Car Insurance for non-UK drivers

rIf you’ve moved to the UK or are returning from living abroad, we offer car insurance for non-UK residents and licence holders. We may even be able to take into consideration your existing no claims discount if you aren’t using it elsewhere, so you can get comprehensive cover at an affordable price.

How Does Car Insurance for International and non-UK Drivers Work?

It’s illegal to drive on UK roads without car insurance. Even if you’ll only be staying in the UK for a short period, or if you don’t plan on driving very often, you’ll still need car insurance.

If you hire a car in the UK, car insurance should be included as part of your rental agreement. And if you’ve brought your own car from overseas, your existing car insurance may cover you for third party damage in the UK. This means that, if you’re involved in an accident, your insurance will cover any damage to other peoples’ property, but not your own.

The problem is that both of these arrangements are only temporary. If you plan on staying in the UK for a long period, or if you want comprehensive cover that won’t leave you out of pocket in the event of an accident, then you’ll need to take out your own insurance policy on a car that is registered in the UK.

Countries we will accept your no claim discount from

Some insurers consider all drivers from countries outside of the UK to be high-risk, as they assume you’ll be unfamiliar with UK roads. As a result, they tend to ignore existing no claim discounts while charging higher premiums. But we offer specialist car insurance for non-UK drivers who are looking to drive in the UK.

We will also take your existing no claim discount into consideration if you are from one of the following countries:

• an EU country
• Andorra
• Australia
• Gibraltar
• Monaco
• New Zealand
• Norway
• South Africa
• Switzerland

So you can get all the cover of a standard UK comprehensive car insurance policy at a more affordable price.

Can I Drive in the UK on an International Licence?

You can drive in the UK on an international licence, but only temporarily. If you plan on staying in the UK for the long-term, you’ll eventually have to either exchange your licence for a UK licence, or pass a UK driving test.

If you have a full, valid EU or EEC driving licence, you can drive in the UK until this licence expires. This will happen either when you turn 70, or three years after you become a UK resident – whichever is longer.

If you have a full, valid driving licence from a “designated country”, you can drive in the UK for up to 12 months. The list of designated countries includes:

• Gibraltar
• Jersey
• Guernsey
• The Isle of Man
• Australia
• Barbados
• British Virgin Islands
• Canada
• Falkland Islands
• Faroe Islands
• Hong Kong
• Japan
• Monaco
• New Zealand
• Republic of Korea
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• Zimbabwe

After 12 months, you’ll have to exchange your international licence for a UK licence. If you do this within five years of becoming a UK resident, there’s no need to retake your driving test.

If you have a full, valid driving licence that was not issued in an EU, EEC or designated country, you can still drive in the UK for 12 months on your existing licence. But after this period, you’ll have to apply for a provisional UK driving licence, and pass the UK driving test before you can legally drive on UK roads.

US licence holders

If you are a US licence holder you are also able to drive in the UK for up to 12 months. After those 12 months if you wish to continue to drive in the UK, you will need to apply for a provisional UK driving licence and pass the UK driving test.

No Claims Bonus for Non-UK Residents

Many UK insurers will refuse to take overseas no claim discounts into consideration. This means that drivers with non-UK licences can struggle to find affordable car insurance in the UK.

But at Go Girl, we specialise in giving careful drivers the insurance they need at a price you can afford. So, if you are from a country listed under the ‘Countries we will accept your no claim discount from’ section above we’ll consider your no claims bonus, and if accepted, you’ll get a discount on your premium right from the start.

Accepted International Licences and Permits

Our specialist Car Insurance for Non-UK Drivers is available to all drivers from countries outside of the UK with a valid driving licence.

What’s Covered by Car Insurance for Non-UK Drivers?

Car insurance for non-UK drivers covers everything that a standard UK car insurance policy covers. This means that you can choose from three levels of cover:

• Third Party Insurance Cover – If you’re involved in an accident, third party insurance will cover you for any damage suffered to other road users. You’ll pay less of a premium, but you’ll be responsible for paying for any repairs your car might need.
• Third Party, Fire and Theft – This too will cover you for damage to other peoples’ property. You’ll also be covered if your car is stolen, destroyed, or damaged by fire. But if you’re involved in a collision, you’ll still have to pay for all repairs to your car yourself.
• Comprehensive Car Insurance – If you’re involved in a collision, comprehensive car insurance will cover you, regardless of who caused the accident. Comprehensive car insurance premiums are higher than third party insurance premiums. But as they can take care of everything after an accident, comprehensive car insurance policies can actually help you save money in the long-term.

Get Comprehensive Car Insurance for Non UK Residents from an Insurer who Respects Overseas Drivers

If you’ve got a full, valid licence from another country and are looking for an annual policy, then get in touch with Go Girl for your car insurance quote.  And if you are from one of our accepted NCD countries mentioned above, we’ll give you a no claim discount immediately, and you’ll be able to drive fully-covered on UK roads in no time.