I've just relocated to the UK and have started living here on a 5-year work permit. I tried to do without, but I've decided that I'll need a car while living here. Last week I went to a used car dealership and was told that, although I can drive on my US license for a year, the insurance rate would be £3,000 per annum because I'm an American citizen. (Note that this is a quote for a relatively inexpensive Honda.) This seems ludicrously high to me and I'm neither willing nor able to pay this much for car insurance. How can I get a (much) more competitive insurance rate?
2006-08-20 02:07:03 · 6 answers · asked by pat800 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Insurance & Registration
Get a British driving license. The IDP is worthless there, it's ONLY a translation of your license and since they do understand American English in the UK (well, to a point anyway!) it serves no purpose. And if you get one in the UK, it's invalid there anyway.
Get a copy of your driving record from the DMV in the US. And get a "no claims" letter from your most recent insurance carriers. Do NOT open these when they arrive! Then shop around for the best rates. You probably will get the best rates from a "brick and mortar" agent until you have established a clean record on your British driving record. If possible, try shopping in areas where there are US Military bases nearby -- mostly East Anglia in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk -- as they are familiar with US driving records and normally will accept "no claims" letters from US insurance companies. GEICO used to have a storefront in Huntingdon, look it up in the phone book, and catered to US drivers in the UK.
Most importantly, shop around for the best rate! Car dealers are not insurance agents and although most can hook you up with insurance you'll rarely get the best price there; same as in the US!
I lived in the UK for 7 years and always got preferential rates once I got my driving record and "no claims" letters sorted out.
2006-08-20 03:25:40 · answer #1 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
properly I study something new daily, i did not understand that. I have pushed in united states on my uk licence with out giving it a concept. Your question is legally previous my information, very few issues i'd inspect, first one, is even as does this 12 month rule commence from? What takes position in case you flow living house for some weeks and go back to the united kingdom , does it commence from the date of your first arrival contained in the united kingdom or from the most present day date of arrival? 2d, and could be maximum major to me is how would you stand with automobile coverage? i'm fairly particular the type asks do you carry a valid uk drivers licence ? per chance it purely asks about a valid licence? yet even with you cant have the funds for to inform fibs on you coverage type, they dont favor to pay out compensation and could do their very brilliant now to not. searching on the very worse scene, you're using alongside from artwork, through no fault of yours a less than the impact of alcohol falls in the front of your automobile. Police enquire into all information, you're cleared of blame yet no valid coverage?? it really is wisely worth questioning about, what would ensue to you? Varies plenty contained in the united kingdom per chance a superb per chance a ban from using contained in the united kingdom not ordinary to inform. If this is only a remember of this 12 month rule then that seems petty, a small fantastic. yet there are broader implications in case you killed some one and it became proved to be your fault and little or no compensation for kinfolk you'll per chance be searching at penitentiary time. i'm not rying to evangelise the following purely giving my opinion as requested. Make up your own ideas.
2016-11-30 21:07:34 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can get a cert. from your old insurance comp. in the US
to establish your " non-claims-bonus " [ncb] than you can try www.confused.com and find you can save yourself a bundle. I
did it last year and nearly had a fit , how much money I have lost by going though a broker, they work on commission and don't
always find you the best rates.Stay away from car dealerships
recomendations they are on the take too.
good luck
2006-08-20 02:29:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Five years here is a big committment, and our driving is waaayy different to yours. Take a few lessons, and take the British driving test. I'm sure you'll need to get familiar with some of our 'unique' road-furniture.
2006-08-20 02:16:47 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ask them if having an international drivers license will help if so go to idl-international.com
2006-08-20 02:13:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I wish I knew but that is ridiculous... Get a second opinion.
2006-08-20 02:26:40 · answer #6 · answered by cannadoo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋