UK insurance for non-resident driver

[allanb]

I know the forum is supposed to be about driving in France but this is about driving in the UK – I hope I will be forgiven.

I live in France and have a normal French motor insurance policy, which refers to a particular car (my own) and does not cover me while driving any other vehicle (except in strictly defined circumstances, which aren't relevant here).

I am going to the UK soon and will be visiting a family member, resident in the UK, who is in the throes of changing jobs and moving house.  We have agreed that one thing I can do to help is to drive his car from his old address to his new one.  (My own car plays no part in this story.)

He has spoken to his insurers, who told him that they could not add me as a named driver on his policy – not even at an increased cost – because I am not resident in the UK.  That's the only reason: they didn't query my age or health or insurance record.

Now I will, as soon as I can, ask my French insurers whether they can provide suitable cover, even if it's only third-party liability to comply with UK law.  I'm not very hopeful, because French policies seem usually to be attached to the car, not to the driver.  But I need to make some plans during what's left of the weekend, so I wonder whether anyone has been in a similar situation and what response they got.

   

[idun]

My Dad and subsequently my brother often added me their policies, don't know what is going on with this insurer, but this is not on and just plain stupid, even if they are allowed to do this.

[dave21478]

If his insurers wont play ball, most of the short term insurance providers will be able to help....

http://www.dayinsure.com/

https://www.tempcover.com/

The RAC have their own version too - There are plenty of them out there. Dayinsure definitely cover expats....You would need to check the other companies terms to be certain though.

[Russethouse]

[quote user="idun"]

My Dad and subsequently my brother often added me their policies, don't know what is going on with this insurer, but this is not on and just plain stupid, even if they are allowed to do this.

[/quote]

My sister had the same experience when a South African friend who now lives in Australia visited (despite them having a valid UK license) - not resident, not interested. Another friend wanted to add an American to their policy and the answer for that was no too.

Going by that its not uncommon to be refused......

[Loiseau]

My UK insurer complied with my request to add a Canadian visitor to my UK car insurance for a couple of weeks without batting an eyelid.  I think I might have paid a few quid for the privilege, but not much.

Angela

[PaulT]

A few years ago I added an American friend to my UK policy. Think different insurers have different rules.

You may come unstuck with short term insurance - took this out very recently to move a car and one of the stipulations was that you were UK resident

Paul

[AnOther]

[quote user="idun"]don't know what is going on with this insurer, but this

is not on and just plain stupid, even if they are allowed to do this.[/quote]

A common enough dilemma but the decision whether or not to cover a non resident driver is entirely at the discretion of the insurance company. They are private for profit organisations and as such are not obliged to insure anyone if they choose not to but if they do then they can freely impose whatever conditions they like.

A word of caution here though; despite what they might tell you say French insurance will NOT cover you in the circumstances you describe. Insurance for a UK registered vehicle used in the UK MUST be provided by a member of the UK's MIB and no French insurer that I, or anyone else here I'm sure, knows of is.

Temporary insurance may be your only practical option but do check the residency rules there too. Dayinsure.com do accept non residents, check out the FAQ's.

[allanb]

Thanks for the comments.  The car owner has found the supplementary cover from an on-line insurer, although he described it as hideously expensive for two days' insurance. 

Very annoying that the car's principal insurer can refuse me just because of where I live – although of course AnO is right; they can refuse me if they want to.  In a brief fantasy I thought about writing on the application form that I am black, Jewish and resident in France, and then challenging their decision.

[Russethouse]

We've at last changed our car and had to reinsure, in conversation our insurer mentioned that a parent had phoned wanting a quote for his teenage son to drive his old Range Rover.....£27, 000.  [:'(] Sometimes these companies just do not want the business!