Insurance Cover on Self Import until V5 arrives and plates fitted (1 Viewer)

Bustup15

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Spent a day ringing around insurers to obtain budget costs for next years import. To be honest pleasantly surprised at circa £600 from both Comfort and AIB including European cover, full windscreen cover etc.

The issue I have is trying to get cover when on VIN number only with German import/export plates. I understand no one will give me cover until I hit UK but both of above are saying only a dealer import will be accepted on cover until UK plates are fitted?

Safeguard @ £1054 (a reduction after some haggling) will cover Third party fire and theft but no on road cover unless driving to a pre arranged booking for UK mods. - 1 hop only as even then they won't cover from garage to storage after mods with on road cover, suggested I put it on a transporter!

I have read of others getting cover - anyone share who this was or how they got around the above please?

Cheers - Neil
 

BreweryDave

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Buy the cover to get you back, then cancel within the cancellation period, 14 days I believe;)

AIB covered me on the vin from Paris to U.K. whilst on French plates, on the vin.
 
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I did mine with NFU, insured on the vin and when the reg came through just let them know the number and they updated the policy.
 
Jul 29, 2013
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We imported ours in June and I could only get Safeguard to insure it cost around £893
Bloody rip off but the only ones that would do it on the VIN as you can’t register first time with DVLA without insurance,catch 22.the problem with cancelling you have to do it within a certain time and you don’t know how long the import process will take.
We had even higher quotes from Adrian Flux £1300.
Will be back with Comfort next year hopefully.(y)
Good luck hope you get sorted.
I drove back to home on German Export plates I know it was a risk asonly third party but no incidents and all sorted.
The other point was that they will insure on vin but once at home they won’t cover you if you drive anywhere, I just arranged for anything that needed doing after getting registration as Safeguard gave me a month to get alarm fitted.

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Bustup15

Bustup15

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Thanks everyone for your input - seems like NFU might be the one to chase - will let you know what happens.
 

Anesta

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I just got a quote from Safeguard. Same predicament: going to get van from Germany next month and will have temp. plates and insurance from Germany but only for 30 days. So, asked what happens if DVLA takes more than 4 weeks to register motorhome (German insurance expires, don't have registration: how do I get insurance??), and Safeguard said they would insure on chassi n. until plates are done.
A doubt: can I drive, say from Folkestone to Eddie (Vanbitz), from Eddie to storage, storage to MOT and back to storage on German plates/insurance?
 
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Bustup15

Bustup15

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I just got a quote from Safeguard. Same predicament: going to get van from Germany next month and will have temp. plates and insurance from Germany but only for 30 days. So, asked what happens if DVLA takes more than 4 weeks to register motorhome (German insurance expires, don't have registration: how do I get insurance??), and Safeguard said they would insure on chassi n. until plates are done.
A doubt: can I drive, say from Folkestone to Eddie (Vanbitz), from Eddie to storage, storage to MOT and back to storage on German plates/insurance?
@Anesta
As I said in my earlier thread. Safeguard said they would cover me driving to ONE prearranged appointment but no further. The van would need to stay at garage or be lifted on transporter - :whistle::whistle::whistle:.

What's the position if I can borrow trade plates from a friendly dealer?

By the way Caravan and Camping came back with a proposition this morning .....

Ready?

£242.13 a month for 10 months :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

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Jul 29, 2013
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I just got a quote from Safeguard. Same predicament: going to get van from Germany next month and will have temp. plates and insurance from Germany but only for 30 days. So, asked what happens if DVLA takes more than 4 weeks to register motorhome (German insurance expires, don't have registration: how do I get insurance??), and Safeguard said they would insure on chassi n. until plates are done.
A doubt: can I drive, say from Folkestone to Eddie (Vanbitz), from Eddie to storage, storage to MOT and back to storage on German plates/insurance?
Your export plates cover you third party anywhere in Europe so you could use them I received our V5C within two weeks of sending to DVLA was most impressed.
 
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Bustup15

Bustup15

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Cheers - I misunderstood - thought the German plates only covered me till I got to border or port. Probably sh**ing myself till its in safe storage and plates arrive though!
 

Anesta

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Contacted AIB. Comfort won't touch it until it has UK reg.:mad:
Caravan and camping sounds like good value (for them!) :ROFLMAO:

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sallylillian

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Thanks everyone for your input - seems like NFU might be the one to chase - will let you know what happens.
With NFU they might only offer cover on the VIN for existing clients. So a solution will be to switch to them with your existing van. A positive preempt from you might oil the wheels!
 
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Bustup15

Bustup15

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NFU UPDATE - confusing or what!
Latest from local branch of NFU as quoted to them by their underwriters
Full cover can be provided once vehicle hits the UK using VIN number for maximum 14 days to allow delivery to storage/garage but NOT for general road use
No cover is provided in Europe as it is deemed a 'foreign unregistered vehicle' until V5 received

Now here is the contradictory bit - a vehicle imported on German transit plates - insurance cover provided on these plates will lapse as soon as the vehicle hits the UK and the vehicle will be demeed to be uninsured?
This contradicts @Speve comment above - is there anything documented about provision and limits of cover the transit plates provide?


Cheers
 
Jul 29, 2013
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NFU UPDATE - confusing or what!
Latest from local branch of NFU as quoted to them by their underwriters
Full cover can be provided once vehicle hits the UK using VIN number for maximum 14 days to allow delivery to storage/garage but NOT for general road use
No cover is provided in Europe as it is deemed a 'foreign unregistered vehicle' until V5 received

Now here is the contradictory bit - a vehicle imported on German transit plates - insurance cover provided on these plates will lapse as soon as the vehicle hits the UK and the vehicle will be demeed to be uninsured?
This contradicts @Speve comment above - is there anything documented about provision and limits of cover the transit plates provide?


Cheers
I think they probably mean if you take their insurance in UK the German plates would be invalidated, unless someone knows differently ?

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Jul 29, 2013
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I’m pretty sure the insurance on the export plates expires when you send the yellow paperwork that comes with them to the DVLA when applying for UK registration to prove it was insured during export, as by this time you will have insurance on your VIN with UK insurer.
We never had any problem when we did ours.
 

DBK

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Cheers - I misunderstood - thought the German plates only covered me till I got to border or port. Probably sh**ing myself till its in safe storage and plates arrive though!
If you are collecting it next year just be careful if it is after 29 March. I'm sure things will get sorted but German purchased insurance may only cover the EU. It would be worth checking.
 
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Bustup15

Bustup15

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I've decided its a black art!

Delivery will be after March so will just have to wait and see what the Br**it outcome is - something will get sorted no doubt but good or bad - who knows?

If as @Speve says it cover expires on return of paperwork that's fine, even if it expires on arrival at UK it seems to be covered by NFU but not any of the others that I have tried, so cover still availble. I still have a number of enquiries out with brokers so will update as they come back.

Perhaps the biggest concern looking at other threads is the same company seeming to tell different users different cover levels and areas of cover. Is that the users interpretation of what the company said, or the company or brokers interpretation of what they were told by their underwriters? Its a potential minefield if something goes wrong - getting it in writing would be my major aim, before an incident and not after.

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Pugsy

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Hi ,don,t know if this info is any good for you or not.
I brought a Spanish plated and Spanish insured Renualt Kangoo back a couple of years ago when i returned to the UK.
Youngs Insurance Broker in Grimsby (01472 358174) got me covered on a Highway policy (and i phoned loads with no joy) for the full duration to uk plates,which ended up taking 4 months and i drove the car around the whole time.
They where fine about the time as long as i kept them updated.

Cheers Cris.:cheers:.
 
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hat's fine, even if it expires on arrival at UK it seems to be covered by NFU
The cover expires at the date in the right hand red rectangle. The vehicle must have left Germany by then.
The maximum period first off is 90 days ,EU wide..
Cover is extendable but only in Germany & at an office not previously used.

http://germanexportplates.com/
 
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Bustup15

Bustup15

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Hmmmm reply from NFU @ Louth that others have used and recommended :eek::eek::eek:

Thank you for your enquiry reference imported motorhomes, unfortunately the NFU Mutual cannot insure motorhomes on the VIN number. We would be happy to look at a quotation once the vehicle is registered onto UK plates, but until that time our underwriters will not consider a quotation.


I appreciate that the forums may say different, we did used to offer a competitive motor home scheme that unfortunately, we no longer offer.


Apologies we can’t be of any more help at this time.


Thank you


Charlotte

Charlotte Hickling

Sales Adviser


Phone: 01507 600249

Email: louth_agency@nfumutual.co.uk

Website: nfumutual.co.uk/louth

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Anesta

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Just rang the DVLA and they said:
I CANNOT drive the motorhome, even with VIN insurance because it is not registered or taxed here. I have to go from Folkestone to a pre-booked MOT place to do the MOT and from there I can go home (or storage). That is it until it is registered. Can't have alarm fitted, nothing.
Get the feeling they'll do anything to avoid people getting a good deal for themselves and try to force them to pay UK prices.
One thing I don't understand: van will be on German plates with German insurance (my business if I want UK insurance from the border, just because I fancy fully comp.), so why is it not allowed to circulate on UK roads? Germans coming here don't tax their cars in the UK but they can run around. In fact if they are ever stopped they will probably only be asked to provide evidence of insurance, NOT road tax paid in Germany!
Very confused now. Of course :)() I will have to prove that I have paid road tax once the van has British plates, but in the time between German and British plates? So, I have to pay road tax on application for plates but I am forbidden from using the roads for which I pay tax. So I loose weeks of usage but the DVLA has got my money. Doesn't add up.
 

DBK

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Just rang the DVLA and they said:
I CANNOT drive the motorhome, even with VIN insurance because it is not registered or taxed here. I have to go from Folkestone to a pre-booked MOT place to do the MOT and from there I can go home (or storage). That is it until it is registered. Can't have alarm fitted, nothing.
Get the feeling they'll do anything to avoid people getting a good deal for themselves and try to force them to pay UK prices.
One thing I don't understand: van will be on German plates with German insurance (my business if I want UK insurance from the border, just because I fancy fully comp.), so why is it not allowed to circulate on UK roads? Germans coming here don't tax their cars in the UK but they can run around. In fact if they are ever stopped they will probably only be asked to provide evidence of insurance, NOT road tax paid in Germany!
Very confused now. Of course :)() I will have to prove that I have paid road tax once the van has British plates, but in the time between German and British plates? So, I have to pay road tax on application for plates but I am forbidden from using the roads for which I pay tax. So I loose weeks of usage but the DVLA has got my money. Doesn't add up.
I think it all revolves around the fact that as a Brit you can't drive a foreign registered vehicle in the UK.

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Anesta

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I think I can. If my in laws came in the car from Italy, provided their car is insured, I can drive it. Will ring DVLA tomorrow and ask
 

sallylillian

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You are allowed, I believe to drive to and from a place of testing. So plan your UK return by way of a previously booked appointment for your VCA, so ferry port to xyz and then return to off road storage. Plan the argument before you have it and within the rules.
 

sallylillian

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Just rang the DVLA and they said:
I CANNOT drive the motorhome, even with VIN insurance because it is not registered or taxed here. I have to go from Folkestone to a pre-booked MOT place to do the MOT and from there I can go home (or storage). That is it until it is registered. Can't have alarm fitted, nothing.
Get the feeling they'll do anything to avoid people getting a good deal for themselves and try to force them to pay UK prices.
One thing I don't understand: van will be on German plates with German insurance (my business if I want UK insurance from the border, just because I fancy fully comp.), so why is it not allowed to circulate on UK roads? Germans coming here don't tax their cars in the UK but they can run around. In fact if they are ever stopped they will probably only be asked to provide evidence of insurance, NOT road tax paid in Germany!
Very confused now. Of course :)() I will have to prove that I have paid road tax once the van has British plates, but in the time between German and British plates? So, I have to pay road tax on application for plates but I am forbidden from using the roads for which I pay tax. So I loose weeks of usage but the DVLA has got my money. Doesn't add up.
So buy in the UK and stop whinging because you cannot plan for the rules.

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Jul 29, 2013
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I will have to prove that I have paid road tax once the van has British plates, but in the time between German and British plates? So, I have to pay road tax on application for plates but I am forbidden from using the roads for which I pay tax. So I loose weeks of usage but the DVLA has got my money. Doesn't add up.
But it’s only a couple of weeks I used the time to add my own little bits and pieces to the van(y)
Companies like Bundesvan import all the time and even have drivers that fetch vans for them don’t see them getting stopped or penalised. No different to you or I doing it.(y)
 
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so why is it not allowed to circulate on UK roads?

It can. I as a spanish resident can drive it on german export plates legally in the UK. You as a British resident can't as @ DBK says-
A national or permanent resident of a country can only drive a vehicle that is registered in that state.

I think it all revolves around the fact that as a Brit you can't drive a foreign registered vehicle in the UK.
Correct.
There is a link on it somewhere that states that if the owners are in the vehicle you can drive it but it is highly debatable.

(y)
Companies like Bundesvan import all the time and even have drivers that fetch vans for them don’t see them getting stopped or penalised. No different to you or I doing it.(y)

It is completely different. They come under "professional" drivers , as do hire car employee's returning cross border hire vehicles & as such have a different set of rules. I.e. An hgv driver in the UK can drive a foreign registered truck for a living if his employer has them. He cannot finish work & go home diving his own foreign registered vehicle though. That is an offence.
 

Anesta

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I play with the rules all of the time, but I can choose not to like them if they are not fair and make no sense.

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