Swiss drivers are only permitted to drive Swiss vehicles in Switzerland. No exceptions without paperwork from the border customs office (Zoll)
Non resident UK drivers are also not allowed to drive UK registered cars.
The insurance company has taken your money, and will not pay out as you will be breaking the law. Please understand that situation.
Insurances are always happy to take your money - but never happy to pay- they will find any loophole to get out of paying. Just not worth the risk - the cost could be massive, and prison even, if you injur, maim or kill without valid insurance (especially in CH) - especially if they sue. You need written confirmation from the Insurance that they are fully aware of the situation, and that you are indeed covered. Anything else is no good.
If you do manage to get this in writing, with all declared as per 1st post- I and many of us here would be very interested to know.
Of course it is much simpler here as all my kids, family and friends are allowed to drive my CH registered car when here on hol- as the system is totally different (no named drivers, etc)- which is very useful. Every time though, I ring my Insurance friend down the road and inform him of this, just out of courtesy.
I find Swiss insurers pay out without asking any questions, for sure if you have UK insurance with a green card the claim will be settled locally, your insurer will have very little to do with it.
UK insurers in the UK is another culture.
Wow - so everytime a non-UK resident drives a hire car in the UK (UK registered) they are breaking the law???
Of course that's wrong non residents can always drive local cars if they are licensed & insured.
On the basis of this thread I have contacted LV and asked them to confirm the cover and they said YES they are aware that my GF has a Swiss licence and YES she is fully insured to drive my car and they also sent me an email confirming this so that I have it in writing.
Great- that's the way to do it - get it in writing straight from the horse's mouth - much more reliable than an expat Forum. I am surprised though - but very useful too, merci.
Handy, and you are trying to find a way round this, but I don't see that helping as the zoll won't be overly interested, it's not an insurance issue. Neither the Zoll, police or the STVA would be overly bothered about a letter from LV, they certainly weren't when I enquired in 2 STVA offices about the same scenario. It's very simple really (we won't look at sensible) - unless the car is in the process of importation and registration, a Swiss resident cannot drive a non Swiss car here. I'm also not convinced that as well meaning as the EF is, our opinion will help should you get stopped for a control or have a shunt. Contact the relevant bodies for proper clarification, but unless there has been a change in policy in the last 1/4 of the year I think your stumped. Dealing with the locals on this was like dealing with the Borg... resistance is futile, and you will be assimilated;-)
Absolutely and agreed.
I understand there are exceptions for short term hire cars, but best to check all the details when doing this.
I however, had a similar issue when trying to drive a hire car in Canada, which was a similar situation and technically not allowed, but there was a way around it depending on how the reservation was done.
Found it!
http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en
Use of foreign private vehicles in Switzerland
The temporary use of foreign private vehicles by persons resident in Switzerland is prohibited in principle. Concerning customs and road traffic legal notification obligations with regard to the use of foreign vehicles in Switzerland, experience shows that there is often uncertainty and confusion. There is even some false information being circulated in internet forums, for example. It is for this reason that we would like to provide information on the main principles.
People resident in Switzerland
In principle, people who are resident in Switzerland are not allowed to use a foreign vehicle registered abroad in Switzerland. This also applies to vehicles which relatives or acquaintances from abroad allow you to use occasionally, for example.
There are special regulations for instance for vehicles which are occasionally privately hired abroad and for foreign company cars.
Please note: there is more information available to read at the quoted link above! Also in D/F/I languages.
From a legal point of view, you and your GF are commiting tax fraud. You imported the car tax free under the condition that it is for your personal use. What most people do not realise is the fact that when you drive any car over any border you are exporting/importing a valuable good.
See Swiss Federal Customs Administrations Form 15.50
As a tourist the import is a simple and formless procedure. SR 631.01 Zollverordnung Art. 30
If you have imported the vehicle as part of your household effects using form 15.30 you are allowed to use the vehicle for your private use only. There is even an information system where all form 15.30 holders are registered.
Don't you just love custom regulations that use the highlighted phrase. What that translates as "there is no law to forbid it".
It doesn't actually bother me either way - I don't have or drive not Swiss registered vehicles in Switzerland. What bothers me is that the regulations aren't clear.
A UK registered car can be driven by Swiss registered person anywhere in the world EXCEPT for Switzerland - as long as it is legally insured and roadworthy.
Does anyone else find that a little odd?
But it works exactly the same in most other European countries, it's not just CH that does this!
Tom
Not at all if you realize that it is all about importing a valuable good and the "crime" committed is tax fraud.
Also the "In principle" means that there is actually a law which list the exemptions. See my previous post.
You are free to propose a better law and solution for this particular problem.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring...le/DG_10014623
UK residents driving non-UK cars in the UK
UK residents are not allowed to use non-UK registered vehicles on UK roads. The only exceptions are:
if you work in another EU member state and use an EU-registered company car temporarily in the UK for business and private purposes
if you lease an EU-registered car and use this temporarily in the UK
It's good to know that you can drive a privately hired car from across the border here
I think this was covered on the other thread about renting a car from French side Basel airport.
It can be done, but you need to stop at the border, register your occasionally privately hired import, and pay CHF 25,-- you can't just drive into Switzerland believing as you are leaving tomorrow there is no need to register. The onus as with all border crossings is for you to offer the information, not to wait until they catch you.
But it's possible right? Which goes against what some people have been saying in this and other threads?
25CHF is nothing considering how expensive renting is in Switzerland
On top of that you will have to pay 40CHF for the vignette, and if in winter a lot extra to have snow tyres and a set of chains, which would be included in your Swiss car hire.