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July 19, 2005
Driving and Insurance in the U.K.
One issue I’ve thought about for a while but tried to avoid actually doing anything about that of driving and automotive insurance while across the pond. Here’s what little I’ve found out.
The U.K. government site indicates pretty clearly that my national (U.S. — that is NC) license is good for 12 months in the U.K. After that, a U.K. license will be required. But! Make sure that you take and pass the test prior to the expiration of that twelve month period. If you do not, you enter the system just like any 17 year old just about to get his license for the first time. Further, I’m told, that the U.K. driver’s license test is rather difficult compared to the usual U.S. equivalent and a number of common driving actions must be done just so in order to pass. A lifetime of contrary driving habits might not serve one terribly well here.
On the insurance front, I’ve as yet found out very little about what I’ll need to do by way of obtaining insurance over there. What I have found out is that unless one is planning to be over there a very long time indeed, one really should maintain some measure of insurance in the U.S. If you do not, when you return the insurers will simply assume the worst about why you haven’t had any insurance for the past n years. You ran over somebody or some such. They apparently will not be interested in any proofs you might offer to the contrary and will charge you usurious rates for the first year or two after you reestablish coverage if they offer to cover you at all. So it was reported here [I've lost that link I'm afraid. Post it later if I find it again.] and, given my experience with the insurance industry, I’ve no trouble believing it.
What we’ll probably end up doing is selling one car. Parking another, and dropping insurance down on the truck to minimal liability, theft and vandalism. Hopefully, that should reduce our U.S. auto insurance costs substantially.
Filed under Relocating to London
Posted by eric at July 19, 2005 05:24 PM