Getting insurance with foreign licence

arunadasi

My daughter's boyfriend is French, has lived in the UK for three years and has had a French licence for four years.
I've just given my daughter my old banger and she wants him to drive it (her own licence is just a few months old). We were told that it's hard for him to get insurance because of the foreign licence, that he should apply for a UK licence. He sent in the UK licence application yesterday, after which the insurance company (Endsleigh) called me to say that he'd actually be better off with an International licence, as the four years would no claims bonus would count, whereas a UK licence would count as new and the rate would be higher.
I checked info on international licences and they say you need to have a UK licence. Can't he get an interational licence with a French licence in this country? And they are anyway only valid for a year, apparently.
He is 24 years old. Anyone have any advice, or know of a company that take foreign licences and recognise the no-claims? He has never had a car of his own or been insured before, so that is anyway difficult to prove...
Thanks for help!

dzug1

There's no such thing as an international licence - sounds like Endsleigh don't know what they are talking about.

There's a thing called an International Driving Permit - but all that is is a formal translation of the home licence. He could certainly get one in France - but I'm not sure it would be any good - it isn't a licence.

Are you sure Endsleigh weren't saying in a roundabout sort of way that they would accept his French licence?

arunadasi

They meant the Driving Permit -- it was me who got things wrong.
Apparently, the difference between this and a UK licence is that the International one would count back four years, and the UK one would be valid only from now.
Right now I am trying myself to get quotes from tescocompare. My first search was with a E licence and only two insureres agreed to that, at around £1700 per year. I'll try with an international and a UK licence as well and see what comes up...

[Deleted User]

If he is living in the uk more than a year he is legally required to exchange his license for a UK one - he could get fined by the police if stopped otherwise... look it up on the DVLA website.

dzug1

michael1983!! wrote: »

If he is living in the uk more than a year he is legally required to exchange his license for a UK one - he could get fined by the police if stopped otherwise... look it up on the DVLA website.

I've just done that

It says that he can continue to use his French (ie EU) licence until he is 70.

The 12 months is for non-EU licences.

arunadasi

michael1983!! wrote: »

If he is living in the uk more than a year he is legally required to exchange his license for a UK one - he could get fined by the police if stopped otherwise... look it up on the DVLA website.

Well... I was thinking that if he can get a better quote with a French licence after a year at the same insurance company he could exchange it for a UK one and stay on at the same quote.
We have to act fast though because he sent in the documents for a UK licence yesterday!

The cheapest quotes I got online were from £1700 for an EU licence,
£1500 for a UK licence
£2000 for international.
Ensleigh were offering £1300 over the phone which still seems high for 3rd party alone.

moppet_217

I was in the same situation a few years ago but my licence was from outside the EU so I had to swap to UK licence.

From memory the only company I could find that would recognise no claims bonus from outside the uk was Virgin, I think i had to do it over the phone. But they were not the cheapest for me.

My first years insurance was about £1500 but came down to £1000 the next year.

KeithP

OP, in your first post you mention that this french gentleman has never owned a car or had car insurance. So what is the talk about four years no claims? Just get a UK license and start earning a ncd.

dacouch

One of the benefits of being a member of Europe is we do not need to exchange our driving licences so I don't know why they told you to exchange it.

I would have thought he would be better keeping his French licence as the UK licence will probably start from now which can mean higher premiums and a higher excess for the first year after you get a full uk licence. In addition he will have to go through the hassle of exchanging the UK licence for a French one when / if he goes back to France.

dusty64

EEC licence holders can drive in ANY EEC member states up to the age of 70 without changing their driving licence. For my sins I am a traffic police officer and some previous advice is wrong. As previously mentioned, it will become a pain if he exchanges for a UK licence and then wants to change it back again. If he gets any points on his licence DVLA will create a driver number for him without the need to change his licence. The main thing is to tell the insurance company that he holds a French Licence and they will adjust the premiums accordingly.