Driving on UK insurance with a foreign driving licence...
Discussion
Don't know if this the right section but not much luck on GG, so thought that I would try here. Thanks.
My brother and his family are visiting from overseas for a month in August and due to the exorbitant cost of renting a car for a month, I had a spare vehicle available for him to use, so was going to add him to my insurance for a month so that he could use it whilst he was here. However, despite him passing his test here and having held a UK driving licence for 15+ years, his UK driving licence is no longer current, so my insurer will not allow me to add him to my insurance. He has come over and rented a car in the past with his foreign driving licence without issue. Has anyone else tried to do this? Is it typical? Are there any insurance companies that allow you to add a named driver to your insurance driving on a foreign driving licence? Any insight would be much appreciated.
My brother and his family are visiting from overseas for a month in August and due to the exorbitant cost of renting a car for a month, I had a spare vehicle available for him to use, so was going to add him to my insurance for a month so that he could use it whilst he was here. However, despite him passing his test here and having held a UK driving licence for 15+ years, his UK driving licence is no longer current, so my insurer will not allow me to add him to my insurance. He has come over and rented a car in the past with his foreign driving licence without issue. Has anyone else tried to do this? Is it typical? Are there any insurance companies that allow you to add a named driver to your insurance driving on a foreign driving licence? Any insight would be much appreciated.
white_goodman said:
Don't know if this the right section but not much luck on GG, so thought that I would try here. Thanks.
My brother and his family are visiting from overseas for a month in August and due to the exorbitant cost of renting a car for a month, I had a spare vehicle available for him to use, so was going to add him to my insurance for a month so that he could use it whilst he was here. However, despite him passing his test here and having held a UK driving licence for 15+ years, his UK driving licence is no longer current, so my insurer will not allow me to add him to my insurance. He has come over and rented a car in the past with his foreign driving licence without issue. Has anyone else tried to do this? Is it typical? Are there any insurance companies that allow you to add a named driver to your insurance driving on a foreign driving licence? Any insight would be much appreciated.
In what way is his "UK driving licence" no longer current? Is it the photocard that's expired? His licence will still be current though.My brother and his family are visiting from overseas for a month in August and due to the exorbitant cost of renting a car for a month, I had a spare vehicle available for him to use, so was going to add him to my insurance for a month so that he could use it whilst he was here. However, despite him passing his test here and having held a UK driving licence for 15+ years, his UK driving licence is no longer current, so my insurer will not allow me to add him to my insurance. He has come over and rented a car in the past with his foreign driving licence without issue. Has anyone else tried to do this? Is it typical? Are there any insurance companies that allow you to add a named driver to your insurance driving on a foreign driving licence? Any insight would be much appreciated.
(Unless he's been banned for a long, long time, of course).
Sebring440 said:
In what way is his "UK driving licence" no longer current? Is it the photocard that's expired? His licence will still be current though.
(Unless he's been banned for a long, long time, of course).
He had to give it up to get his foreign driving licence. Plus he wouldn't have a valid UK address of course.(Unless he's been banned for a long, long time, of course).
caziques said:
A UK licence doesn't cease to be valid just because it has been surrendered abroad.
It certainly did (and I don't believe it has changed post brexit) if it was exchanged for an EU licence. EU rules only permit someone to hold one licence issued by an EU member state.Cat
Cat said:
It certainly did (and I don't believe it has changed post brexit) if it was exchanged for an EU licence. EU rules only permit someone to hold one licence issued by an EU member state.
Cat
Are you trying to say a foreign country contacts DVLA to say Fred Bloggs no longer has a UK licence because they say so? And that DVLA action this? Cat
The only entity that could remove someone's right to a UK licence would be the UK authorities.
caziques said:
Are you trying to say a foreign country contacts DVLA to say Fred Bloggs no longer has a UK licence because they say so? And that DVLA action this?
The only entity that could remove someone's right to a UK licence would be the UK authorities.
No I'm saying if you exchange your UK licence, which is what the OP says their brother did, for an EU one the foreign authority take the licence and return it to DVLA informing them that it has been exchanged. The DVLA then cancel your UK licence as it's not permitted to have more than one EU licence.The only entity that could remove someone's right to a UK licence would be the UK authorities.
Cat
you have to be resident in the UK to have a UK licence.
the country these relatives reside in probably have a similar law stating residents must exchange their UK licence for a local one within a certain period, often 12 months.
when you live abroad your licence details are retained at DVLA ready to be activated when you return to the UK and surrender your foreign licence to the DVLA.
EU licences are valid throughout EU.
the country these relatives reside in probably have a similar law stating residents must exchange their UK licence for a local one within a certain period, often 12 months.
when you live abroad your licence details are retained at DVLA ready to be activated when you return to the UK and surrender your foreign licence to the DVLA.
EU licences are valid throughout EU.
My UK licence had to be surrendered for a Canadian one several years back, but on visits to the UK I was able to drive various family members cars. Insurers were ok with it, so not sure why yours is not accepting. As far as I can recall, it was just explained as a returning ex-uk resident/holder of licence, now holding foreign due tonexchange requirement returning for short period, etc.
Edited by Buffalo on Monday 16th May 22:48
Cat said:
No I'm saying if you exchange your UK licence, which is what the OP says their brother did, for an EU one the foreign authority take the licence and return it to DVLA informing them that it has been exchanged. The DVLA then cancel your UK licence as it's not permitted to have more than one EU licence.
Cat
Exactly this, although my brother is outside the EU.Cat
Buffalo said:
My UK licence had to be surrendered for a Canadian one several years back, but on visits to the UK I was able to drive various family members cars. Insurers were ok with it, so not sure why yours is not accepting. As far as I can recall, it was just explained as a returning ex-uk resident/holder of licence, now holding foreign due tonexchange requirement returning for short period, etc.
Out of interest, do you know who you're family members were insured with? My policy is up for renewal before August, so this is an option. I'm not unhappy with my current insurer but I have switched insurers before due to silly rules eg when I switched from a performance car to an ordinary diesel, my premium skyrocketed because that wasn't their specialisation and then when I went back to an Impreza, Churchill insisted on me fitting a Tracker despite the car being 6 years old and living in a low risk area, so I had to switch again.Edited by Buffalo on Monday 16th May 22:48
white_goodman said:
Out of interest, do you know who you're family members were insured with? My policy is up for renewal before August, so this is an option. I'm not unhappy with my current insurer but I have switched insurers before due to silly rules…..
You may have thought of this but I’d suggest that if you change companies then include your brother from the off. You won’t get caught then by the insurer changing their minds or not understanding what you meant, or charging a huge amount for it.I tried this recently even arranging a new policy. Insurers are not really interested due to no history on the overseas driver. To be fair I did eventually get a quote for a brand new policy with them on it but very expensive and unsure what the cancellation terms were. I binned it off in the end much easier if they can get hold of uk license again.
Cat said:
It certainly did (and I don't believe it has changed post brexit) if it was exchanged for an EU licence. EU rules only permit someone to hold one licence issued by an EU member state.
Cat
This was my experience; I passed my test in Italy, then moved back here. At the time (pre- EU) I had to retake the car test within (IIRC) 1 year but then shortly afterwards we became the EU and I exchanged my Italian driving licence for a UK motorbike licence (I hadn't taken the motorbike test here yet).Cat
They told me that, as above I could only have one EU licence so the Italian one died at that time though, I would think it might be possible to resurrect if I were living in Italy assuming there is a record of the test being passed?
That said, my Sister who lives in Italy did the opposite, as in she passed her test here before moving to Italy. When she presented her UK licence to the Italian authorities they issued an Italian licence but gave her the UK licence back so, although she doesn't have a UK residence she still has the licence, not sure if would be technically still valid though?
As for insurance on your car for a foreign licence holder, I think it would be a problem. In the past we tried to insure a car for EU visitors and didn't get anywhere, conversely I can drive my Sister's car in Italy on UK licence no problem and the same goes for cars in the USA.
UK insurers like to nitpick and make things difficult, e.g. mileage allowances, age of driver etc. whereas other states just insure the car rather than the driver.
We have a Ukranian family now living with us, a mother and 2 children. She has a Ukrainian driving licence, never had a UK or EU licence. My insurance company is Admiral and it cost me £80 to add her to my insurance policy for the remainder of the policy term (about 8 months) including the admin fee for my Range Rover. My wife's insurance company is LV or Direct Line, can't remember which one as she swapped from one to the other. She drives a BMW X1 and they wanted £120, and even then they would only provide cover for 42 days at a time, it had to be renewed every 42 days at £120 a time.
As is always the case, call your insurance company and ask them. You may be pleasantly surprised (or plainly shocked!) by their response.
As is always the case, call your insurance company and ask them. You may be pleasantly surprised (or plainly shocked!) by their response.
I have a US license and a UK licence. I did in fact just renew the UK one as the photo was ten years old and had just expired. I did not have to surrender my UK one when I passed my US test, and even if I did, they would have simply shredded it, not contacted the DVLA about anything.
UK entitlement to drive after passing your test lasts until your 70th birthday. The photo expires after ten years, but that does not void the licence - it is a separate and distinct non-endorsable offence for driving with an expired photo.
A UK photocard licence can be fully current & compliant if you have a UK address that it can be registered at, and that they can still be reached at or via. As stated by a poster above, it does not have to be yours, it can be a family members which fulfills that requirement.... this was also clarified with some legalese on here a long thread here some years ago.
The easiest solution to your problem is to get him to apply for a replacement UK licence, using your address, using his driver number and stating that it has been destroyed. Cost is £14. The DVLA won't ask, or care, if they currently hold a licence from another country.
UK entitlement to drive after passing your test lasts until your 70th birthday. The photo expires after ten years, but that does not void the licence - it is a separate and distinct non-endorsable offence for driving with an expired photo.
A UK photocard licence can be fully current & compliant if you have a UK address that it can be registered at, and that they can still be reached at or via. As stated by a poster above, it does not have to be yours, it can be a family members which fulfills that requirement.... this was also clarified with some legalese on here a long thread here some years ago.
The easiest solution to your problem is to get him to apply for a replacement UK licence, using your address, using his driver number and stating that it has been destroyed. Cost is £14. The DVLA won't ask, or care, if they currently hold a licence from another country.
Edited by GCH on Tuesday 17th May 22:57
QuickQuack said:
We have a Ukranian family now living with us, a mother and 2 children. She has a Ukrainian driving licence, never had a UK or EU licence. My insurance company is Admiral and it cost me £80 to add her to my insurance policy for the remainder of the policy term (about 8 months) including the admin fee for my Range Rover. My wife's insurance company is LV or Direct Line, can't remember which one as she swapped from one to the other. She drives a BMW X1 and they wanted £120, and even then they would only provide cover for 42 days at a time, it had to be renewed every 42 days at £120 a time.
As is always the case, call your insurance company and ask them. You may be pleasantly surprised (or plainly shocked!) by their response.
Cheers for that. I will call Admiral and give them a go (have insured with them in the past actually). Fair play to you for supporting a Ukranian family too. As is always the case, call your insurance company and ask them. You may be pleasantly surprised (or plainly shocked!) by their response.
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