Getting Car Insurance In The Uk As A Non-Resident

[chiang mai]

W

If you're trying to suggest that my UK license became invalid when I moved abroad ten years ago, numerous car rental companies plus Dorset and West Oxfordhsire police don't seem to mind, for those reasosn I think you are incorrect!

Believe me, there is a reason the insurance companies are refusing to cover.

I go back to the UK periodically, on average once every eighteen months and I rent cars at Heathrow from National, Enterpise, Eurocar and whoever takes my fancy at the time and I always use my UK drivers licence and explain that I live in Thailand - I pay for the insurance they offer and I drive away, later I come back and they get their car back, job done and we're all happy. When the rental agenices ask me for a UK address I may give them my sisters address or the name of the hotel that I'm staying in that night, they seem very unconcerned about this aspect and nobody ever comments on the discrepancy between the address given and that on my license.

[rixalex]

I go back to the UK periodically, on average once every eighteen months and I rent cars at Heathrow from National, Enterpise, Eurocar and whoever takes my fancy at the time and I always use my UK drivers licence and explain that I live in Thailand - I pay for the insurance they offer and I drive away, later I come back and they get their car back, job done and we're all happy. When the rental agenices ask me for a UK address I may give them my sisters address or the name of the hotel that I'm staying in that night, they seem very unconcerned about this aspect and nobody ever comments on the discrepancy between the address given and that on my license.

Rental companies, what with all the dealings and business they do with foreigners / tourists, using foreign passports, foreign driving licenses, seem to benefit from specialist insurance policies that cover non-domestic cases. If you try getting a policy individually for yourself on the other hand, i think as a declared non-resident, you will find it impossible for anything but short term cover.

With regards the discrepancy between the address you give and the address on your license, whether it be when giving to a rental company or whether it be Dorset and West Oxfordshire Police, the fact that it is accepted i imagine comes down first and foremost to the rental company and the Dorset and West Oxfordshire Police, having better things to do with their time than worry about such a thing.

The worry for you and I is rather when we can no longer fly under the radar... when we are forced to update or renew our licenses. And when that day comes, how will we provide proof of having lived in our UK address for three years,as they demand, and how will we be able to claim ourselves UK residents? Without lying, we can not do it, right? So what happens then? Do our licenses become frozen until we meet the criteria? I don't know.

[stevenl]

Yes, and when you rent a big bike here in Thailand nobody asks you for your DL.

Does not mean you won't get into trouble if there is e.g. an accident.

[chiang mai]

I go back to the UK periodically, on average once every eighteen months and I rent cars at Heathrow from National, Enterpise, Eurocar and whoever takes my fancy at the time and I always use my UK drivers licence and explain that I live in Thailand - I pay for the insurance they offer and I drive away, later I come back and they get their car back, job done and we're all happy. When the rental agenices ask me for a UK address I may give them my sisters address or the name of the hotel that I'm staying in that night, they seem very unconcerned about this aspect and nobody ever comments on the discrepancy between the address given and that on my license.

Rental companies, what with all the dealings and business they do with foreigners / tourists, using foreign passports, foreign driving licenses, seem to benefit from specialist insurance policies that cover non-domestic cases. If you try getting a policy individually for yourself on the other hand, i think as a declared non-resident, you will find it impossible for anything but short term cover.

With regards the discrepancy between the address you give and the address on your license, whether it be when giving to a rental company or whether it be Dorset and West Oxfordshire Police, the fact that it is accepted i imagine comes down first and foremost to the rental company and the Dorset and West Oxfordshire Police, having better things to do with their time than worry about such a thing.

The worry for you and I is rather when we can no longer fly under the radar... when we are forced to update or renew our licenses. And when that day comes, how will we provide proof of having lived in our UK address for three years,as they demand, and how will we be able to claim ourselves UK residents? Without lying, we can not do it, right? So what happens then? Do our licenses become frozen until we meet the criteria? I don't know.

You're funny, first the Dorset Police have better things to do with their time, then the Oxfordshire Police also and now the car rental agencies as well, it's hard to imagine that all those groups are so busy as to not care!

But regardless, I've been an expat twice in my life, the first time I left the UK and wemt to the US for fifteen years and when I returned, the very first day mind you, I got my car insurance (and other affairs) sorted out, I recall being asked if I had lived in the UK and how long I had held a UK licence. When I replied with my circumstances I was treated as a new driver hence my insurance premium was quite high, in time it reduced however. I'm actually now considering returning to the UK to live once again and I have done some research into things such as car insurance costs, my expectation is that I will once again be treated as a new driver and that's OK, the fact that I haven't lived there for the past three years does not even enter into the picture.

[rixalex]

You're funny, first the Dorset Police have better things to do with their time, then the Oxfordshire Police also and now the car rental agencies as well, it's hard to imagine that all those groups are so busy as to not care!

Well what is the reason you have come up with? You have presumably read the links i posted about it being an offence to not update your license information, or to use a license that is out-of-date with the information on it, and you have read the requirements asked of you when you go about updating / renewing your license, including proving you have lived in your address for the last three years, and the requirement of being a UK resident. And you still think there is no problem?

But regardless, I've been an expat twice in my life, the first time I left the UK and wemt to the US for fifteen years and when I returned, the very first day mind you, I got my car insurance (and other affairs) sorted out, I recall being asked if I had lived in the UK and how long I had held a UK licence. When I replied with my circumstances I was treated as a new driver hence my insurance premium was quite high, in time it reduced however. I'm actually now considering returning to the UK to live once again and I have done some research into things such as car insurance costs, my expectation is that I will once again be treated as a new driver and that's OK, the fact that I haven't lived there for the past three years does not even enter into the picture.

I would suggest that things have changed quite a bit since you last returned from a long stay away. I hope you don't have any problems, but i worry otherwise.

[steve187]

On this same subject, the picture on my license is due for replacement this year and whilst the license doesn't expire for quite some time, the license becomes invalid by virtue of the old picture. It seems that there's no way I can update that picture without having a UK address since updating the picture and changing the address are two separate and distinct processes for DVLC. If I try to change the picture they will mail the license back to the address shown on the license (yes I know this is at odds with the above scenario but all I can do is to report things as I know them). In order to change the address on the license requires proof of address such as utility bills etc and those things I don't have. But all is not lost, if and when I ever return to the UK to live my UK license will still be valid and the address/picture can be chaged at that time.

photocard driving licences are valid for 10 years, so the licence will run out on the date shown at section 4b, text taken from a dvla pdf '' If you are a photocard licence holder, the expiry date of the licence is shown in section 4b. It is a legal requirement to keep it up to date.If you fail to do this, it could cost you a £1000 fine.'' pdf available here - www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/~/media/pdf/leaflets/D100.ashx‎

[steve187]

Taken from a dvla web site ''it is a legal requirement to notify DVLA immediately of any changes to your name or permanent address. Failure to do this may result in a fine of up to £1,000. ''
link here - http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20060810193049/dvla.gov.uk/coa.htm ** please note the word ''permanent'' **

Failing to notify dvla of a change of address is a ''summary offence'' according to this web link - http://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcementguide/court/magistrates-intro.htm

'' Summary only" offences 4. Cases involving "summary only" offences can only be heard in the magistrates' court. Time limits are imposed and these need to be adhered to. The general rule for time bars on summary only offences is that prosecutions will be time barred if Informations are laid more than six months after the date of the offence

So the offence is committed the day you permanently change address, so the prosecution can not go ahead if information is laid 6 months from the date of the move.

this is in fact used in practise by police road traffic officers.

Edited May 5, 2013 by steve187

[chiang mai]

On this same subject, the picture on my license is due for replacement this year and whilst the license doesn't expire for quite some time, the license becomes invalid by virtue of the old picture. It seems that there's no way I can update that picture without having a UK address since updating the picture and changing the address are two separate and distinct processes for DVLC. If I try to change the picture they will mail the license back to the address shown on the license (yes I know this is at odds with the above scenario but all I can do is to report things as I know them). In order to change the address on the license requires proof of address such as utility bills etc and those things I don't have. But all is not lost, if and when I ever return to the UK to live my UK license will still be valid and the address/picture can be chaged at that time.

photocard driving licences are valid for 10 years, so the licence will run out on the date shown at section 4b, text taken from a dvla pdf '' If you are a photocard licence holder, the expiry date of the licence is shown in section 4b. It is a legal requirement to keep it up to date.If you fail to do this, it could cost you a £1000 fine.'' pdf available here - www.dft.gov.uk/dvla/~/media/pdf/leaflets/D100.ashx‎

This is misleading, the picture expires and the license becomes invalid as a result but the license itself doesn't expire.

[Ace of Pop]

Bet the Pen Pushers turn purple about Gypsies and Romanies on U.K.roads with no fixed abode.All those fines they cant collect.

[stevenl]

Bet the Pen Pushers turn purple about Gypsies and Romanies on U.K.roads with no fixed abode.All those fines they cant collect.

JUst a bigot post with no relevance at all to the OP )Unless they are UK residents of course).

[chiang mai]

Bet the Pen Pushers turn purple about Gypsies and Romanies on U.K.roads with no fixed abode.All those fines they cant collect.

JUst a bigot post with no relevance at all to the OP )Unless they are UK residents of course).

Now now, I feel certain he was taking a pop at the bureaucracy and the system of jobsworthies more than anything else, quite rightly too I might add.

[Ace of Pop]

Exactly C.M. .