retard Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 When my wife arrives in the UK she wants to take on home care work. For this she needs to be able to drive and own a car. She can do both, but my insurance will not cover her on a Thai driving licence. So what to do? Can she get a provisional upon arrival; take lessons; pass the test; get full licence and THEN maybe get insurance cover. My question arises from someone telling me that she would not get a provisional until she had been in the UK for some time.True? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 She cannot take a GB theory or practical test unless she has a GB provisional licence but she can apply for this as soon as she arrives. Whoever told you otherwise is wrong. Even if she has a GB provisional licence she can still drive unaccompanied with her Thai licence for up to 12 months after her first arrival in the UK to live. If she has not passed her GB tests by this time she must cease driving unaccompanied with her Thai licence and drive under the usual GB provisional licence holder rules. See Driving on licences from all other countries, and students on a foreign licence. To drive with either her Thai licence or a GB provisional she will, of course, need to be insured. Even after she has passed her tests and has a full GB licence insurers may be reluctant to cover her or charge a high premium, not because she is Thai but because, in their view, she is inexperienced. All I can advise is shop around. Of course, if she only has lessons in an instructors car and takes her test in that car then she will be driving on the instructors insurance. This wont, though, help her get about at other times. Note that the above applies to Great Britain, i.e. England, Scotland and Wales. The regulations in Northern Ireland and other parts of the UK are essentially the same but may have some minor differences; check with the relevant agency if you live there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retard Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 (edited) Very helpfull. Thanks Edited May 20, 2012 by 7by7 Full quote of preceding post removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snuggzzz Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Make sure that she gets International driving licence whilst in Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 ^^^^^^^ From the link in my above post. Neither the United Nations nor any of its subsidiary bodies issues or authorises the issue of international driver licences. An international driving licence is not valid proof of driving entitlement in GB. An International Driving Permit is recognised by the UK, but not required; a Thai licence is sufficient. Though an IDP can be useful if the Thai licence is an old style one without an English Translation on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paully Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 (edited) a Thai licence is sufficient. Though an IDP can be useful if the Thai licence is an old style one without an English Translation on it. An IDP is also useful to obtain insurance in the UK so the owner can drive immediately; as the OP has already found out, it can be very difficult to obtain insurance on a Thai driving licence. Edited May 21, 2012 by paully Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAZZELL Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Aren't there problems if you get caught speeding etc on an International or Thai Licence? Don't you have to go to magistrates court which can effect applications for ILR etc? RAZZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobrussell Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Aren't there problems if you get caught speeding etc on an International or Thai Licence? Don't you have to go to magistrates court which can effect applications for ILR etc? RAZZ Many minor traffic offences (including those that may involve points on the licence) are dealt with without going to court. Without a UK licence there is nothing to put points on so has to go to court! This may become a big deal as far as settlement visas and citizenship are concerned as unspent convictions (including 'minor' traffic violations that go to court) can effectively block ILR or naturalisation. Therefore a speeding ticket can have quite an impact even if it would have resulted in a small fine and points if the driver had a UK licence. The obvious answer is to stick to the speed limit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 An IDP is also useful to obtain insurance in the UK so the owner can drive immediately; as the OP has already found out, it can be very difficult to obtain insurance on a Thai driving licence. The same insurance problems would be encountered if she had an IDP; for the same reason. Even after she has passed her tests and has a full GB licence insurers may be reluctant to cover her or charge a high premium, not because she is Thai but because, in their view, she is inexperienced. Nearly 15 years as a driving instructor (until I had to retire for medical reasons) teaching and advising foreign licence holders makes me sure that no insurance company would issue cover to someone with just an IDP, they would want details of that persons national licence as well. Not to mention the fact that one cannot get an IDP unless one holds a national licence in the same category issued by a signatory to either of the two conventions. Remember that an IDP does not replace a national driving licence but is to be used in conjunction with it. Unless someone can prove me wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paully Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Nearly 15 years as a driving instructor (until I had to retire for medical reasons) teaching and advising foreign licence holders makes me sure that no insurance company would issue cover to someone with just an IDP, they would want details of that persons national licence as well. Well, you speak as you find, 7by7. My experience with Thai nationals with IDPs is different - they were able to obtain insurance in Britain (for a fair premium, admittedly). The OP stated that he could not obtain insurance for his missus on her Thai licence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7by7 Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 The OP stated that he could not obtain insurance for his missus on her Thai licence. No, he didn't. Read the OP again and you will see that he said his insurers wouldn't cover her. Hence my advice in post 2 to shop around. He will find someone to do so, albeit at a high premium: as we both agree on. I have never said that Thais cannot obtain insurance. What I said was that, like all foreign licence holders, due to their inexperience it would be expensive and not all insurers would cover them. Same as new British drivers. If you are saying that you know of insurance companies who will insure foreign drivers with just an IDP and not their national, in this case Thai, licence as well; great. Who are they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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