Imported car insurance is a type of car insurance that covers vehicles that have been imported into the UK from another country.
The insurance requirements, including the level of paperwork, and the costs will differ depending on the type of imported car you have.
🚩 Generally, it’s easier to insure a car from the EU that has been built to the same safety and environmental standards as a car from the UK (known as a parallel import) than a car from outside the EU, such as America or Japan, (known as a grey import).
Imported car insurance is generally similar to standard car insurance, but there may be some additional considerations:
Vehicle Documentation including the import certificate, customs clearance, and registration details.
Different type of cover you would like e.g. Comprehensive, third-party, third-party, fire & theft.
Vehicle's age, make, model and value, including your driving history.
Specialised Insurers or policies for your specific car.
Like standard car insurance, you can choose between fully comprehensive, third-party fire and theft or third-party only for your imported car
Insurers will need personal details such as your name, address, date of birth and your driving history as well as information about your imported car including its age, make and model, and any modifications. You’ll also need to declare that it’s an import
We’ll find you the cheapest quotes from 184^ trusted insurers, saving you time and money. There are lots of ways you can alter your quotes to save money, including adjusting your excess and choosing whether to pay annually or monthly
Choose the policy that best suits your needs and complete your purchase. You’ll be covered from the date you set your policy to start. You should look through your policy documents from your insurer to make sure you understand any restrictions
The different types of imported car insurance include:
Vehicles that have been imported from outside the EU, they are usually American or Japanese cars
Cars that are built and bought within the EU, and are usually similar to standard UK cars
A car that an individual has imported themselves rather than through a dealer
Insurance tends to be more expensive for grey imports than parallel imports from the EU because:
Parts may be harder to source
Repairs may be more difficult
It’s more likely to be a high performance or modified vehicle
It may be a rare model and desirable to thieves
Some insurers may not cover a grey import for those reasons and you may need to consider a specialist insurance company or broker.
✔ Yes, you can get insurance for a left-hand drive car in the UK and if it’s the equivalent of a model available in the UK the price of insurance may be similar.
🚩 However, if your left-hand drive car has been manufactured outside the UK or is a high performance model or has been modified it’s likely to be more expensive to insure. Remember that you’ll need a certificate of GB conversion Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA).
Not necessarily. Imported cars can be more expensive to insure but it depends on the type of import. If, for example, your imported car is the equivalent of the UK model and has the same specification it may cost a similar amount to insure. On the other hand, if you have a high performance model manufactured in Japan that an insurer considers more of a risk for accidents and theft you are likely to pay more.
Your premium will also depend on other factors, such as:
Your driving experience - if you’ve been driving for a number of years and build up a no-claims discount you’ll have a lower premium than an inexperienced young driver
Your annual mileage - if you’re a higher-mileage driver (over 20,000 miles/year) you’ll typically pay more due to the higher accident risk
Where you store your car - parking your imported car on a street rather than in a secure garage will push up your premium
Import status | Average annual car insurance price |
|---|---|
Not imported | £506^ |
Euro import - not UK spec | £336^ |
Euro import - UK spec | £478^ |
Japanese import | £782^ |
US import | £292^ |
You may be able to add the following onto your car insurance policy for an additional cost but for certain types of imported cars some extras may be more expensive or harder to obtain.
✔ Protects your no-claims discount by letting you make a certain number of claims within a year before it affects your premiums.
✔ Building a no-claims discount will reduce your premiums over time and if you’ve had no claims for several years you might want to protect it. But you’ll need to pay extra to do so.
✔ Motor legal protection will cover any legal fees you might face in relation to a road accident. As legal fees can mount up, it can give you peace of mind to have these covered.
✔ Motor legal protection is often included in comprehensive car insurance policies.
✔ If your car breaks down, breakdown cover provides assistance at the roadside to get your vehicle moving again. This may be particularly useful if you have an older imported vehicle which is more likely to suffer mechanical problems than a new one.
✔ You can sometimes get cheaper breakdown cover by combining it with your car insurance.
✔ Provides a replacement vehicle while yours is being repaired. However, it may not be possible to get a like-for-like courtesy car.
✔ Your insurance may cover you for driving abroad but it may be third-party only cover so you’ll need to speak to your insurer if you want to upgrade it to comprehensive cover.
✔ Covers the cost of replacing lost, damaged or stolen keys. This could be particularly useful with an imported car as you may need a specialist locksmith.
The documents you need for an imported car can vary by insurer but generally you need:
to help the insurer calculate your imported car’s value
Choose your car wisely: Some cars, regardless of whether they’re imported or bought in the UK, will be more expensive to insure. This could be because they’re more powerful, more expensive or harder to find spare parts for
Avoid modifications: Modifying your car can give it a unique and customised feel, but it’s also likely to bring your premiums up – particularly if the modifications improve your car’s performance or attractiveness to thieves
Safety, security and storage: Improving your car’s safety and security features, however, are modifications that can actually reduce your premium – and keeping the vehicle stored in a locked garage overnight will also help reduce the risk of theft or vandalism claims
Excess: If you can volunteer a higher excess fee your insurer should reward you with cheaper cover, as it tells them you won’t bother making small or frivolous claims. Just be sure it’s an amount you can afford to pay when you do need to claim
No-claims: If you can for a year or longer without making a claim on your car insurance policy, you’ll start to accumulate a no-claims discount or bonus – and the longer you build it up, the bigger the discount will be
Pay annually: Paying annually for your car insurance will mean a bigger initial payment – but it will often work out cheaper overall, compared to spreading the cost over 12 months
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From an insurer’s perspective, a ‘grey import’ - a car from outside the EU - is usually considered higher risk as it may be more powerful, and it could be harder to source parts, making it more costly to repair. Parallel imports - cars from the EU that are equivalent to UK models - may be easier and less expensive to insure. There are insurers who specialise in high performance cars or import car insurance so shop around to find the right one for your circumstances.
Sarah Tooze Car & Van Insurance Expert
MoneySuperMarket has won the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award, an independent seal of excellence, which recognises businesses that consistently deliver a world-class customer experience.
yes, You will need a vehicle identification number (VIN) to get insurance for your imported car, and this insurance will need to be in place before you can register the car in the UK.
You can find the VIN stamped on to the car’s chassis.
Yes, you will have to declare if your car is imported when you take out cover. In fact, you should always be totally honest and open about your circumstances with your insurance provider, so they can provide the right level of cover you need and you can be sure you’re fully protected.
The amount of VAT you’ll pay on your imported car will depend on how much the vehicle cost, as well as the delivery fee and any accessories you’ve bought with it (which you’ll also have to pay VAT on). The customs duty you’ll need to pay will depend on the type of car and where you bought it from.
When you import a car into the UK, you’ll need to make sure you do the following:
Inform HMRC within 14 days of the car arriving in the UK
Pay any VAT or customs duty you need to on the car
Get your vehicle approved to ensure it meets UK environmental and safety standards
Register the car with the DVLA to get your registration number, which allows you to get a UK number plate
Get a valid MOT.
If you need help with your Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) application you could use the members directory of trade body the British Independent Motor Trade Association (BIMTA), which represents the independent vehicle import industry, to find a specialist.
Whether your no-claims bonus counts in the UK will depend on the insurance company. If they are willing to consider it you will need to provide proof from your previous insurer. You should contact your insurer to find out their exact requirements.
Yes, you can use your vehicle identification number (VIN) to get temporary car insurance, usually from a specialist provider, while you wait for your vehicle registration certificate. You will also need to have notified HMRC about your car arriving in the UK. The DVLA recommends that you transport, rather than drive, your vehicle from the port to your home or its first destination, and keep your vehicle off the road until it has been registered, taxed and insured.
If you have a foreign licence your UK premium may be higher as insurers may consider you higher risk due to being unfamiliar with UK roads and potentially not being used to driving on the left-hand side of the road.
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Reviewed on 17 Dec 2025 by
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