Help Get Car Insurance For A Non UK Resident - Car Insurance For International Students In UK

There are many UK car insurance companies such as RAC, Churchill, Aviva etc that refuse to accept new clients that are non UK residents, even if they have good driving records, above 25 years old and generally defined as a low risky driver. So far, the usual work around for any non residents, tourists, foreign drivers, international students etc that wanted to buy car insurance in UK is to ship or drive your car from your home city to the UK. A non UK student coming for studies will need to buy international student car insurance at home first before traveling with their car to their new home in UK. This applies whether you are from any of the EU countries such as France, Germany or across the ocean from America, Asia etc.

While it is still feasible for EU residents to drive their insured vehicles over to UK, the shipping costs for a car from America can be very expensive.

Another caveat you need to be aware of is that not all car insurance companies will cover your car no matter which country you are in. Furthermore, it may not be easy to try and submit a claim when an accident happens. You will need to check with your current insurer whether you will be covered for driving in UK or you need to add new coverage terms in order to qualify.

Most UK motor insurer companies will not approve their car insurance plans for non UK tourists and foreign drivers during their stay, no matter it is for a few weeks, months, or even annual plans.

If you need to drive legally for a short period, the best option is to rent a car and get temporary lease car insurance within the UK. This can be more expensive than owning a car and buying normal car insurance, otherwise you have to take public transports such as buses and taxis the whole time while you are in UK.

The only driving licence recognized for non UK drivers and foreign tourists etc is the International Driving Permit (IDP) also called the International Drivers License. Due to the differences in traffic laws and regulations, the US driver's license is not recognized in many other countries and within UK as well. If you intend to move over to UK and drive or temporarily rent a car, you need to have the IDP.

Because you have to drive on the opposite side of the road in UK, compared to most other countries in Europe, accidents are more likely to occur for non UK residents and visiting tourists. The various car insurance companies are full aware of this fact which is why they usually turn down applications from foreigners. They do not want to be exposed to the higher number of claims due to foreign drivers such as new students carrying an International Driving Permit from other countries. But if you are bringing your current car in from your home country, then that risk falls on your current insurer and not the UK motoring insurance companies.

If you have been in UK for a long time, say more than 12 months and have been renting vehicles or leasing cars frequently, it is more likely to get car insurance for UK non residents. For example, try the new specialized insurers such as i-Kube that focus only on young drivers car insurance for students aged 17 to 25 years old. However, expect to pay more compared to other drivers. If you have just arrived, it is better to spend more time getting familiar with the UK road system and take some driving classes for safety. Meanwhile, look for cheaper long term car leasing offers for non UK students.