-10-2010 01:40PM

sf94117 wrote: »

Really?? Oh no, it's a 07 and is in KPH, wow never even considered that it would need to be changed to show MPH.....it just seems to get more complicated by the day!!!

There's a booklet available at http://www.import-car.info/images/dftguide.pdf that explains the procedure. In particular, this section is what I meant:

dftguide wrote:

Great Britain uses imperial units for speed measurement. The law requires that speedometers must include a miles-per-hour display. Please note in particular that any modified display must be visible in daylight and in darkness.

sf94117 · 08-10-2010 02:10PM

keithclancy wrote: »

From the OP:

Shes not resident and doesnt have to register her car for 6 months.

That doesnt make any sense, i.e. I'm on Holidays in spain in my own car, the insurance expires and they won't renew it becuase im in spain.

The reason they wont renew it is because she told them that the car will now be in the UK for the next year (and I think the be insured in Ireland it has to be in the country for something like 6 months of the year or something like that).......so its not like they wouldn't renew just because she is out of the country when it expired

The whole resident thing his was something we were thinking about (but may be outside the realms of this board)....what actually constitues being a "resident" in the UK???? She has signed a lease on an apartment and a work contract for year and is paying taxes over there so we guessed that she probably would be classed as a resident. Couldn't find a definitive answer online though (hope someone wont be able to prove me wrong with a quick google search!!)

ARGINITE · 08-10-2010 02:12PM

Having the car insured for use in Ireland would be a complete waste of time and money, as to get it imported the DVLA need a current UK insurance cert sent in with the application.

keithclancy · 08-10-2010 02:47PM

sf94117 wrote: »

The reason they wont renew it is because she told them that the car will now be in the UK for the next year (and I think the be insured in Ireland it has to be in the country for something like 6 months of the year or something like that).......so its not like they wouldn't renew just because she is out of the country when it expired

The whole resident thing his was something we were thinking about (but may be outside the realms of this board)....what actually constitues being a "resident" in the UK???? She has signed a lease on an apartment and a work contract for year and is paying taxes over there so we guessed that she probably would be classed as a resident. Couldn't find a definitive answer online though (hope someone wont be able to prove me wrong with a quick google search!!)

From the horses mouth:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Motoringtransactions/BeforeyouapplyC/DG_10035602

185 days in 12 months

People working with me are working and living in Germany commuting from the UK but for less than 185 days out of the year so are classed as UK residents.

I had the exact same problem moving to Holland, just renewed my insurance. Didn't have to declare anything until I was resident.

Same as now, i.e. had an Apartment in Germany while living in Holland, never became resident so was never an issue.

suitseir · 08-10-2010 06:10PM

Found this link.
http://www.oneshot.ie/narrative/uncategorized/eu-rights

sf94117 · 08-10-2010 08:23PM

suitseir wrote: »

Found this link.
http://www.oneshot.ie/narrative/uncategorized/eu-rights

Wow, very interesting, thanks for the link!! Haven't read the directive yet but seems like this is something insurance companies dont abide by, I had no idea about it!

sf94117 · 08-10-2010 08:35PM

keithclancy wrote: »

From the horses mouth:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Motoringtransactions/BeforeyouapplyC/DG_10035602

185 days in 12 months

People working with me are working and living in Germany commuting from the UK but for less than 185 days out of the year so are classed as UK residents.

I had the exact same problem moving to Holland, just renewed my insurance. Didn't have to declare anything until I was resident.

Same as now, i.e. had an Apartment in Germany while living in Holland, never became resident so was never an issue.

Thanks, must have just skipped over that page on the website cause it referred to DL as opposed to insurance but I see the bit your talking about.....

sf94117 · 08-10-2010 08:39PM

So have got a quote from Adrian Flux via the VIN (thanks Arginite) that I think she is just going to go with.....now I have another question!!

Taking it that she gets the car changed to UK plates soon what happens if she wants to bring the car back to Ireland in a years time and put it back on Irish plates??? Will she be liable to pay VRT????

slimjimmc · 08-10-2010 08:48PM

sf94117 wrote: »

So have got a quote from Adrian Flux via the VIN (thanks Arginite) that I think she is just going to go with.....now I have another question!!

Taking it that she gets the car changed to UK plates soon what happens if she wants to bring the car back to Ireland in a years time and put it back on Irish plates??? Will she be liable to pay VRT????

No, you're not liable for VRT if the car was previously registered in Ireland before being exported. She'll probably have to pay a few bob (don't know how much, perhaps €50, hopefully free) to re-register. Make sure she keeps the old Irish plates because she'll get the same reg number.

oldyouth · 08-10-2010 10:09PM

keithclancy wrote: »

From the OP:

Shes not resident and doesnt have to register her car for 6 months.

That doesnt make any sense, i.e. I'm on Holidays in spain in my own car, the insurance expires and they won't renew it becuase im in spain.

What's your point? Just because she doesn't have to re-register the car has nothing to do with the commercial decision her insurers have made

Temporary Insurance in UK for car with Irish plates??

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