Car Insurance Using US License

Hi everyone-

I just received a job offer and am now looking quickly to find a car for sale. In doing so, I have tried to get insurance but I am having a hell of a time getting a decent quote.

I did a search on this topic and got some good starter info, but most of it was from 2003-2005 posts which are probably not relevant anymore (I have tried some of the stuff suggested and most has not worked).

I am 26 and have had a US license for 9 years with no claims... so I ask:

1. Who will insure me regardless of transmission type (two companies said I need auto only because US drivers license does not specify manual or auto type)

2. Which companies will give credit for good driving in the states

3. Possible to be under £100 per month for such basic coverage?

The damn car I found (Peugeot 306) is £500... insurance is twice that per year? Crazy...

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I just saw your other post about being an MSc student, currently in the UK and staying here for a job - I'm assuming you have been studying in the UK on a Tier 4 visa?

Are you aware that your US licence was only legal for you to drive on for the first 12 months of living here? The 12 months started the date you moved here on a student visa.

This means that if you have been here for more than 12 months, you are no longer legally allowed to drive here on your US licence... so, you will need to take and pass all the UK driving tests before you will be able to drive on your own.

As it stands, if more than 12 months have passed since you moved here, until you have a full UK licence, you will need a UK provisional licence to be allowed to drive in the UK... and you will be treated as a learner driver... which means:
- you MUST be accompanied in that car AT ALL TIMES by someone over the age of 21, who has held a full UK licence for at least 3 years
- you MUST display red 'L' learner plates on your car at all times
- you are not legally allowed to drive on motorways

It can take up to a few months to pass the UK tests and you may well need to take a few driving lessons to learn how to pass the practical test (as it is very specific and generally less than 50% pass on the first try).

In terms of insurance, if you've been here more than 12 months, I doubt you will be able to get insurance for your US licence, as you are not legally allowed to drive on it.

If you haven't been here for 12 months yet, you can still drive on your US licence until the 12 months have passed (so you will need to get your UK licence before that happens if you don't want to be treated as a learner), but as you have no UK driving history, you are likely to find that insurance is still expensive - probably over £1,000 a year. They may take into account your US driving history though.

If you have been here more than 12 months, you should be able to get insurance as a learner driver on a provisional UK licence, but as you will be treated as a learner, it will likely be very expensive - probably between £1,000 and £2,000 per year.

hey thanks for responding-

Yes I have been here on a tier 4 visa, I have been trying to figure out when residency starts... for instance when my Tier 2 visa is in place, then will I be a resident? I did have some insurance companies say they would not give insurance to people on Tier 4s. A lot of questions... and not a lot of time to make anything happen.

So what would be your plan of action? I am here in housing for 2 more weeks then have to fly back to the states. Can I get an unrestricted license in that amount of time? I need to take motorways to get to work... moreover ive driven on motorways with my US license in a rental so I find that rule to be redic.

I feel like I bang my head against a wall constantly with all of the regulations in this country lol.

hey thanks for responding-

Yes I have been here on a tier 4 visa, I have been trying to figure out when residency starts... for instance when my Tier 2 visa is in place, then will I be a resident?

Essentially, if you are switching from your Tier 4 visa to a Tier 2 visa, you will have been considered 'resident' since you moved here as a student... so you have been considered a resident since the day you arrived on your Tier 4 visa.

Your 12 months for driving in the UK started on that date.

I did have some insurance companies say they would not give insurance to people on Tier 4s. A lot of questions... and not a lot of time to make anything happen.

It's possibly due to risk, as Tier 4 visas are only for temporary residency in the UK and so there's more chance of a foreign student leaving the UK suddenly and not staying longer-term.

Even if they could insure someone on a Tier 4, once you have been here for 12 months, you can't drive legally anyway unless you have your UK licence, so any insurance you might have will become invalid.

So what would be your plan of action? I am here in housing for 2 more weeks then have to fly back to the states. Can I get an unrestricted license in that amount of time? I need to take motorways to get to work... moreover ive driven on motorways with my US license in a rental so I find that rule to be redic.

I'm afraid you don't have any choice right now. You cannot legally drive in the UK on your US licence or any other type of licence except a UK provisional or full licence. End of story.

If you have been driving on your US licence, unfortunately, you've been doing it illegally. If you were stopped by the police tomorrow, you could be charged with driving without a valid licence and without valid insurance.

Your only option now is to stop driving right away and apply for a provisional UK licence. But even then, you still can't drive alone or on motorways.

I feel like I bang my head against a wall constantly with all of the regulations in this country lol.

To be fair, this is all stated clearly on the gov.uk website and driving in the UK is something you could have familiarised yourself with when you arrived on your Tier 4 visa. You could have worked towards getting your UK licence in the first 12 months so that you would not have been in this position later on.

Regarding driving if you are studying in the UK: https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence/y/a-foreign-student-studying-in-great-britain/non-european-union

From that page:

Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB licence
Are you:
-    a foreign student studying in Great Britain?

Where are you from?
-    Non-European Union

You can drive in Great Britain for 12 months if you’ve got a non-European Union (EU) driving licence or international driving permit

If your driving licence is from a ‘designated country’ you can then apply to exchange it for a GB licence up to 5 years after becoming a GB resident.

If you don’t have a driving licence yet, or your licence is from a ‘non-designated country’, you’ll first need to apply for a provisional GB licence. You can then take a driving test and apply for a full licence once you’ve been in Great Britain for at least 6 months.

The ‘designated countries’ are: Andorra, Australia, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Zimbabwe.

Thanks for the info bud, I guess I have to ride share until I get this all figured out.

I know another American who had UK insurance but didn't bother to get a UK license.  Someone rammed her car and she was out £8k as it was determined she didn't have a valid license and didn't cover the claim (she had been here more than 12 months).

Is there any chance either of your parents (or yourself) served in the US military? I was able to get liability insurance through USAA for about $60/month. Comprehensive wasn't too much more expensive either, but since our car was only £300, I figured I'd save the money.

I have almost exactly the same questions, except I am here on a settlement Visa, and I just got here a week ago. We are living with a friend who has a car for me to drive. I have a California state license, and 16 years without a claim on my previous insurance (AAA).  As I am understanding it, I can drive for 6 months on my US license before I have to get an English one, so in that 6 months I can get insured and start learning how to drive over here. Any advice on insurance companies? Can I get added to my friend's insurance for less than an individual policy in my name?

Is there any chance either of your parents (or yourself) served in the US military? I was able to get liability insurance through USAA for about $60/month. Comprehensive wasn't too much more expensive either, but since our car was only £300, I figured I'd save the money.

Oh, this is very helpful information! Did you just call them and say you need insurance coverage for the UK? I've been meaning to call them (I have USAA through my dad) to ask about options through USAA.

I had good luck with geico for insurance.. But probably need to get a legal license first.

Sorry I didn't reply sooner, writeshawnna. I've been wrapped up in a billion things and haven't checked the forums since this post.

I just called and told them the situation. They will transfer you to the London office, who will get you all set up!

I just called and told them the situation. They will transfer you to the London office, who will get you all set up!

Thanks! I will do that!

Greetings,

I thought it may be helpful to share that I recently found auto insurance online through Aviva. Their rates were significantly better than those offered through our local broker (Swinton - not terribly helpful once they learned I have a U.S. license). Aviva did not have a problem with my U.S. license (I arrived October 16, so have not yet taken steps toward getting my U.K. license).

Good luck!