Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Is this normal for car insurance now?
  • RoterStern
    Free Member

    So I am coming to visit my parents in the UK at the end of next week and as usual my parents want to insure me for their car for the week I am home like they have been doing for the past 10-15 years. They called their insurance company who flatly refused to insure me as I am no longer a UK resident and their new policy is only to insure people who have been living in the UK for longer than three years! They told my parents this is now standard policy among insurance companies. Surely this can’t be true?

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Happened a few years ago when my missus tried to put her sister (Ozzie) on to our insurance.

    Nobby
    Full Member

    This is one of the many situations that arise with the cheaper end of the market – it’s not that they can’t but more a case of they won’t.

    My insurers were happy enough to cover family from Oz on my car back in May – they were only concerned as to whether they had a licence or not.

    Many companies restrict their criteria to ensure they only offer cover on the risks they deem acceptable.

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middlin...
    Latest Singletrack Videos
    warpcow
    Free Member

    I was back in the UK in early September and didn’t have a problem getting added to my parent’s insurance for a week (been outside the UK for over 10yrs now, within the EU though). The cost had gone up a lot though since the last time a couple of years ago (from about £10 to more like £80). No idea what company they have, and it was in Scotland, if that makes any difference.

    Tbh, only insuring those with min. 3yr residence sounds like absolute BS, but who knows.

    RoterStern
    Free Member

    I was just wondering as to what would someone just arriving from a different country to work to if they need to drive a car?

    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    Hire car will be OK and if you buy one an insurance company would charge accordingly

    spooky_b329
    Full Member

    Try one of the short term ‘day insure’ companies. It will be a separate policy that covers the person to drive your car, I’ve used it a couple of times when test driving cars I was looking to buy.

    RoterStern
    Free Member

    Hire car will be OK and if you buy one an insurance company would charge accordingly

    Hire OK but how will you insure a car you have bought if they refuse to insure you because you haven’t lived there for 3 years?

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    Someone will cover you – we got my NZ living for 5 years brother on our insurance a couple of years back, for a month.

    Nobby
    Full Member

    I was just wondering as to what would someone just arriving from a different country to work to if they need to drive a car?

    As I said earlier, it’s only the cheaper end of the market that has such a restriction. The same companies used to use the “must have a UK licence” excuse in days gone by but they lost that ability when it became an EU licence. The residency thing is just their way around it.

    Many of our clients have foreign drivers working for them and it just isn’t an issue.

    RoterStern
    Free Member

    And if by magic I have an advert for Direct Line on the right of this page!! 🙄

Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

The topic ‘Is this normal for car insurance now?’ is closed to new replies.