Temporary cover in the UK on foreign licence

[NNH]

Do any of the daily/temporary car insurance companies accept foreign licences? I'm back in the UK for a couple of weeks to help out my mother after surgery, and my UK licence has long since expired. My mother's insurance company won't accept my US licence for cover on her car, and I haven't yet found a daily insurance company who can help.
Any suggestions?

[littleredrooster]

If all else fails, I guess you could hire a car? That may be more straightforward, if slightly more expensive.

[MustangGT]

NNH said:

Do any of the daily/temporary car insurance companies accept foreign licences? I'm back in the UK for a couple of weeks to help out my mother after surgery, and my UK licence has long since expired. My mother's insurance company won't accept my US licence for cover on her car, and I haven't yet found a daily insurance company who can help.
Any suggestions?

Your UK licence for a car should expire at age 70. You should be able to re-activate it if you are less than that age.

[martinbiz]

MustangGT said:

NNH said:

Do any of the daily/temporary car insurance companies accept foreign licences? I'm back in the UK for a couple of weeks to help out my mother after surgery, and my UK licence has long since expired. My mother's insurance company won't accept my US licence for cover on her car, and I haven't yet found a daily insurance company who can help.
Any suggestions?

Your UK licence for a car should expire at age 70. You should be able to re-activate it if you are less than that age.

This as above, only the photo card part will have expired, not your licence to drive. There will many thousands driving around in the UK today with expired photo cards because they have forgotten or don’t even know it needs to be renewed every 10 years. Should you choose to drive and get stopped you would be guilty of driving otherwise in accordance with your licence, a relatively minor offence

[NNH]

martinbiz said:

MustangGT said:

NNH said:

Do any of the daily/temporary car insurance companies accept foreign licences? I'm back in the UK for a couple of weeks to help out my mother after surgery, and my UK licence has long since expired. My mother's insurance company won't accept my US licence for cover on her car, and I haven't yet found a daily insurance company who can help.
Any suggestions?

Your UK licence for a car should expire at age 70. You should be able to re-activate it if you are less than that age.

This as above, only the photo card part will have expired, not your licence to drive. There will many thousands driving around in the UK today with expired photo cards because they have forgotten or don’t even know it needs to be renewed every 10 years. Should you choose to drive and get stopped you would be guilty of driving otherwise in accordance with your licence, a relatively minor offence

Useful to know! In the end my brother has managed to cover me on his car so I can drive my mother around as needed. I'll bring my old UK photocard with me on my next trip and just use that.

[BertBert]

NNH said:

Useful to know! In the end my brother has managed to cover me on his car so I can drive my mother around as needed. I'll bring my old UK photocard with me on my next trip and just use that.

you could renew your UK photocard

[vaud]

BertBert said:

you could renew your UK photocard

More complex as an expat:

https://www.keithmichaels.co.uk/news/renew-your-uk...

[BertBert]

vaud said:

BertBert said:

you could renew your UK photocard

More complex as an expat:

https://www.keithmichaels.co.uk/news/renew-your-uk...

Ah yes, I see. I also then wonder if the advice above about driving on your UK licence and what offence it might be is correct.

[agtlaw]

martinbiz said:

This as above, only the photo card part will have expired, not your licence to drive. There will many thousands driving around in the UK today with expired photo cards because they have forgotten or don’t even know it needs to be renewed every 10 years. Should you choose to drive and get stopped you would be guilty of driving otherwise in accordance with your licence, a relatively minor offence

The relevant offence is contained in s.99 RTA 1988. The s.99 offence is non-endorsable.

[martinbiz]

BertBert said:

vaud said:

BertBert said:

you could renew your UK photocard

More complex as an expat:

https://www.keithmichaels.co.uk/news/renew-your-uk...

Ah yes, I see. I also then wonder if the advice above about driving on your UK licence and what offence it might be is correct.

Interesting for the OP that they do also offer temporary cover for visitors to the UK, although it would seem he is sorted now

As far as the bit about renewing as an ex pat, I’m not convinced that is all correct from a legal point of view, rather more of an opinion, too much conjecture, maybes, mights, and ifs

Edited by martinbiz on Wednesday 14th June 15:29

[vaud]

martinbiz said:

Interesting for the OP that they do also offer temporary cover for visitors to the UK, although it would seem he is sorted now

As far as the bit about renewing as an ex pat, I’m not convinced that is all correct from a legal point of view, rather more of an opinion, too much conjecture, maybes, mights, and ifs

Edited by martinbiz on Wednesday 14th June 15:29

To be fair I did not test it, it was a quick google check. Calling the DVLA would be best though potentially a lengthy process.

[Cat]

martinbiz said:

Should you choose to drive and get stopped you would be guilty of driving otherwise in accordance with your licence, a relatively minor offence

The offence would not be driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence (s.87 RTA) it would be failing to surrender the licence after it's administrative validity period had expired (s.99 RTA).

Cat

[markjmd]

Try these guys - https://www.sterling-insurance.co.uk/

They were able to provide cover last year for a relative visiting from the US on one of my cars.

[BertBert]

markjmd said:

Try these guys - https://www.sterling-insurance.co.uk/

They were able to provide cover last year for a relative visiting from the US on one of my cars.

OP got it sorted way back up there

[agtlaw]

Cat said:

The offence would not be driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence (s.87 RTA) it would be failing to surrender the licence after it's administrative validity period had expired (s.99 RTA).

See above.

[NNH]

Many thanks for the useful input from all. I have a solution now, but I'll look into these other options next time I'm here.

[QBee]

BertBert said:

markjmd said:

Try these guys - https://www.sterling-insurance.co.uk/

They were able to provide cover last year for a relative visiting from the US on one of my cars.

OP got it sorted way back up there

No harm in giving the nfo anyway - other people may have the same or similar question.
I, for example, am considring moving permamently to France, and the link to the Keith Michaels blog was very useful in setting my mind at rest.
It actually appears not to have changed despite Boris's master plan to get him elected as Prime Minister, aka Brexit.

[Gareth79]

One other thing - the usual problem is not whether the person holds a licence, but that they are not a UK resident. My sister lives in Australia and is visiting in a while, and it's not possible for her to be added to my parents' insurance because they only do that for UK residents. The main temporary insurers also seem to only accept UK residents.