Multi country car insurance problem?

eppa

So, I'll keep this as brief as possible.
I'm an American, I've just moved here to Ireland, so I'm driving on a U.S. license.
The car my dad bought for me to use needs to be re-insured here soon, he's asked me to find the best deal.
Problem, the car was bought in England, so naturally it's registered there.
So, English car, being driven in Ireland, but we're moving with the car back to England come January, which is a little more than six months away.
So should I get Irish insurance, or English insurance, is there a company that covers both?
Having said that, I'm looking for any recommendations as far as which companies I could look at?
Any help is appreciated, thanks in advance.

coylemj

Park the insurance issue for a minute - on what basis will you be driving a UK car here for six months?

If the revenue officials pull you over and establish that you bought the car in the UK and are using it here for several months, there is a high probability that they will seize the vehicle.

coylemj

If you were coming here from the UK then you'd be allowed bring a car with you - I think you'd only need to show that you'd resided in the UK for 6 months or more. Coming from the US means you're not able to avail of that clause so you would not be allowed to drive a UK-registered car on an ongoing basis.

Does your dad live in the US or the UK?

Marcusm

coylemj wrote: »

If you were coming here from the UK then you'd be allowed bring a car with you - I think you'd only need to show that you'd resided in the UK for 6 months or more. Coming from the US means you're not able to avail of that clause so you would not be allowed to drive a UK-registered car on an ongoing basis.

Does your dad live in the US or the UK?

I'm sorry but this is not correct. The preclusion is on Irish residents driving foreign registered cars in Ireland. It does not sound as if the OP is resident here but that he is here for a temporary purpose prior to relocating to the UK. I infer (although it may be too far) that a UK registered car was purchased as that is the longer term location for the individual. Irrespective, the Irish authorities do not have the authority to seize the car on purported basis to enforce VRT which is not applicable to the temporary importation by a non resident of a foreign registered car into Ireland.

OP: Insurance will be complex for you as Irish insurers will be hesitant to insure the car on a long term basis due to the foreign registration and the intention for the car to return to the UK. Likewise, as you are not currently resident in the UK, UK insurers will hesitate due to the lack of a UK address.

What is most important is that full disclosure be made. clements.com specialises in providing insurance to US expats but can be exorbitantly expensive. Try and get a baseline quot from them and then call someone such as Liberty which provides insurance in Ireland and the UK. They may be able to accommodate you although be prepared to have to push matters.

coylemj

Marcusm wrote: »

the Irish authorities do not have the authority to seize the car on purported basis to enforce VRT which is not applicable to the temporary importation by a non resident of a foreign registered car into Ireland.

If he lives here for six months, doesn't that make him a resident, regardless of whether he plans to relocate to the UK or not?

If not, how long do you have to live here to be considered a 'resident'?

He says he plans to relocate to the UK in six months so I understand what you mean by 'temporary importation' but surely the revenue people have heard that one before i.e. how can they be expected to accept every yarn which starts with 'I'm taking it out of the country in a few months'?

OP, I accept your bona fides by the way, this is discussing the general issues.

dah

Another issue is the registration of the vehicle. If your looking to be the Policy Holder the Vehicle has to be registered in your name not in your fathers.
As per last post, residency is an issue. Are you planning to reside in UK from January and just travelling in Ireland at mo?
It doesn't make it any easier or transparent to have your insurance with Liberty Ireland & UK or Aviva Ireland & UK.

eppa

dah wrote: »

Another issue is the registration of the vehicle. If your looking to be the Policy Holder the Vehicle has to be registered in your name not in your fathers.
As per last post, residency is an issue. Are you planning to reside in UK from January and just travelling in Ireland at mo?
It doesn't make it any easier or transparent to have your insurance with Liberty Ireland & UK or Aviva Ireland & UK.

I'm on an extended holiday, so I'm only staying in Ireland until January, with the distinct possibility of travel to other countries during that time (I don't know if that has anything to do with this) then I'm leaving to live in the UK for a minimum of one year, quite possibly more! My whole life is transient at the moment.

Marcusm

coylemj wrote: »

If he lives here for six months, doesn't that make him a resident, regardless of whether he plans to relocate to the UK or not?

If not, how long do you have to live here to be considered a 'resident'?

He says he plans to relocate to the UK in six months so I understand what you mean by 'temporary importation' but surely the revenue people have heard that one before i.e. how can they be expected to accept every yarn which starts with 'I'm taking it out of the country in a few months'?

OP, I accept your bona fides by the way, this is discussing the general issues.

The temporary nature of the importation is the key issue. I've set out an extract from the Revenue internal manuals on the point below. Residence is generally applicable once a person has been here for 183 days or more (sometimes quoted as 185 days) but the OP doesn't seem ever to intend to reside here such that he is treated for VRT purposes as never gaining residence (in effect). There is an oddity in that the OP has a car from a country in which he has not previously been resident but the law (SI 60/1993) does not require the temporary importation to be by the person in whose name the car is registered; this may be to facilitate cross border movement of hire cars but it's not limited to that.

2.2 TEMPORARY EXEMPTIONS


Subject to certain conditions, restrictions and limitations, a qualifying (see para. 2.2.1), unregistered vehicle, i.e. a vehicle which is validly registered abroad, may be granted temporary exemption from the requirement to be registered in the State. This relief normally applies for a period not exceeding twelve months26 and in such cases there is no requirement to make a formal application. Where a formal application is required, evidence of eligibility, as necessary, must be produced. Application can be made at any local Revenue Office and where exemption is granted the local SCD Unit is to be advised of the details.





2.2.2 Vehicles Brought into the State by Persons Established Out-Side the State. 2.2.2.1 Eligibility Criteria
In order to qualify for this relief a vehicle or a motorcycle must:
be brought into the State by a person established outside the State;
be owned or registered in the name of a person established outside the State;
be for the personal/business use of the person concerned while in the State;
have been acquired tax/duty-paid27 where the tax has not been refunded/repaid in whole or in part;
display its permanent foreign registration number while in the State.
Note: A qualifying vehicle must not be disposed of or hired28 in the state or lent to a person established in the state.





2.2.2.3 Period for Temporary Exemption
The period available for temporary exemption should not exceed 12 months from the date the vehicle arrived in the State, however, there are two exceptions to this limit.
The 12 month limit is not applied when:
the foreign registered vehicle is a passenger vehicle and the person established outside the state,
uses it to travel from their foreign residence to a business undertaking here in the State. No time
limit applies.
when a student residing temporarily in the State to study, uses a passenger vehicle registered in
the country of their normal residence. The limit applied is for the duration of time that the student pursues such study here.

Marcusm

dah wrote: »

Another issue is the registration of the vehicle. If your looking to be the Policy Holder the Vehicle has to be registered in your name not in your fathers.

This is not true either; the policy holder needs to have an insurable interest in the car and if it is not egistered in his/her name, they merely need to disclose this to the insurer so they can take this into account in deciding whether or not and on what basis/price to provide insurance cover.

dah wrote: »

As per last post, residency is an issue. Are you planning to reside in UK from January and just travelling in Ireland at mo?
It doesn't make it any easier or transparent to have your insurance with Liberty Ireland & UK or Aviva Ireland & UK.

I disagree with this in relation to Liberty at least who organise insurance from a single centre. As a long time Liberty UK customer, they were willing to quote me for Irish insurance on an Irish car at the same time - I have more than one home and more than one car. Aviva which uses many call centres in many different jurisdictions are unlikely to be as flexible. As with all things in life, YMMV.