Hello, My name is Sunny and I have been in UK since Aug-04 on Highly Skilled Migration visa. I have owned and driving a motor car since 1992 in India until I moved to UK. I always had a valid licence in India and when I came to UK, I had been granted international driving licence (valid and approved by UK - DVLA upto 1 year from the date of issue of international licence). This international licence is in conjunction to the original driving licence issued in 1992 by Indian government. After coming to UK, I had an access to my friend's car which was insured for any driver with a valid licence; until I bought my own car in Dec-04 and was driving legally in UK on my valid international driving licence. I was insured with Virgin insurance for my car which was insured on my Indian origin international licence. Now, as mentioned earlier, the international licence was valid only until one year of the date of issue and so in July 05 (still my international licence was valid) I passed the UK driving test in first attempt (would have been shameful otherwise after having been driving for all these 14 years). Now, when I approached my insurer to update my details with the UK licence, I was told that I will have to pay an additional premium as my driving licence was under 1 year. But now my concern is :- If I was driving legally since 14 years and especially if I was driving legally in the UK for more than a year why am I still considered as a new driver and charged premium accordingly. My justification is that if the UK DVLA evaluates international driving licence holders to legally drive in UK; it means that we competent drivers already. Moreover, I never had any claims or incidents registered due to my driving in India nor in UK. Holding a valid UK driving lincence is no way taking away my Indian driving experience and vehicle control ability; on the contrary it compliments the UK driving experience. Can you please advice as to what is right ... should drivers like me be penalised for driving abroad before issuing UK licence by ignoring their previous driving experience. I hope you would agree that we are atleast somewhat better drivers than the new drivers in UK and should be given some relief in insurance premiums compared to new UK drivers (under one year) Please reply at the earliest on sunilramnani AT hotmail.com Many thanks, - Sunny

I am in a very similar situation and would like to hear a competent opinion too. Meanwhile, a Norwich Union Direct online advisor told me that I should enter the date of my first licence.. which produces more or less acceptable quite, but the insurance has to be comprehensive. Now, I am not sure how competent the advisor was and if the saved chat is legally binding for Norwich Union, so that in case of a claim they would not say "we meant only UK/EU licenses.."

I had a Canadian license which I exchanged for a British license (didn't have to do the driving test thank goodness). The insurers don't care about your foreign driving experience, it is the time on your British license that counts. Considering that my auto insurance in the UK as a new driver is much cheaper than being insured as a driver with 5 yrs experience in Canada, I don't have anything to complain about.

It works the same way in Canada, if you have any driving and insurance experience outside of Canada and the USA, you are rated as a new driver. Its not just the UK that rates drivers this way.

Hi,

I have an international driving license, and am trying to find a company that will give me good car insurance.  None of the websites I've been on give you the option of saying it is an international driving license, and some companies say they will not give me insurance at all.  Could anyone tell me a good company which does reasonable insurance for drivers with international licenses?

 

Thank you,

 Maya
 

Hi I found one!!

They are called Quinn Direct and when you have to choose you license type its 2 boxes one box is Full UK/EC/IREL/INT'L the other is UK provisional. Plus they give discounts for wmen drivers, experienced drivers, no claims bonuses and free breakdown cover.

BE VERY CAREFUL HERE!

This is a one of those issues that catches everyone out at the most critical time - when you have to make a claim.

Bottom line is you should get professional help here. If you pass a UK driver's test you must be insured in accordance with UK regulations. How long you have held your license is irrelevant, it is how long you have had your own UK policy based upon a UK driver's license that is the key to this whole saga.

One of my other businesses deals with people moving to the UK permanently and the driver's license and insurance comes up every month. People move here with an International license and then either get a UK one or have to take the test to get one, and then get hit by a massive premium unless they can find an insurer who will accept proof of no claims on an international insurance policy. In the five years I have been helping people in this arena I haven't found one insurer who does this.

You must also be very careful about the International driver's license and licenses issued abroad. The maximum time that you can drive on an International Licence or non-UK but approved in the UK is one year. After this you must either pass a UK test or if your country license is one of the reciprocal countries with the UK, you must get your UK license. This has NO BEARING on UK insurance whatsoever.

SHARK!

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For every positive action, there's an equal and opposite government plan.

Well.... the main part is that you hope not to make a claim. Professional help, ha thats the biggest joke i've heard yet,- there is no one i have spoken to who gives 'professional help' in choosing car insurance! They either want to charge through the roof or are not interested.

If the system in this country wasn't so god damn complex, it would be less of a problem but of course good old britain theres always an issue somewhere... and any how if they don't care how long you've had your licence why do they ask?

oh the car isn't in your name = problem (even if owned by parents),      oh you've got a uk provisional = problem,     oh you've held a overseas licence for 10 years and had no crashes or claims = problem,         oh you've got a uk provisional and a overseas licence = problem,        oh yes it is from new zealand yes that country is part of our special law drivers licence exempt system = problem.

There is always a bloody problem, and so rather than dodging the system completely because it is so fecking complicated and discrimitory and stupid and ask way to many questions and takes for ever to do, i figured after finding quinn who don't discriminate and give breakdown cover included in the policy, i thought they'd be ok and to be perfectly honest I am fed up with fighting with companies about getting a fair amount of insurance to pay based on my status. The system is extrodinarily un fair and they should have a seperate form for international drivers, so that they are classed in the right area instead of being all airy fairy about it. Its actually cheaper in some instances to hold a provisional that a full international of a large proportion of years... thats just crazy.

Its a wonder they don't ask you for your passport details as well.

The person that takes heed to your advice will regret it soon enough.

Insurance is more technical than meets the eye or your comprehension. It's not a problem to have a vehicle in somebody else's name, to hold a provisional licence, to have held an overseas licence or having a New Zealand licence. It is more complex & high risk and some companies choose not to underwrite this risk, hence less companies on the market offering it, therefore a seemingly higher rate.

If you're so fed up with Britain - take yourself out of it!

Insurance is a complex issue I agree but is not more technical than my comprehension, (thanks!) I have worked in it. All I am saying is I have a problem with the amount of 'gap' in the system for this type of insurance. This country is so multi-cultural and diverse that I would have thought there to be more accommodation of international drivers, but obviously I was wrong.

 And I'm sorry but I spent hours last night looking for a good/ok deal and simply there were few and the simple fact is it is a problem if you are different to the ideal package that insurance companies should think that you you should be part of (one of the larger ones I talked to stated simply that). It costs you more if the car is not in your name, you hold both a uk provisional and/or an overseas licence although having over a good proportion of years driving experience and no claims bonuses to back it up. I don't dispute the liability factor, but it is slightly strange that a new drivers policy is cheaper than one of a person with driving experience and from another country.

I didn't advise anyone, I simply said that there were a few insurance companies out there that were offering a better deal to international drivers, but it didn't say that anyone had to take, i simply put it out there and I found it by using the other website, confused.com which is advertised on telly quite a bit and so I thought that the insurance search was trustworthy. Who wants to pay over the odds for insurance anyway? and Yes I agree it is buyer beware and if I did get stung well it would be my own bad luck and misfortune, but it would also have been my choice.

Hi Nicki,

You do have a point, however you have to appreciate the increase in premium is for a very valid reason.

If I were to move to a different country, I would expect my insurance to be somewhat higher as the driving standard between country and country is vast in difference.

Have you ever experienced a near-crash (or even a crash) with a foreigner who can't speak English. They have no idea about safety & speed, and when it comes to a roundabout... well, everyone is stuffed!! The premium reflects this. I personally feel that, in whatever country, a person shouldn't be allowed to drive without supervision (provisional) or without passing a test set to that country's standard.

When somebody swaps their licence to a UK one, it reverts to it being 'New' and only starting out driving. This is vital so that the premium is correct. If this person receives the same discount as someone that has held a full UK driving licence for 10 years, then the premium and 'Insurance Pool' will be down, and the chance of a claim is higher. Everyone's premium would increase. 

Hi RGB, 

I can understand where you are coming from. The rules in NZ are pretty much the same  as driving here the only difference is that we give way to left when someone is turning right, but otherwise exactly the same, oh and more people use their indicators... hehe.

But I also feel the same way that there shouldn't just be a straight swap to get a uk licence no matter what country you are from you should still have to sit a test. Which is what i am doin at the moment and I think it is good to give yourself that driving test refresher, reminds you of things you may have forgotten or shows actually how much you have learnt and retained and how much you know about driving, so it is a good practice.

 I believe the driving standard in some ways is better here due to the fact that 95% of the population drives new cars or near new cars, so they are more likely to try and prevent accidents from occuring.

The other thing i think i keep forgetting is that in NZ we have ACC - Accident Compensation Corporation so if you have any type of accident big or small car related or not the government part pays, where are here you do not and it is lumped into the price of the car insurance.

 Its all a learning curve and sometimes things seem more difficult for me because they are easier at home but then we only have 4 million people in the country.... and so after i've had the car insurance and the correct licence and the car has been owned for at least a year and I have been here 2 years, it should start getting cheaper -- maybe?!

Hi Nicki,

Ah, the ACC. Seems a better way to do it, but has a few minor drawbacks.

I'd say after 3 years of being in the UK, you will find it a lot more cheaper generally. Give it time... if you're not fed up with the rain and snow, you'll still be here + cheap insurances!!

Good luck and come back soon to post on your progress!

Hey,

 Yeah i will, you seem like a pretty cool person.

Thanks.

nickiphotos:

Hey,

 Yeah i will, you seem like a pretty cool person.

Thanks.

LOL!!!!!!!

You taking the p*ss?

If not, thank you... if you are... you know me so well already!

nickiphotos:

you seem like a pretty cool person.

 

<Chuckle, chuckle, chuckle and yet more chuckling>

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Kind regards
Indi

“In the end, the love that you take is the love that you give”