It is indeed possible for residents of other countries visiting the UK to insure vehicles here. There are a number of different rules, requirements and policy types available. Before we go on to look at the types of policy which are available to overseas nationals, it is, first of all, crucial to look at driving licence requirements. These will determine first of all, at what point a particular driver is allowed to drive in the UK, and secondly, what sort of policy will be best suited to individual circumstances. There are 3 main categories of visitors driving licences as follows:
•EU licence holders who may drive here until 70 years of age without exchanging their licence for a UK equivalent
•Licence holders from countries who have a licence exchange agreement with the UK, who may drive here for 5 years before being required to exchange their licences
•Licence holders from all other countries of the world, who are only permitted to drive in the UK for 12 months before being required to pass a driving test
Depending which of these categories any particular driver falls into will determine which type of insurance they will be required to buy. The vehicle being driven will also be a major factor to be considered.
For those drivers who have entitlement to drive here, there are 2 main options for insurance. An annual policy will be suitable for some drivers, whereas a short-term policy will be suitable for others.
In order to be eligible for an annual policy, the driver will need to own the vehicle. The driver will need to ensure that the vehicle is registered in their name and address. The vehicle will need to comply with other legal factors such as a valid MOT if it's more than 3 years old, and to ensure they pay for the correct road tax.
The best way to get a quote for an annual policy, if this works for you is by using the comparison tool on our insurance partners website. Just click here and visit this very cheap car insurance site and they will be able to present a range of quotes from some of the UK's leading insurers.
The other option, which will appeal to a broad cross-section of drivers is the short term insurance policy. These are particularly suitable for the following situations:
•When planning to drive a car belonging to someone else, and with their permission to do so
•When only planning to drive for a short period of time - these policies are available for between 1 and 28 days
•When driving entitlement in this country would see an Annual policy take the driver beyond the period they are entitled to drive in the UK for.
Drivers choosing the short-term policy option will need to have held their licence for at least one year. They will need to be holders of a full driving licence - Provisional licences are not acceptable in the UK, irrespective of where they were issued. To get a quote for a short term policy, and see just how cost effective it can be, just click here and our insurance partners will have you on the move in a jiffy.
There are 15 of these in total and they are listed below. Any driver not from the EU, and not from a country on this list must only drive for one year from the day they entered the UK. It is up to the individual to prove their entitlement to drive and entry date if stopped by the Police.
•Australia
•Barbados
•British Virgin Islands
•Canada
•Falkland Islands
•Gibraltar
•Hong Kong
•Japan
•New Zealand
•Singapore
•South Africa
•Switzerland
•Zimbabwe
•Monaco
•South Korea