Temporary insurance for visiting non-UK resident

[black-k1]

A friend from the US plans to come over and join us on our 1 week trip to the French Alps in May this year. He’s going to borrow a bike but needs temporary insurance on it. Does any one have any suggestions of insurnce companies that may offer such a service?

Thanks

[G Man]

black-k1 said:

A friend from the US plans to come over and join us on our 1 week trip to the French Alps in May this year. He’s going to borrow a bike but needs temporary insurance on it. Does any one have any suggestions of insurnce companies that may offer such a service?

Thanks

Used these dudes before when I needed day insurance
http://www.dayinsure.com/motorbikeInsurance.aspx

[black-k1]

G Man said:

Used these dudes before when I needed day insurance
http://www.dayinsure.com/motorbikeInsurance.aspx

Thanks G-Man, I've dropped them an e-mail to see what they can do.

Regards

David

[Busa_Rush]

I used http://www.ebikeinsurance.co.uk/ in the past, their monthly pay as you go policy. It will only cover a month at a time but it's easy to set up. You might find it easier to insure the bike yourself (or the bikes owner) and add the other chap as a named driver ?

[black-k1]

Busa_Rush said:

I used http://www.ebikeinsurance.co.uk/ in the past, their monthly pay as you go policy. It will only cover a month at a time but it's easy to set up. You might find it easier to insure the bike yourself (or the bikes owner) and add the other chap as a named driver ?

Thanks for the link. I've dropped them an e-mail to see what they'll do. I had thought of getting a named rider added to the owners insurance but as he is alrady lending his bike to someone for a trip he's not even coming on, I didn't want to push things too far.

[Silver993tt]

You'll find that all UK insurance companies (even for short term pay as you go) will require the proposer to be a UK resident. I've never had the problem whilst getting insurance in other countries in Europe but is a peculiarity to the UK.

[black-k1]

Silver993tt said:

You'll find that all UK insurance companies (even for short term pay as you go) will require the proposer to be a UK resident. I've never had the problem whilst getting insurance in other countries in Europe but is a peculiarity to the UK.

Yes, that's exactly what I am finding. Insurance companies must be willing to insure foreign nationals otherwise hire companies wouldn't work but I can't find where to get insurance!

[R1 Loon]

black-k1 said:

Yes, that's exactly what I am finding. Insurance companies must be willing to insure foreign nationals otherwise hire companies wouldn't work but I can't find where to get insurance!

You're ging to struggle on another aspect too, which is that the question will be "Are you the owner and Registered Keeper?" most insurers insist on this being "Yes", with the caveat of lease cars etc.

Hire companies insurance works because they have a policy designed specifically for that and they pay a hell of a lot for it for a year, rather than a one week policy unfortunately.

[Silver993tt]

black-k1 said:

Yes, that's exactly what I am finding. Insurance companies must be willing to insure foreign nationals otherwise hire companies wouldn't work but I can't find where to get insurance!

you might be easier trying to get insurance via a company on the continent - maybe somewhere like Germany. They seem to be more flexible but comprehensive cover there will be quite alot more than in the UK.

[black-k1]

R1 Loon said:

You're ging to struggle on another aspect too, which is that the question will be "Are you the owner and Registered Keeper?" most insurers insist on this being "Yes", with the caveat of lease cars etc.

Hire companies insurance works because they have a policy designed specifically for that and they pay a hell of a lot for it for a year, rather than a one week policy unfortunately.

I have no doubt that hire companies pay a lot of money for their insurance. My point was that insurance companies are willing to insure vehicles not owned by, but driven by, foreign nationals as they do this for hire companies, yet I haven’t even managed to get a ridiculously high quote, it’s just been "no, we don’t do that type of insurance".

[black-k1]

Silver993tt said:

you might be easier trying to get insurance via a company on the continent - maybe somewhere like Germany. They seem to be more flexible but comprehensive cover there will be quite alot more than in the UK.

I hadn't thought of that so I'll have a look around to see if there is anything. Thanks.

[Ballon]

I think the solution may lie in him having to hire a bike with the insurance as part of the deal.

http://www.2wheeltravel.co.uk/Motorcycle%20Hire/fr...

This is the first one I found, or rent one in the UK and take it to France if they allow it and I am sure they do.

[catso]

Can he get insurance in his own country for 'any bike' or even a specific bike that has overseas use cover?

I have had this problem in the past with wanting to lend a car to foreign visitors and gave up looking for a solution, yet never had a problem when the situation was reversed whilst I was visiting them.

It has to be said that UK insurance companies really are the worse when it comes to this sort of thing, no flexibility at all which wouldn't be so bad if we had reasonable prices as a result...

[308mate]

G Man said:

Used these dudes before when I needed day insurance
http://www.dayinsure.com/motorbikeInsurance.aspx

My 30yr old Brother who is an Australian resident with only an Australian DL, was able to get 3 days fully comp insurance on a 53 plate Range Rover for about 70 quid on that site. I use it all the time.

[Silver993tt]

308mate said:

My 30yr old Brother who is an Australian resident with only an Australian DL, was able to get 3 days fully comp insurance on a 53 plate Range Rover for about 70 quid on that site. I use it all the time.

Your brother had an invalid policy if he used this company. Under "Car Insurance Criteria" it clearly states:

"hold a current, valid, full UK or EU/EAA driving licence, and have done so for at least 12 months"

http://www.dayinsure.com/car-insurance-criteria.as...

and for bikes under "Motorcycle Insurnace Criteria":

"have been resident in the UK for at least 12 months"

http://www.dayinsure.com/motorbike-insurance-crite...

Edited by Silver993tt on Thursday 3rd February 12:24

[black-k1]

Hi All

UPDATE

I have tried just about every avenue I can think of with UK insurance companies and nobody is interested! (They’re obviously making enough money from screwing UK residents that they don’t need any other business!)

Silver993tt said:

you might be easier trying to get insurance via a company on the continent - maybe somewhere like Germany. They seem to be more flexible but comprehensive cover there will be quite alot more than in the UK.

Well done to the Germans and thanks for the tip! The company at http://www.tourinsure.de/englisch/motorcycles_e.ht... can provide cover for a non-EU resident on an EU registered bike providing the person being insured owns that bike.

Immediately prior to the trip, the American will buy the bike and insure it. When the trip is complete, and assuming the bike is undamaged, then the original owner will buy the bike back. The only issue then will be the increase in the number of registered keepers but on a bike that is already 13 years old that is hardly going to make a huge difference. It also solves the problem of ‘what if the bike is damaged/stolen on the trip’ as the original owner will simply use the purchase money to buy a new bike.

[Silver993tt]

black-k1 said:

Well done to the Germans and thanks for the tip! The company at http://www.tourinsure.de/englisch/motorcycles_e.ht... can provide cover for a non-EU resident on an EU registered bike providing the person being insured owns that bike.

Immediately prior to the trip, the American will buy the bike and insure it. When the trip is complete, and assuming the bike is undamaged, then the original owner will buy the bike back. The only issue then will be the increase in the number of registered keepers but on a bike that is already 13 years old that is hardly going to make a huge difference. It also solves the problem of ‘what if the bike is damaged/stolen on the trip’ as the original owner will simply use the purchase money to buy a new bike.

[R1 Loon]

black-k1 said:

I have no doubt that hire companies pay a lot of money for their insurance. My point was that insurance companies are willing to insure vehicles not owned by, but driven by, foreign nationals as they do this for hire companies, yet I haven’t even managed to get a ridiculously high quote, it’s just been "no, we don’t do that type of insurance".

You are ringing up the Personal lines divisions of the insurance companies, which is the arm of that insurer that services side of things. Hire companies and other business are unsurprisingly serviced by the Commercial Dicvisions (if they have one). Just as you'd struggle to get a wholesaler who only sells products by the lorry load to sell you a single item, then you'll struggle to get a Personal Lines insurer to sell you a Commercial policy.

black-k1 said:

(They’re obviously making enough money from screwing UK residents that they don’t need any other business!)

Ah yes,, the £billions they make every year from Persoanl Motor insurance polices, like the £433million LOSS that Direct Line / Churchill made last year.

Read this and educate yourself a little:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance...

[black-k1]

R1 Loon said:

black-k1 said:

I have no doubt that hire companies pay a lot of money for their insurance. My point was that insurance companies are willing to insure vehicles not owned by, but driven by, foreign nationals as they do this for hire companies, yet I haven’t even managed to get a ridiculously high quote, it’s just been "no, we don’t do that type of insurance".

You are ringing up the Personal lines divisions of the insurance companies, which is the arm of that insurer that services side of things. Hire companies and other business are unsurprisingly serviced by the Commercial Dicvisions (if they have one). Just as you'd struggle to get a wholesaler who only sells products by the lorry load to sell you a single item, then you'll struggle to get a Personal Lines insurer to sell you a Commercial policy.

But pretty much all products sold by the lorry load are also offered (at a higher price) indavidually by retailers and that's my point.

R1 Loon said:

black-k1 said:

(They’re obviously making enough money from screwing UK residents that they don’t need any other business!)

Ah yes,, the £billions they make every year from Persoanl Motor insurance polices, like the £433million LOSS that Direct Line / Churchill made last year.

Read this and educate yourself a little:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance...

As it is for all organisations, (and individual people) there are good years and there are bad years but overall insurance companies do very nicely thank you from the captive market they have in the British motoring public. Sorry, but when was it that the last large UK insurance provider went bust?

[R1 Loon]

black-k1 said:

But pretty much all products sold by the lorry load are also offered (at a higher price) indavidually by retailers and that's my point.

Not if there's not a market for them. Would somebody stock a product that would only be sold in the rarest of circumstances, especially when the training and regulatory requirements make it difficult to maintain the degree of required skill to be able to sell it?

In any event an individual risk for a short period is not the same risk as a fleet risk spread across many for variable periods, so it's not actually the same product.

black-k1 said:

As it is for all organisations, (and individual people) there are good years and there are bad years but overall insurance companies do very nicely thank you from the captive market they have in the British motoring public. Sorry, but when was it that the last large UK insurance provider went bust?

Quinn Direct last year. OK, they're an Irish based insurer, but the whole company was taken down by their UK Motor book of business.

Independent Insurance in 2001, but that's a different story.

The Top 5 insurers in the UK all have massively diversified books of business and operate internationally too. Personal Lines motor is a small piece of their overall portfolio and it does lose money, whether you want to accept that is up to you, but I know it for a fact.

Here's some other insurance that these insurers deal with:
Commercial Motor, Motor Trade, Foreign Motor, Liability, Engineering, Construction, Personal Accident, Travel, Pet, Household, Marine, Professional Indemnity, Reinsurance and the list goes on & on. Most of these are profitable to a greater or lesser extent, but Personal Lines Motor is ALWAYS (with one exception see below) loss making and has been for the past decade at least.

Only one insurer makes money out of Personal Lines motor business and that is the Admiral Group. However, this is very opaque and supported by their other subsidiaries such as confused.com, premium finance and prior year reserve releases.