Car Insurance - France (1 Viewer)

Feb 9, 2008
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My son is moving to France in a couple of weeks and has found his current insurance provider will not cover him as he will no longer have a UK address. He needs insurance as soon as he drives into Calais in his UK registered car. Does anyone have any advice or what have others done in the past?

Many thanks, Bill
 

Lenny HB

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If he is a resident of France it will be illegal to drive a UK registered car, likewise a UK resident can not drive a car registered in another country. Same rules apply throughout the EU.
 
Feb 16, 2013
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If he is a resident of France it will be illegal to drive a UK registered car, likewise a UK resident can not drive a car registered in another country. Same rules apply throughout the EU.
How does this work when you hire a car in another country.

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moulin 87

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My son is moving to France in a couple of weeks and has found his current insurance provider will not cover him as he will no longer have a UK address. He needs insurance as soon as he drives into Calais in his UK registered car. Does anyone have any advice or what have others done in the past?

Many thanks, Bill

As you say, thousands of us expats have done it. He'll have to pop into one of the thousands of agents in France, found in every town... Allianz, AXA, etc. Don't go to only one, get quotes and also if they have an English speaker and whether they will go the extra mile and help with all the initial paperwork for moving to France...or his local bank...

He should perhaps not have told his present insurer he was moving until he had found a replacement...I think the ruling is 6 months before you have to reregister your car though thousands have been here for years and haven't bothered.. and still have insurance..

Where in France is he moving to there maybe someone on here who could recommend one...
 

Lot lover

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If he is a resident of France it will be illegal to drive a UK registered car

Not true - he has 1 month to register a "foreign" car - his new company will only issue a windscreen sticker for 1 month.

To obtain insurance here he will have to supply evidence of his French address (an EDF bill tends to be the only acceptable document), his passport, UK driving licence , V5 and something to show that he has NCD - it might help to stay with the same insurance co.

Might I suggest a swift course in forward planning might be appropriate. :)

BTW if I can be of any assistance with "how to re-register a UK reg,.car in France" just send a PM.
 
Aug 18, 2014
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My son is moving to France in a couple of weeks and has found his current insurance provider will not cover him as he will no longer have a UK address. He needs insurance as soon as he drives into Calais in his UK registered car. Does anyone have any advice or what have others done in the past?

Many thanks, Bill
why on earth did he tell them ?

How does this work when you hire a car in another country.

If you , a UK resident, hire a car in another EU state it isn't a problem.You are not a resident in that state. You can legally drive a vehicle from any country, outside the UK.

I am a Spanish resident. In Spain I can only legally drive a spanish registered vehicle but as soon as I leave the country I can drive anything in any other EU state.
Same for you in the UK.
If I had a house in the UK & remained a spanish resident I could drive anything in the UK but would not be able to drive them to Spain & use them here.

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WillH
Feb 9, 2008
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Thanks for all the info everyone, though some of it is contradictory, he knows he has six months to re-register. He has to tell his insurer because he will no longer have a UK address for correspondence. His residency permit cannot be issued until he has actually taken up residence though he already has a French address, hence the problem. Forward planning is great with hindsight but he was only given dates for his move the week before Christmas so it is very much a rush job. He moves over a week Tuesday. I think we can get somewhere with the info we now have.

Once again, many thanks.
 

Lot lover

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Forward planning is great with hindsight but he was only given dates for his move the week before Christmas so it is very much a rush job. He moves over a week Tuesday

That was more than 2 weeks ago maybe even 3. France does not close over Solstice and New Year unlike some countries - as Dec 25 and Jan 1 both fell on Sunday there is no day off in lieu so effectively no "jours feries".

I am curious/nosey about the "residency permit" - que? Unless he was not born under the flags of your avatar June 23 has not changed anything (at least I hope not).
 
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WillH
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His company are moving him fast as there is the possibility once Article 50 is triggered the French may get sticky about allowing 'foreigners' to take up work in France.

I have had an email from him saying he now realises that telling his insurance provider was probably a mistake. The forward planning bit is a shame as he only got an address in France a couple of weeks ago. Remember, he's going over to work, not to live in retirement.

Once again, many thanks for all advice and comments. It was his idea to ask the Funsters and it has paid off.

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Lot lover

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The French are already (and probably always have been) iffy about employing foreigners. The usual get-out clause is inadequate linguistic ability but good luck to your son anyway.

The bureaucracy can be a nightmare but hopefully his employers will be able to help with that.
 
Aug 18, 2014
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If he is going on a fixed length contract for the same company then there is yet another set of EU rules that allows the motor vehicle to remain UK registered , without need of replating, & also for it to remain UK insured.

The French are already (and probably always have been) iffy about employing foreigners. The usual get-out clause is inadequate linguistic ability but good luck to your son anyway.

The bureaucracy can be a nightmare but hopefully his employers will be able to help with that.
Try it with the Spanish. They'll employ anyone before a fully qualified foreigner. :D2 Normally family first, then relatives, friends of family, neighbours, friends of relatives,then any other Spanish national.:LOL:
I've even seen adverts with " Spanish nationals only" need apply.
 
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WillH
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If only life were so simple! He was invited to move to Paris post Brexit, but only in October. It took a month to sort out his terms and only then was the move on and he could begin on working out his move. They had to find a suitable rental property, near his work and the British School, and only then did they have an address to work with.

He's hammered out a good deal with his company though, free housing, free private education for the children, free health insurance, NI contributions kept up to date and a bonus for moving. He also managed a pay rise to boot, but all this took time. He must improve his French as part of the deal though!

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