After searching the various threads which have already been posted on the forum and calling various insurance companies I have came to the conclusion that this is simply not possible, but before i give up completely i wanted to ask here if anybody has a solution.
I am going back to the uk in may for a week and want to drive my fathers car.
His insurance companies do not insure non-uk residents.
I have contacted around 20 companies who do provide insurance for overseas residents but none will insure me as i do not hold a EU license, only a Swiss license.
A couple of companies which have been recommended already on the english forum have been www.tempcover.com and www.stuartcollins.com do not provide this service.
Anybody been in this situation already? How is it possible to get insurance on a hired car and not a family car?
When I went back to the UK for Christmas I was put on my mothers existing insurance as a named driver for 2 weeks. Could you try that route rather than getting your own insurance? I think it cost around £50.
It might not help in your case, but i was in a similar situation last week when visiting the UK - however I managed to get put on my Dad's insurance (directline) without any problem. Although I now have a Swiss licence, when I lived in the UK my insurance was also with them and they still had my records (plus i had been added to my Dad's insurance with them before when I still had a UK licence) - so it was no issue for them to add me on again.
Did you previously have car insurance in the UK? If so you could maybe try calling that company (again) and using the logic that you used to have a UK licence (and passed your test in the UK)...
Sorry, misunderstood, thought you were trying to get your own insurance, rather than just adding your name to his.
Do you have insurance here? If so, sometimes they will cover abroad, but I think that tends to be in the insured car rather than any. Might be worth asking your company.
Abi-bouw, are you sure that the insurance were aware that you now hold a Swiss licence and not a UK one? If your parents did not disclose this, it might not have been valid. I've have 38 years no claim in the UK, a UK address still, but DirectLine said they could NOT insure us with a Swiss licence.
Being insured is one thing - but insurance would do anything do get out of paying if they can- non disclosure is the most common reason.
There was a similar thread some time ago, where many said they couldn't be put on parents' insurance, Porsche (ex member) being one.
If it is actually possible to do so, with the Insurance fully aware that driver has Swiss licence, then this is great news.
Odile - I presume your comment was addressed to me. Yes, I was aware of the issue - so we made sure we disclosed to them I now had a Swiss licence. Maybe I was just lucky and the person who processed the applicant did not know the rules.
However, do me it doesnt seem logical that the insurance companies should stop insuring UK drivers, who just happen to have Swiss licences.
Same thing with me on my father's insurance - they even asked for a copy of the Swiss driving licence so pretty sure they got the implications of my non residence.
It's not cheap for a few days so for the last 6 years I have been a permanent named driver for the entire policy for the year.
PS I was never insured in my own right in the UK - always a named driver on other people's insurance so I don't have any insurance record or profile for them to check up on.
i always get put on my mothers insurance when i go home, they are aware i live in CH and hold a CH licence. i am allowed to be on it for a total of 3 months in any 12 month period.