Using a U.K. registered vehicle in France

[AnOther]

[quote user="oakbri"]

I had read on this post that you CANNOT insure a car in the UK inless you are a UK resident - clearly wrong as there are thousands of NON UK residents from all over the world with secondary homes in the UK with fully legal cars there.[/quote]And your evidence of this is...........?

Just because they do doesn't make it right.

[quote user="oakbri"]

I have just found an article in an Enlish language newspaper here in France and it talks about this exact subject and says " Spokesman for the Association of British Insurers stated that no insurance firm is obliged to give any individual cover, including someone living abroad. There was also no EU directive to even use a British Insurance firm. The only requirement is that you use an insurer who has official authorisation to do business in the UK." I wish I saw this article yesterday.[/quote]

All perfectly true but can you quote me one company outside of  UK who are authorised to and do business there. I'm sure we'd all be interested and they'd pick up a mass of new clients.

PS: If a newspaper with a name beginning with "C" then their information is not universally correct [;-)]

[quote user="oakbri"]So that seems to clear it up. It is comforting for the many others who, like me have a secondary home in the UK, to know we can legally insure a second car there. It is even better to know we could, if they are authorised, use our current French insurers, as most companies do multi policy discounts.[/quote]

Does it ?

Have you specifically spoken to your insurance company ?

[bigears]

hi again

I emailed admiral

hi
before I go for a quote on line, can you tell me if your normal car policy will cover me. I am a uk national, I live between france and the uk. I have a house in both countries. I want to keep a uk registered car at my uk address and use the cheap airlines for travel backwards and forwards to the uk, rather than cross the channel in my french reg car. For tax purposes I am resident in france as I spend a little more of the year in france. Can you cover me?

 

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for your enquiry with Admiral. Unfortunately we only cover people who are UK resident for at least 9 months of the year, with some exceptions E.g. Forces. You may wish to try "Call Connection" based in Ipswich on 0845 155 6204.
Please feel free to contact me if you require any further assistance.

Yours sincerely
Giles Henry
Admiral SCR

 

The other mainstream companies seem to have a similar  policy.  This has actually taken me by surprise, I cannot understand the logic in it.  I must again emphasize this does not affect me as I am resident in the uk.  Where are you people who are saying the opposite getting your information from?

 

 

[Will]

I am sure I saw somewhere about an EU directive, judgement or agreement that said, if I remember right, that vehicles have to be registered and insured in the country where they are normally kept. Obviously, as with all EU matters, some countries may follow them more closely than others.

[oakbri]

Ernie

There are many people who spend time in the UK for work and pleasure who are not resident. Do you believe not one of the greedy insurance comapnies would operate a policy for them?? I guarantee they would never miss an oportunity like that. Many of these people have highly paid high ranking jobs, do you actually think they drive around illegally???

And yes insurance companies do have multi policy discounts. I insured my bike with a company and when I switched my car, then my home insurance to them I received a discount on each.

[oakbri]

[quote user="Will"]

I am sure I saw somewhere about an EU directive, judgement or agreement that said, if I remember right, that vehicles have to be registered and insured in the country where they are normally kept. Obviously, as with all EU matters, some countries may follow them more closely than others.

[/quote]

Hi Will, I am only requoting what the spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said. I am sure he is well informed, wouldn't be much of a spokesman if he wasn't

[bigears]

hi

can someone provide evidence that a foreign resident can insure a uk reged car in the uk, I am intreagued.  Someone a few pages back said he had tooked at I think 5 companies and they all said the same...must be uk resident.

 

 

[oakbri]

[quote user="ErnieY"][quote user="oakbri"]

I had read on this post that you CANNOT insure a car in the UK inless you are a UK resident - clearly wrong as there are thousands of NON UK residents from all over the world with secondary homes in the UK with fully legal cars there.[/quote]And your evidence of this is...........?

Just because they do doesn't make it right.

[quote user="oakbri"]

I have just found an article in an Enlish language newspaper here in France and it talks about this exact subject and says " Spokesman for the Association of British Insurers stated that no insurance firm is obliged to give any individual cover, including someone living abroad. There was also no EU directive to even use a British Insurance firm. The only requirement is that you use an insurer who has official authorisation to do business in the UK." I wish I saw this article yesterday.[/quote]

All perfectly true but can you quote me one company outside of  UK who are authorised to and do business there. I'm sure we'd all be interested and they'd pick up a mass of new clients.

PS: If a newspaper with a name beginning with "C" then their information is not universally correct [;-)]

[quote user="oakbri"]So that seems to clear it up. It is comforting for the many others who, like me have a secondary home in the UK, to know we can legally insure a second car there. It is even better to know we could, if they are authorised, use our current French insurers, as most companies do multi policy discounts.[/quote]

Does it ?

Have you specifically spoken to your insurance company ?

[/quote]

Ernie

I remember seeing a photo of David Beckham driving one of his cars near his Hertfordshire home recently. I think it was when he came to see his sick father.

We all know Becks went to live in Spain a few years ago and now lives in LA. I wonder if he knows he is driving uninsured? I wonder if his insurance comapny knows he has left the UK. If not they are the only people who don't.

Or just maybe you can get insurance as a non resident ??????????????

[Will]

Maybe the car is now registered in somebody else's (who is a British resident) name with an 'any driver' policy, or he is a named driver? I feel sure that is both legal and acceptable to insurers (though I think it may apply - either in law or in insurers' conditions - only to family members).

[oakbri]

Lockton insurance, www.lockton.com do an expatriate car insurance for Uk residents based permanently overseas who take their cars with them. I haven't contacted them to ask if they would insure a car in the UK for non residents but they are the kind of company that would specialise in that kind of thing.

[Cat]

But, on their website  http://www.lockton.com/Services-And-Solutions/Services-for-Individuals/Expat-Car/Default.aspx  when they say that their expatriate insurance can give cover for "Accidental damage, fire and theft risks *"  it is with the following proviso

* This does not include Third Party Liability cover for which separate arrangements must be made to comply with local laws and regulations.

 

[oakbri]

Thanks Cat

I never looked that far down the web page, they were just one of the first to come up when I did a Google search.

They do however insure expats, ie NON UK residents. As I see it insurance comapnies can insure for whatever they want as long as the underwriter agrees to cover it. The high street companies will probablyall say no as they don't want the hassle of building individual policies, they just want standard cover which is good for 99.9% of the population and relieve you of your cash as quickly as possible.

I would think Mr Beckham and others like him would use Specialist firms. The point is that they CAN.

I guess the reason many companies shy away is due to the fact the UK is one of the few countries who drive on the "correct" side of the road. And are worried you will arrive in the UK and pull straight out onto the wrong side etc etc.

[Hagar]

[quote user="oakbri"]

 

I would think Mr Beckham and others like him would use Specialist firms. The point is that they CAN.

[/quote]

They do - I have a friend back in the UK who is a sports agent - they bring a lot of young guys into the UK on a temporary basis. A separate, but lucrative, part of his business is to provide these "superstars of the future" with transport AND special insurance policies.

rgds

Hagar

 

[Bob T]

[quote user="oakbri"]

 the UK is one of the few countries who drive on the "correct" side of the road.

[/quote]

Really? The rest of the northern hemisphere must all be wrong then.

[Quillan]

I really don't believe all this.

Sports People - On the whole get courtesy cars from suppliers or tend to lease or have cars on special long term hire contract for tax purposes so the car does not always belong to them. Others that own cars go for special insurance simply because the type of insurance company that we might use will not give the level of insurance they want for things like personal injury. I can't see personally that Beckem gets his insurance from Admiral and alike. It is true to say that you can get bespoke insurance for anything if you have the money (and lots of it)

oakbri - You can silence your critics quite simply by finding, which you need to do anyway after what you have said, an insurance company that says you can insure your car as a non resident and tell us who they are.

When I looked at insurance companies on the web I took the first 5 out of the hundreds listed. Being that all five said the same 'UK Resident Only' I can only assume the rest say the same. I have done a search in Google for "UK Car Insurance for non residents". Most of the sites that came up are insurance companies saying they do not offer this. There was one interesting bit from a guy called Peter Gerrard who runs (or helps run) Money Supermarket who said and I quote "unfortunately they all state that the policy holder must be an EU or UK licence holder."

So I say again that it would seem that the only way you can get insurance as a non resident is to lie and say you are resident. If you have an accident then you will have to take a chance and see if you get away with it. Personally I believe this to be totally illegal and would never recommend anyone to do it.

The only way round this is that you can get short term cover providing you have a UK or EU licence. It's expensive and the time period appears to be limited to around 6 months. You could do that and also get 6 months car tax at a time with a SORN used in between. Messy but perfectly legal it would seem. The other logical thing would be to flog the car and simply hire one when you return to the UK.

[Quillan]

I forgot, business men you visit the UK for long periods of time either have a company car supplied or a hire car which is paid for by the company.

[oakbri]

[quote user="Bob T"][quote user="oakbri"]
 the UK is one of the few countries who drive on the "correct" side of the road.
[/quote]

Really? The rest of the northern hemisphere must all be wrong then.
[/quote]

Bob

It was tongue in cheek, hence the speech marks.

[oakbri]

Quillan

I will try to look into it. I don't have time today. I receive an angry look from the other half each time I stop decorating and sit down to post a reply.

I will try to find a French company that is allowed to do businees in the UK, as mentioned buy the Insurance spokesman, if they exist.

Might save us all a packet.

I believe you can insure a UK car in the UK as a non resident. Difficult to find - definitely, expensive - absolutely, illegal - not at all.

[AnOther]

I'm getting bored with this now, mostly because the answer is so easy but some don't want to hear it.

I doubt the OP expected this sort of response when he asked his questions and frankly it should have come to an end with Ron's post very early on.

The interjection by a certain hairy fruit gave it legs it didn't deserve [;-)] not to mention causing merriment and pi** taking in a different place.

oakbi,

Until you have phoned your insurance company and told them EXACTLY your situation and received confirmation that you are insured (or not) then I can't think what else there is to say to you.

You can have but one reason NOT to do this [:D]

Good luck and please do get back to us.

[oakbri]

[quote user="oakbri"]

I have read this thread from the start twice and I am now more confused and my brain hurts.

Everyone keeps saying you must be a UK resident to have UK insurance on a UK car and French insurance for your French car at your French holiday home. That much is clear.

What about those of us who are not UK residents. I have a French registered car all legal and spend 95% of my time here. I also have a second home in the UK. I want a car there. Surely it's not illegal to have a UK registered car, all taxed tested and insured in the UK ???? I know European law is quite backward at the best of times but there must be a legal way to have a locally registered car at any home you may own, wherever it may be???

SD whats the answer?

[/quote]

Ernie

I have had to quote myself as things keep being assumed. I don't have anything to hide from my insurance as I don't have a car in the UK anymore. As I quite clearly said, " I have a second home in the UK, I WANT a car there"

The point of my post was to point out people kept saying it was illegal to be insured in the UK on a UK car, which I believe is untrue as I have not seen anything to say it's illegal. High street insurers are not interested as they want to sell you an off the shelf package. I think specialist companies will do it if you can find one interested. The main point is it's not illegal, just difficult. I don't mind difficult, if I wanted everything easy I wouldn't live in France !!!!

[AnOther]

[quote user="oakbri"]As I quite clearly said, " I have a second home in the UK, I WANT a car there"[/quote]Which can quite easily be taken to mean "I have a car there and I WANT to keep having a car there."

Apologies for any misunderstanding then and amen to your last line !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[woolybanana]

PHEW, what a palaver. Can we all go back to sleep now?[6]

[oakbri]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

[quote user="oakbri"]As I quite clearly said, " I have a second home in the UK, I WANT a car there"[/quote]Which can quite easily be taken to mean "I have a car there and I WANT to keep having a car there."

Apologies for any misunderstanding then and amen to your last line !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[/quote]

No probs Ernie

Wasn't offended I just wanted to clear it up, it was my fault for not being clear in my original post.

[cooperlola]

[quote user="woolybanana"]PHEW, what a palaver. Can we all go back to sleep now?[6][/quote]zzzzzzzzzzz

[Quillan]

NOBODY has said it's illegal to insure in the UK a UK car.

What was said is if you don't tell the insurance company you are not resident in the UK, which is normally for them a minimum of 9 months (read the stuff on the websites I gave early on) then you have obtained the insurance by making a false statement which then invalidates the insurance. To drive a car without valid insurance in the UK is illegal. Do you understand the legal difference?

I believe AXA is represented in the UK but again they can only issue policies under UK law because that's where the car is registered and kept.

I fear you know exactly what the answer is and as Ernie said it does not fit your need and you are just going round and round and round.

I don't want others who read this thread who are in the same situation to think they can just get insurance in the UK and all will be fine because it's not and it's wrong (unless they find an insurance company that will specifically issue a policy to a non resident) and I wouldn't like them to find, after an accident, that they don't have valid insurance.

I to am getting bored now with this...... Yawn

 

[oakbri]

[quote user="Quillan"]

NOBODY has said it's illegal to insure in the UK a UK car.

What was said is if you don't tell the insurance company you are not resident in the UK, which is normally for them a minimum of 9 months (read the stuff on the websites I gave early on) then you have obtained the insurance by making a false statement which then invalidates the insurance. To drive a car without valid insurance in the UK is illegal. Do you understand the legal difference?

I believe AXA is represented in the UK but again they can only issue policies under UK law because that's where the car is registered and kept.

I fear you know exactly what the answer is and as Ernie said it does not fit your need and you are just going round and round and round.

I don't want others who read this thread who are in the same situation to think they can just get insurance in the UK and all will be fine because it's not and it's wrong (unless they find an insurance company that will specifically issue a policy to a non resident) and I wouldn't like them to find, after an accident, that they don't have valid insurance.

I to am getting bored now with this...... Yawn

 

[/quote]

Actually Quillan it has been stated in many posts on many threads that it is illegal to insure a UK car in the UK as a non resident. I even read a post saying it was illegal for French residents to drive a non French registered car????

 I only wanted to make a point that there is a difference between illegal and difficult. It is NOT illegal to insure a UK car in the UK, as long, as I have said before, it is a policy for non residents.

I too am totally bored of this topic now. I promise not to make anymore posts.

Or maybe just one more !!!!!!!!!!