car insurance for non-residents

[ValerieK]

We have just bought a house in France and will be spending less than the magic number of 182 days there (but not much less) each year. 

Does anyone know:

a.  will our UK insurance be valid for our existing car for the 5 or so months we spend away?

b. if we buy a LHD car in France and insure it there will we be able to drive it in the UK for the rest of the year on that insurance?

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="ValerieK"] a.  will our UK insurance be valid for our existing car for the 5 or so months we spend away?[/quote]

You need to check your current UK policy to see if it provides for long term foreign cover. If not, your insurer may be able to extend it for you (or shop around for someone who will).

[quote user="ValerieK"] b. if we buy a LHD car in France and insure it there will we be able to drive it in the UK for the rest of the year on that insurance?[/quote]

Yes. 

Note: if you are resident in France for more than 6 months, then you must re-register your UK car here.  If you buy a french car and take it to the UK and keep it there for more than 6 months, then you're obliged to re-register it there.  Timing is clearly critical in your case, although in practical terms, as long as you don't abuse the system, you probably won't have a problem either way.

[Nick Trollope]

In my experience, French insurance gives you unlimited EU use, as standard, which UK isurance tends not to. So, to answer the OP's second question, yes.

If the OP makes reasonable claim to be resident in the UK (regardless of how much time they spend in France) then they have no re-registration requirement. This is different, remember, from tax residency, which depends upon different factors.

[Miki]

Be careful, I know that some policies with French assurers will state foreign cover = 90 days in any one year.

So do check with the insurance company first.