Registering an import. (1 Viewer)

Snowbird

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We arived back in the UK on Friday with the RMB Silver Star and are delighted with it. Have never seen quality like that in any motorhome ever. The German import plates include third party insurance ran out at midnight on Sunday, so I rang my insurers on Friday as soon as I got home to transfer my insurance. They said because I dont have UK number plates they can only give off road insurance until the vehicle is registerd here. So off I went to get the MOT and no problems there. Called DVLA to checK re registering it here and they say MOT and insurance required. So I explain what the insurance company have said regarding the off road policy and they say NO GOOD. We need full highway insurance. Am now in a chicken and egg situation as I cant get insurance till I get a registration number and I cant get a registration number till I get insurance :Doh:
I never had this problem in the past and I have imported several vehicles over the years. Is this something new.
 
Aug 29, 2010
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I'm just in the process of maybe importing a secondhand van from Ireland and it will need an MOT on arrival. When I rang my current insurer to check out the position they said they could just transfer my policy on to the new van using the VIN number until it was registered.
I will be keeping an eye on this thread for other replies plus progress reports from you as I am off to Dublin tomorrow to view the prospective van
 

vwalan

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some insurets dont like giving cover on a vin number . only a few months ago registered a motor bike from germany went to a local broker who knew which insurers to get the cover. all done in a few days mot registered. and log book took about 6 days to get here.

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slobadoberbob

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Safeguard did mine

Safeguard did my RV on the chassis number... Even the MOT was done on the chassis number.. When it got it's registration number DLVA re issued the MOT so it carried the registration number... Simples

Bob
 
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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There was no problem with the MOT on the vin number Bob. Saga who I am now insured with are being difficult. I used to be with Adrian Flux for many years and I know they will insure on a vin, but that means I have to cancel my insurance with Saga and with another 5 months on the policy I know I will get sod all back.
The other downside to insuring with Flux is they dont give green cards for Morocco. Thats why I left em in the first place. Its not really simples Bob, I can assure you.
 

vwalan

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shop around or speak to a broker .get a months cover then cancel . lots do it that way.

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Oct 1, 2007
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There was no problem with the MOT on the vin number Bob. Saga who I am now insured with are being difficult. I used to be with Adrian Flux for many years and I know they will insure on a vin, but that means I have to cancel my insurance with Saga and with another 5 months on the policy I know I will get sod all back.
The other downside to insuring with Flux is they dont give green cards for Morocco. Thats why I left em in the first place. Its not really simples Bob, I can assure you.

any chance of 1 months temporary cover
from an alternative insurer
 
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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Had thought about the one month cover but as I already have cover its not allowed to have two policies running at the same time on the same vehicle. Am beginning to think its just a Saga thing.
 

vwalan

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we arent going to tell anyone .once it done cancel .you might never actually use it on the road .only to let dvla see it . they might want to inspect it and go through the rig marole of checking its not stolen. they do down here . but they are very quick at sorting everything .shall miss them if they close the local offices .
down here dvla are tops . i could give them ten out of ten but rather give them twelve.

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Sundowners

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I'm just in the process of maybe importing a secondhand van from Ireland and it will need an MOT on arrival. When I rang my current insurer to check out the position they said they could just transfer my policy on to the new van using the VIN number until it was registered.
I will be keeping an eye on this thread for other replies plus progress reports from you as I am off to Dublin tomorrow to view the prospective van

Same as you, when importing ours from The States our insurer transferred ours using the Vin plate, however they would only give one week and at a push would extend it to 14 days.

Nigel and Pamala
 
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Snowbird

Snowbird

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Well it seems someone did not give me the correct information. Whether it was the DVLA or my insurers I don't know. I presented myself with all the paperwork to the DVLA office in Manchester and all was correct. Just wait a few days now for the registration docs and then am a really happy motorhomer again.
Just hope I don't finish up with running two of em again :Eeek:. Ah well there's always someone looking for a bargain :thumb:.
 

Jaws

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I was with Saga for 10 years.. All my cars and Womans cars.. The motorhome, and when they started doing bikes all my bikes

But in the end got absolutely sick and tired of all the silly SILLY rules they kept coming up with.. It was almost as if they no longer wanted peoples vehicle insurance business.
I doubt I will ever go back to them even if they are a few quidlets cheaper, as in the long term I feel it is highly likely I will end up paying a MUCH higher price and am unwilling to take the risk

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Jul 4, 2010
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Registered a Spanish LHD car about a month ago. was told many of the regs have changed in the last 15 months.

Am at work at the moment but will post some of the new criteria you have to attend to a bit later.
 
Aug 5, 2012
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There is a company that does insurance by the day,(can't remember the name but google should help) can you suspend cover from Saga start a new policy for as long as is needed?

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Jul 4, 2010
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Our car is 2006 and I think the regs we had to conform to were for EU vehicles after about 2003. If your MH is before that date then it's all easier than what we had to do.

Here are a couple of lines from the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) document -



Commission Notice / Mutual Recognition: [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]This procedure is intended for vehicles built to a European specification that are being imported into the United Kingdom from other European countries. In order to process an application under this scheme we require specific documentation, and payment, as outlined in this application form. [/FONT][/FONT]EXCEPTIONS: ...

Camper van / Motor home: [FONT=Arial,Arial][FONT=Arial,Arial]If your vehicle has permanent cooking and sleeping facilities, and is manufactured prior to 28 April 2012, at the time of writing, it is exempt from this VCA procedure. Please contact DVLA to discuss vehicle registration. [/FONT][/FONT]


I will post links to all? the relevant DVLA documents re importing a vehicle below, but it appears from the VCA that all their regs don't apply to a MH.


We also had to have insurance to enable us to register the car, but only had a Spanish registration which isn't relevant in the UK.

There are two or three insurance companies who will insure on VIN No. only, but they restrict you to 30 days or 1 month to get your new registration. At that point they cancel the insurance if you haven't produced a UK registration number.

We used Endsleigh Insurance for our car but it could equally have been Adrian Flux, the price was within a couple of pounds.

So you could as suggested suspend your existing insurance, not produce a registration number and pay for a month only, or cancel the existing insurance and take a year with another company.

Just for information you are very lucky to be exempt. For our car we not only had to get an MoT but also physically change headlamp units, struck lucky with having a convertable digital speedo or would have had to replace it with a MPH one (no sticking MPH No's over the top anymore), make sure that there are repeater flasher lamps, have dual fog lights and rear seatbelts to UK specs. It is then necessary to get a VAT reg garage to write a letter to confirm that all these items have been fitted and signed by the manager or proprietor. Add to this a Certificate of Conformity from the country of origine and you have a fair bit of work to do.

There were 3 sets of forms to complete after getting all documents from other sources, then a visit to the local DVLA.

Would I do this again, yes in the right circumstances for the right vehicle. Our next project is to register our MH in France, now that should be fun.

Hope this helps someone else.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motorin...icle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_4022583

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motorin...cle/ImportingAndExportingAVehicle/DG_10028413

 
Aug 29, 2010
842
1,234
Nuneaton. Only when I have to.
Funster No
13,456
MH
Hymer Exsis t564
Exp
Since Sept 2010
I'm just in the process of maybe importing a secondhand van from Ireland and it will need an MOT on arrival. [HI]When I rang my current insurer to check out the position they said they could just transfer my policy on to the new van using the VIN number until it was registered.[/HI]
I will be keeping an eye on this thread for other replies plus progress reports from you as I am off to Dublin tomorrow to view the prospective van

A quick update on this subject. I am proceeding with the purchase of the van from Ireland and so rang my current Insurer, Comfort, to arrange the transfer on to the VIN number. The person I spoke to this time dropped a bit of a bombshell when he told me that it could be done but that I wouldn't be covered to drive from the port. In short, cover but no cover. What sense does that make? Anyway, I rang around the usual suspects, including Adrian Flux and none were the slightest use whatsoever except Safeguard. Full marks to them. Really helpful. No fuss quotation, no restrictions other than having to advise a reg number in 30 days, comprehensive breakdown cover, unlimited annual mileage etc, etc. The other black mark for Comfort was their weird concept of no claims discount that isn't, i.e. you get a discount but it isn't a transferable NCB. Happily, Safeguard accepted the NCB I had from Caravanguard previously.

It's all turned out alright but it was pretty worrying to hear the illogical, arbitrary and unreasonable excuses trotted out by insurers and brokers as to why they could/would not insure personal imports on a VIN.

Insurance used to be a simple underwriting exercise in balancing risk against premium but too many insurers now want to 'select against' and slice up categories into the narrowest, least risk demographics.

Just need to get the van home now and do battle with the DVLA! :thumb::thumb::thumb:

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Feb 9, 2011
40
33
Lytham
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15,262
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Carthago
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2005
Same as you, when importing ours from The States our insurer transferred ours using the Vin plate, however they would only give one week and at a push would extend it to 14 days.

Nigel and Pamala

Hi sundowners, could you help as to who insures your vehicle whilst it is in usa ie driving it to port for shipping? I am looking to import an rv next year and trying to get my head round it all.

Thanks
Dave
 

Sundowners

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Oct 30, 2007
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Hi
we had insurance or our road-trip in US----ours was expensive as they insured the pick-up as commercial:Sad:
I think you should ask the dealer for help/advice--they, especially PPL Texas are always willing to help:thumb: (assuming you are buying from one)
We used the address of a relative in Texas to get our insurance----but we believe any address will work as long as you can be contacted through it.
We used State Farm (because my sister uses them )
We understand, from friends that 'aliens' are really good-- and cheap.
Insurance on the ship was through the shippers (again not cheap).
IF you decide to get the RV transported to the port----pay this separate to the shipping---you now pay TAX on the cost of GETTING IT TO THE PORT:cry::cry:
and then , of course:Doh: pay VAT on that tax:Sad:-----
If you can do it---buy and use, then store long enough to qualify for tax free on importation
Nigel & Pamala
 
Last edited:

patyogi

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Feb 8, 2012
64
29
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We arived back in the UK on Friday with the RMB Silver Star and are delighted with it. Have never seen quality like that in any motorhome ever. The German import plates include third party insurance ran out at midnight on Sunday, so I rang my insurers on Friday as soon as I got home to transfer my insurance. They said because I dont have UK number plates they can only give off road insurance until the vehicle is registerd here. So off I went to get the MOT and no problems there. Called DVLA to checK re registering it here and they say MOT and insurance required. So I explain what the insurance company have said regarding the off road policy and they say NO GOOD. We need full highway insurance. Am now in a chicken and egg situation as I cant get insurance till I get a registration number and I cant get a registration number till I get insurance :Doh:
I never had this problem in the past and I have imported several vehicles over the years. Is this something new.

Try Adrian Flux, that's how I changed over plates, they will insure for the MOT and VOSA trip.

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Snowbird

Snowbird

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All done and dusted now.........No problems at all.........Just crossed lines from people in offices that dont know there ar*e from there elbow.
 

motor roamin

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Hi sundowners, could you help as to who insures your vehicle whilst it is in usa ie driving it to port for shipping? I am looking to import an rv next year and trying to get my head round it all.

Thanks
Dave

You will need an address in the USA have a word with the dealer he may be able to help......unfortunately I no longer have one or you could have used that.......this is supposed to be your address don't forget......so the title will also be sent to this address.......not so easy now getting insurance as an alien as it used to be......again speak to the dealer......it will also make a difference which State you are buying in.......Join RVOC ask any questions there you will find the answers......and it's only a £5 note as you are a member on here........before you jump check the new import rules/hoops here to make sure you know what to do it has changed as of April this year.

Hope this helps

All the best Rick
 

slobadoberbob

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can I add to this advice

Hi
we had insurance or our road-trip in US----ours was expensive as they insured the pick-up as commercial:Sad:
I think you should ask the dealer for help/advice--they, especially PPL Texas are always willing to help:thumb: (assuming you are buying from one)
We used the address of a relative in Texas to get our insurance----but we believe any address will work as long as you can be contacted through it.
We used State Farm (because my sister uses them )
We understand, from friends that 'aliens' are really good-- and cheap.
Insurance on the ship was through the shippers (again not cheap).
IF you decide to get the RV transported to the port----pay this separate to the shipping---you now pay TAX on the cost of GETTING IT TO THE PORT:cry::cry:
and then , of course:Doh: pay VAT on that tax:Sad:-----
If you can do it---buy and use, then store long enough to qualify for tax free on importation
Nigel & Pamala

PPL arranged insurance.. it was expensive and cover was charged for 6 months and a refund had to be applied for took for ever. But they issued the 30 day tags (As many as you want) .. it is very much if you buy from PPL .. pay and remove it as they do not like to store anything.. they have a high turn over of RV's and are very used to dealing with the British and Europeans... but they were one of the very few that would sort out US insurance I found.

Bob

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slobadoberbob

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Jun 1, 2009
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MH
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I insured mine on the chassis number with Safeguard

A quick update on this subject. I am proceeding with the purchase of the van from Ireland and so rang my current Insurer, Comfort, to arrange the transfer on to the VIN number. The person I spoke to this time dropped a bit of a bombshell when he told me that it could be done but that I wouldn't be covered to drive from the port. In short, cover but no cover. What sense does that make? Anyway, I rang around the usual suspects, including Adrian Flux and none were the slightest use whatsoever except Safeguard. Full marks to them. Really helpful. No fuss quotation, no restrictions other than having to advise a reg number in 30 days, comprehensive breakdown cover, unlimited annual mileage etc, etc. The other black mark for Comfort was their weird concept of no claims discount that isn't, i.e. you get a discount but it isn't a transferable NCB. Happily, Safeguard accepted the NCB I had from Caravanguard previously.

It's all turned out alright but it was pretty worrying to hear the illogical, arbitrary and unreasonable excuses trotted out by insurers and brokers as to why they could/would not insure personal imports on a VIN.




Insurance used to be a simple underwriting exercise in balancing risk against premium but too many insurers now want to 'select against' and slice up categories into the narrowest, least risk demographics.

Just need to get the van home now and do battle with the DVLA! :thumb::thumb::thumb:

Like wise I did mine on the chassis number with safeguard.. did not seem to be an issue with them.

Bob
 
Feb 9, 2011
40
33
Lytham
Funster No
15,262
MH
Carthago
Exp
2005
You will need an address in the USA have a word with the dealer he may be able to help......unfortunately I no longer have one or you could have used that.......this is supposed to be your address don't forget......so the title will also be sent to this address.......not so easy now getting insurance as an alien as it used to be......again speak to the dealer......it will also make a difference which State you are buying in.......Join RVOC ask any questions there you will find the answers......and it's only a £5 note as you are a member on here........before you jump check the new import rules/hoops here to make sure you know what to do it has changed as of April this year.

Hope this helps

All the best Rick

Thanks for the help guys, i cant belive they add tax and then put the VAT on the final amount. In my case that equates to 30k, stingray have the rv i want in stock so im off to look at that on Wednesday as it might not be worth even bothering with the import.

Dave
 

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