Any tips for getting car insurance under less than favorable conditions?

I got here last November and I'm still driving on my US license. Much to our surprise, Churchill put me on my husband's car insurance with a wave and a smile and something like an extra thirty pounds a year. Easy peasy.

I hate driving his car, though. I drove a little Miata back home, and his larger Honda Accord coupled with the narrow lanes around here is making me nuts. We were recently offered a good used Miata (or MX-5 as they call them here) for an excellent price, and thought that might make the transition easier for me.

Trouble is, I can't get insurance. Churchill won't do it because it's an import and I'm on a foreign license. The specialty insurer the MX-5 Owner's Club pointed us to won't do it because I've lived here less than two years. It's absurd that an old broad like me with a clean driving record for thirty-something years can't get insurance on a car worth just £1,300, but that seems to be the case.

Any suggestions for wangling insurance? Would it be better or worse if I applied with a UK provisional license?

What specialty car insurance company? Hubs drives an MX-5, insured with Aon. When I called them they said they would have added me to the policy if I had had a full UK license, so it might be worth giving them a shot.

Phone an insurance broker. They'll do the research for you and find the best possible deal.

Hi Stoatula !

Give Adrian Flux a call - they do allsorts of specialist Insurances. I've used them quite a bit in the past for the F150 and some of my previous BMW's.

http://www.adrianflux.co.uk/

Give them a call and they'll listen to you and offer advice etc.

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Thanks for the recommendations, all. I think a broker has gotten it sorted for us this morning, but they want me on a UK license as fast as I can get it. Gulp.

Next step: seeing if DH can fold his generous proportions into an MX-5.

I'm actually having the same problem right now. I called Churchill *before* we purchased the new car and got a decent quote. Now that we bought the car and called them back to buy the policy, they're saying that the last guy accidentally entered into the system that I have a UK license and, sorry, they can't insure me. All because the car has a 2.0 litre engine.

This might help some people, though: I called Aviva and they said that not only can they insure me, but if I can prove that I've had five years of no claims that they'll give me the 70% discount, as well (which still only brings my insurance down to £400 a year). I'm still in the process of faxing over all my previous insurance information, but if it works then I'd definitely recommend other people giving it a shot. When I first started calling around for insurance I was told I couldn't get a discount from my driving record in the US, so I don't know how many people know it's possible.