No one will insure import the other side of The Channel.

[s2bear]

Hello Campers,
So, pickup date is near but I can’t get insurance to bring it home.

I’m buying in Germany and want to drive it home to the UK. I get Transit Plates and Third Party Only insurance with the those plates.
Understandably I don’t want to drive an expensive asset back from Germany without comprehensive cover but, NO ONE so far will provide that cover - even as part of a yearly policy - the issue isn’t with insuring on a chassis or transit plate - companies will do that. The issue is that companies I’ve tried (about 25 in all) will only insure the car once it’s on UK soil. For anyone else looking to do this - Motor CaravanWise said they do it but only for a second car (My wife has a car which I drive but as I don’t own it that doesn’t count)

Does anyone have anyone that they know would do this in principle please.
I’m slightly stressed now, having been trying to do this for weeks (Thought I had it in the bag but Aviva changed their mind) and pickup date is Thursday.
Thank you in advance, Stu

 

[WelshGas]

Hello Campers,
So, pickup date is near but I can’t get insurance to bring it home.

I’m buying in Germany and want to drive it home to the UK. I get Transit Plates and Third Party Only insurance with the those plates.
Understandably I don’t want to drive an expensive asset back from Germany without comprehensive cover but, NO ONE so far will provide that cover - even as part of a yearly policy - the issue isn’t with insuring on a chassis or transit plate - companies will do that. The issue is that companies I’ve tried (about 25 in all) will only insure the car once it’s on UK soil. For anyone else looking to do this - Motor CaravanWise said they do it but only for a second car (My wife has a car which I drive but as I don’t own it that doesn’t count)

Does anyone have anyone that they know would do this in principle please.
I’m slightly stressed now, having been trying to do this for weeks (Thought I had it in the bag but Aviva changed their mind) and pickup date is Thursday.
Thank you in advance, Stu

Have you tried an Insurance Broker?

 

[Loz]

Why not get it transported?

 

[westfalia]

The dealer should be able to increase the cover.
The normal export plates from germany have a red stripe on the right hand side and are valid
for 30 days. These are the basic ones with 3rd party. You can get full cover also but i´m
not sure if its possible not being a resident of germany. You would need an EVB number from
your insurance company.
There must be a way cos i´ve seen loads of flash cars on the red export plates.
Is it a private sale ?
If so, they could register it and insure it and you could drive home.
You would then need to post the number plates back to them once you´re home so they could
then de-register it.

 

[s2bear]

The dealer should be able to increase the cover.
The normal export plates from germany have a red stripe on the right hand side and are valid
for 30 days. These are the basic ones with 3rd party. You can get full cover also but i´m
not sure if its possible not being a resident of germany. You would need an EVB number from
your insurance company.
There must be a way cos i´ve seen loads of flash cars on the red export plates.
Is it a private sale ?
If so, they could register it and insure it and you could drive home.
You would then need to post the number plates back to them once you´re home so they could
then de-register it.

Hi Thanks for all your comments. A lot of the places I called were brokers, who then consulted with the underwriters before saying no. I’m happy to pay for the insurance if I could upgrade but the dealer in Germany said it is not possible. I’ve asked him again. They’re a VW main dealer and the car is new so temporary registration is all that’s required. I’m open to transporting it home if I could get it done quickly but I’ve no idea how much it costs. Will start investigating. I envisaged some snags along the way but this wasn’t one of them. Stu

 

[westfalia]

Could you not do the deal and then get the paperwork sent to you, then you
register it and collect it with your english plates on.
Check out- delivery quote compare.com
Ideally you would need a covered transporter.

 

[s2bear]

Could you not do the deal and then get the paperwork sent to you, then you
register it and collect it with your english plates on.
Check out- delivery quote compare.com
Ideally you would need a covered transporter.

I like the sound of getting it registered over there and driving back with UK plates on it. paperwork no problem but can that be done? ie. can I pay the VAT even though the car's not here etc? the DVLA state the car may need to be inspected and as it's LHD it needs a certificate of Mutual recognition from the VCA who state it has to be inspected by a VAT registered garage.

 

[westfalia]

I like the sound of getting it registered over there and driving back with UK plates on it. paperwork no problem but can that be done? ie. can I pay the VAT even though the car's not here etc? the DVLA state the car may need to be inspected and as it's LHD it needs a certificate of Mutual recognition from the VCA who state it has to be inspected by a VAT registered garage.

As far as im aware, you wouldn´t pay the VAT in germany as the vehicle is for export.
You would pay the VAT once the vehicle is in england.
Surely it can be done. Is it a new one ?
Would they not issue you a reg. just based on the paperwork then you get it inspected.

 

[s2bear]

As far as im aware, you wouldn´t pay the VAT in germany as the vehicle is for export.
You would pay the VAT once the vehicle is in england.
Surely it can be done. Is it a new one ?
Would they not issue you a reg. just based on the paperwork then you get it inspected.

Hi and thanks. DVLA said that the car has to be in the UK when it's registered. :-(

(DVLA is linked to HMRC database now and they won't register a vehicle if the VAT hasn't been paid.)

p.s. sorry I meant to say yes it is new and therefore VAT payable here not Germany.

 

[westfalia]

Hi and thanks. DVLA said that the car has to be in the UK when it's registered. :-(

(DVLA is linked to HMRC database now and they won't register a vehicle if the VAT hasn't been paid.)

p.s. sorry I meant to say yes it is new and therefore VAT payable here not Germany.

Could you not take out a short term policy that lets you or your wife drive any vehicle fully comp ?
Maybe contact a specialist importer.
Or risk it on the export plates
Should be an exciting time instead of all this crap.
Where are you collecting it from.

 

[s2bear]

Could you not take out a short term policy that lets you or your wife drive any vehicle fully comp ?
Maybe contact a specialist importer.
Or risk it on the export plates
Should be an exciting time instead of all this crap.
Where are you collecting it from.

that’s a massive EEK . You’re right though, it should be an exciting time but it’s been sooo stressful just because of this. I’m buying it in Bavaria, booked a Ryanair flight and an Uber to stansted which tells you all you need to know about how the arrangements are going so far

 

[Ocean Spirit]

Goodluck s2bear.
I think all the things I could think of have been said.
Incidently and off topic, I was wondering how come you are buying from Bavaria and not UK ?

 

[Jay586]

Might be one to ask on the T4/5 forum, there are insurance brokers always posting on there & you can't be the first person to do this.

 

[RodCouncil]

We were close to buying from Germany but it turned out to be a royal PITA to import into Sweden due to the van being a company car, so the outstanding finance was with VW bank who held the reg docs, but as you're finding insurance on the German side was not FC. Good news in Sweden is you can temp insure without it being registered for a 30 day period FC, but it wasn't cheap. There must be a UK co that can do this, the Swedish co also took into account the one off fee if you did continue to be insured with them once it was registered.

 

[westfalia]

that’s a massive EEK . You’re right though, it should be an exciting time but it’s been sooo stressful just because of this. I’m buying it in Bavaria, booked a Ryanair flight and an Uber to stansted which tells you all you need to know about how the arrangements are going so far

Maybe you weren´t destined to have a Cali.
If i were in your shoes, up against the clock, excited, getting nowhere with trying to do the right thing, i think i would take it on the export third party only plates.
Unless you´re not to good at driving what is the worst that could happen.
At least you´ve got 3rd party, and if you sleep in it on the way home then it won´t get nicked.
And on the plus side, it´s great weather over here at the moment.
I really hope you find a way. Good luck.

 

[s2bear]

Thanks everyone. I’ll let you know how I get on.

 

[Joker 1299]

that’s a massive EEK . You’re right though, it should be an exciting time but it’s been sooo stressful just because of this. I’m buying it in Bavaria, booked a Ryanair flight and an Uber to stansted which tells you all you need to know about how the arrangements are going so far

Have you tried Adrian Flux insurance brokers? They specialise and may be able to help?

 

[s2bear]

Have you tried Adrian Flux insurance brokers? They specialise and may be able to help?

Hi there, thanks. Yes I tried Adrian Flux this morning. I was so much younger and full of hope back then . They said they’d insure on a chassis number but not until i was on UK soil.

 

[RodCouncil]

Can it be registered with the DVLA from the U.K, and the dealer keeps It under lock and key until you have your reg no and V5 to insure it?

You've come this far.

 

[DAN@ADRIANFLUX]

Hi there, thanks. Yes I tried Adrian Flux this morning. I was so much younger and full of hope back then . They said they’d insure on a chassis number but not until i was on UK soil.

Hi,
Sorry we couldn't be more help.
Regards,
Dan.

 

[Digger]

Is the saving enough to justify the hassle? I like buying from a dealer who will maintain and look after my vehicle and that relationship will not happen with an import. That said we travel several hundred miles to our chosen dealer to get that level of service.

 

[s2bear]

Hi,
Sorry we couldn't be more help.
Regards,
Dan.

No problem Dan - as you can see, you’re not the only ones.

 

[s2bear]

Is the saving enough to justify the hassle? I like buying from a dealer who will maintain and look after my vehicle and that relationship will not happen with an import. That said we travel several hundred miles to our chosen dealer to get that level of service.

I hear you, It’s not for the saving though. I’d have gladly bought in the UK but I wanted a 4motion Beach with 204ps and DSG (Edition was a nice spec too) - I asked VW if they’d start selling it here - no response so I asked a few dealers if they could special order one here for me but they couldn’t so I went to Germany.

 

[s2bear]

Watching Car Crash Global tonight hasn’t helped me.... but I just found this and will investigate tomorrow: http://deckungskarten.eu/epages/336...6c867f-595e-43e2-a6b1-9050125999a8/Products/2

 

[Jay586]

I googled, just for fun & there's a good thread on Pistonheads about getting vehicles transported from Germany to the UK. I know you'd rather drive but at least it's an option.