Car Insurance for family visiting from overseas
Discussion
We have family who live in the Caribbean.
We regularly (covid excepting) spend a few weeks with them at Christmas and this summer my sister in law and our nieces they are coming here for a month. My two Brother in laws will be here for less time, probably a fortnight.
All have Trinidad and Tobago licences of at least 15 or 20 years standing . T&T drive on the same side as we do and are an English speaking nation so obvs the licence is printed in English. Being well economically developed the road system has fast dual carriageways, flying junctions, traffic lights, multi-lane roundabouts, pot-holes etc so UK roads aren't going to throw any particular funnies. All are well travelled and have driven in the US and Canada anyway.
I have quite a few serviceable old cars ( including 3 p38s ) which are insured on Classic terms with Classicline plus a more modern Audi that is on an Aviva policy. It makes sense to me to simply extend the insurance to cover them as named drivers.
Classicline says this isn't something they do and requires "temporary insurance products designed for this type of request that you should be able to find on the internet". I can't seem to find them though.
They aren't here until June, July. Anyone any thoughts please on solution paths?
We regularly (covid excepting) spend a few weeks with them at Christmas and this summer my sister in law and our nieces they are coming here for a month. My two Brother in laws will be here for less time, probably a fortnight.
All have Trinidad and Tobago licences of at least 15 or 20 years standing . T&T drive on the same side as we do and are an English speaking nation so obvs the licence is printed in English. Being well economically developed the road system has fast dual carriageways, flying junctions, traffic lights, multi-lane roundabouts, pot-holes etc so UK roads aren't going to throw any particular funnies. All are well travelled and have driven in the US and Canada anyway.
I have quite a few serviceable old cars ( including 3 p38s ) which are insured on Classic terms with Classicline plus a more modern Audi that is on an Aviva policy. It makes sense to me to simply extend the insurance to cover them as named drivers.
Classicline says this isn't something they do and requires "temporary insurance products designed for this type of request that you should be able to find on the internet". I can't seem to find them though.
They aren't here until June, July. Anyone any thoughts please on solution paths?
Similar situation a few years ago with relatives visiting from o/seas.
We were able to add to my wife's policy (standard/mainstream, not classic) with Privilege (part of the Direct Line group I think).
We actually activated it twice, once in one policy year, and again approx 6 months later. It did seem to depend which operator I spoke to. Answers ranged from 'No' to 'Yes for 30 days/year' to 'Yes for 90 days/year'. Curiously the 'No' was when we called to activate it the 2nd time, only to be told that it wasn't possible on their policies - they were adamant until I pointed out that they had been happy the previous year.
The price turned out to be very reasonable - premium increase for 90 days was £21, plus £26 admin fee so £47 total...although on the 2nd occasion one operator was insistent that it could only be done for 30days per instance, and that I'd have to call back on day 30 and pay £14 + £26 each month - I just called back later and spoke to someone else who was happy to set-up again a full 90 days for £47.
The point of the above ramblings is that had I not successfully done it once, on the 2nd occasion I would have been convinced that the company could not support - when they could. So worth asking repeatedly.
From memory the relative probably got a 1 year international driving licence, and the excess went quite high (just for when they were driving) to £750. Therefore I/they bought a separate excess policy for £40. Probably overkill, but worth it for peace-of-mind (for me anyway!)
ps: Last tip, do ensure they are aware that the pretty yellow painted photo machines are in fact speed cameras - our guest won an invite to a speed awareness course, which then required another relatives to accompany to translate!
We were able to add to my wife's policy (standard/mainstream, not classic) with Privilege (part of the Direct Line group I think).
We actually activated it twice, once in one policy year, and again approx 6 months later. It did seem to depend which operator I spoke to. Answers ranged from 'No' to 'Yes for 30 days/year' to 'Yes for 90 days/year'. Curiously the 'No' was when we called to activate it the 2nd time, only to be told that it wasn't possible on their policies - they were adamant until I pointed out that they had been happy the previous year.
The price turned out to be very reasonable - premium increase for 90 days was £21, plus £26 admin fee so £47 total...although on the 2nd occasion one operator was insistent that it could only be done for 30days per instance, and that I'd have to call back on day 30 and pay £14 + £26 each month - I just called back later and spoke to someone else who was happy to set-up again a full 90 days for £47.
The point of the above ramblings is that had I not successfully done it once, on the 2nd occasion I would have been convinced that the company could not support - when they could. So worth asking repeatedly.
From memory the relative probably got a 1 year international driving licence, and the excess went quite high (just for when they were driving) to £750. Therefore I/they bought a separate excess policy for £40. Probably overkill, but worth it for peace-of-mind (for me anyway!)
ps: Last tip, do ensure they are aware that the pretty yellow painted photo machines are in fact speed cameras - our guest won an invite to a speed awareness course, which then required another relatives to accompany to translate!
Edited by C-J on Monday 21st February 18:02
Many thanks for this informed response.
Given the sister-in-law is here for a month and probably doing nothing but driving locally to the stables and back and maybe into town, 4 miles away, I had very much hoped this would exist as an uplift on an existing policy. You have given me hope.
I have a few months to get this planned so can switch the basis of the insurance policy on one or more cars to a provider ( Direct line is certainly going to be on the list) that is open to this. A daily rate of say £25 a day ( my experience of daily rates) would mount up over a month for what is an old barge that I would be quite happy to have insured as third party
I dont think getting an IDP ( international Driving Permit) would be too much to ask of my relatives at all, I just wonder if it is strictly necessary as I think its main purpose is to convert wording in other languages into Plod friendly English. There appears to be no additional skills verification taking place.
Thanks again
Given the sister-in-law is here for a month and probably doing nothing but driving locally to the stables and back and maybe into town, 4 miles away, I had very much hoped this would exist as an uplift on an existing policy. You have given me hope.
I have a few months to get this planned so can switch the basis of the insurance policy on one or more cars to a provider ( Direct line is certainly going to be on the list) that is open to this. A daily rate of say £25 a day ( my experience of daily rates) would mount up over a month for what is an old barge that I would be quite happy to have insured as third party
I dont think getting an IDP ( international Driving Permit) would be too much to ask of my relatives at all, I just wonder if it is strictly necessary as I think its main purpose is to convert wording in other languages into Plod friendly English. There appears to be no additional skills verification taking place.
Thanks again
No need for your relatives to obtain an IDP for the first 12 months driving in the UK. See here...
Cobalteer said:
Many thanks for this informed response.
I dont think getting an IDP ( international Driving Permit) would be too much to ask of my relatives at all, I just wonder if it is strictly necessary as I think its main purpose is to convert wording in other languages into Plod friendly English. There appears to be no additional skills verification taking place.
Thanks again
most welcome.I dont think getting an IDP ( international Driving Permit) would be too much to ask of my relatives at all, I just wonder if it is strictly necessary as I think its main purpose is to convert wording in other languages into Plod friendly English. There appears to be no additional skills verification taking place.
Thanks again
Re the IDP, you are probably correct - to be honest I have no idea. I know when I have gone there I have probably needed one so for £5.50 I've just got one before I go just in-case.
Looking at the link below it does major on the translation, but also a good point in-case they suddenly needed to hire a car:
https://internationaldrivingpermit.org/why-carry-a...
However in all the time that I've seen Traffic Cops I don't think I've seen anyone whip out their IDP!
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