UK Vehicle Registration Essential

[Pixietoadstool]

Following on from a previous posting where there was a lack of clarity about whether a vehicle needed to be registered in the UK to be covered by UK insurance I have just received my renewal notice from Churchill and I notice they have added a new clause to the policy under "Vehicle Registration":

"To be covered by this policy your vehicle must be registered in, or be in the process of being registered in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man."

This would suggest to me that perhaps it was possible previously to drive on UK insurance in France without the car being registered.  Or are they just clarifying UK law?

Valerie

 

 

[cyclebum]

There seem to be many questions and postings surrounding this subject and there seem to be many different answers and opinions. I took no chances and reregistered the car for France. I don't know if this was the best option but at least I can now drive anywhwere in France safe in the knowledge that if I'm stopped at one the many check points I won't have a problem with the car and in the event of an accident and I survived my insurance is at least in place. Perhaps you should do what you feel is best and see what happens. If you get stopped or crash At least then you'll have the true answers. Any one  with a UK address and car will now get their French speeding tickets sent to UK address. Vive la France. 

[Ron Avery]

[quote]Following on from a previous posting where there was a lack of clarity about whether a vehicle needed to be registered in the UK to be covered by UK insurance I have just received my renewal notice fr...[/quote]

Sorry Pixie, but I fail to see how you deduce from

To be covered by this policy your vehicle must be registered in, or be in the process of being registered in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man." that previously you could drive a UK car in France without it being registered.

You can drive a UK car registered car in France on holiday on a green card or if you live here you can insure it with a French Company, but the rub comes when you get stopped or have an accident and that is when you find that A) you should have registered your car in France within 6 months of it being moved here AND/ OR B) that your French insurance is invalid as your car is illegally being used in France because it is not registered in France.  Before the usual suspects shout bull merde, it would seem that stops on UK registered cars are increasing or perhaps the % of checks is the same but there are more UK registered cars in use, however a friend has been stopped twice in the last month although never before and another has been told that he has a month to register his UK registered car or it will be impounded. 

[cyclebum]

Agree totally with you Ron, cannot understand why people take such risks based on heresay.  I believe that UK registered cars MUST have VALID tax disc and M.O.T. to drive on french roads up until they re-register. Also if they do not have these up to date documents, their insurance either french or english is INVALID.

[Will]

I think Valerie was just clarifying the point as many people think they can use vehicles abroad without them being registered, taxed etc in UK. I can assure everybody that Valerie's own vehicle is perfectly legal - I travelled in it just a few days ago

[Ron Avery]

[quote]I think Valerie was just clarifying the point as many people think they can use vehicles abroad without them being registered, taxed etc in UK. I can assure everybody that Valerie's own vehicle is per...[/quote]

Clear as mud Will, what you mean is that people think that they can use a UK registered cars in France after its tax has run out and without changing to French plates, If isn't registered in the UK it won't have any plates at all would it

[Wizzer]

Leading on from this, can anyone clarify the insurance situation if I currently live in the UK but plan to take a 'year out' in France.

As my car would be coming back to the UK every 2-3 months and would end up back in the UK after my year out, does anyone know which British insurance company would insure the car on this basis?

If I was to move to France permanently, I would obviously re-register the car properly, but for these few months, it's tricky, as most insurance companies will only give me a green card for 4-6 months in a 12 month period.

Has anyone else faced this situation or got any ideas?

 

[Will]

I would have thought that, officially speaking, as the vehicle is normally kept in France it should be insured there (I believe there are EU directives that endorse this opinion). It follows on from that, referring to information to be found elsewhere on this forum, that if it is kept in France for more than six months it should also be exported and registered in France, then on return to Britain it can be registered and insured again there.

Any laws has loopholes, however. There are plenty of people who manage to keep British registered vehicles going in France for well over 12 months, and say they are perfectly legal, so maybe they can give some pointers. Maybe there are some French insurers willing to insure British-registered vehicles for extended periods?

[Weedon]

When we first came to France 4 years ago we brought a Transit van on UK plates with us and at the same time purchased a car here for everyday use.  Both vehicles were insured through our broker here who assured us the Transit was legally insured.  On 2 occasions I have been stopped in my Transit at roundabouts by gendarmes, whilst on my way to the Bricos, who asked to see my documents and to get me to blow into their bags. They seemed to be satisfied with both my breath and my documents.

weedon

[Coral]

Wizzer, I may be wrong but I understand that for those of us over 50, Saga do not seem to have the limitations on taking your car to Europe that other insurances impose and if you still retain a home in UK surely you can keep your car registered there.

Any comments anyone?

Coral - halfway to ariege