Insuring a Diplomatic Vehicle

glider3560

I have recently become eligible to get diplomatic plates on my private car (with an X, sadly not a D).

Does anyone know if any of the "mainstream" insurers will insure a car based on chassis number rather than a registration number?

(I'm trying to work out whether the road tax exemption is worth it if the insurance ends up costing more)

rs65

If you google it you will find some brokers who can arrange it.

InsideInsurance

A friend has his diplomatic plates and his insurance is very high (though in part due to not having a UK license and only having lived here for 5 years) but his embassy is one that refuses to pay the congestion charges so that saves him a lot of money

dacouch

InsideInsurance wrote: »

A friend has his diplomatic plates and his insurance is very high (though in part due to not having a UK license and only having lived here for 5 years) but his embassy is one that refuses to pay the congestion charges so that saves him a lot of money

Diplomatic plated car insurance is always more expensive as the virtually none of the main stream Insurers accept the business so it's limited to a few specialist brokers.

The claims rate is fairly high and in the event of a accident involving a serious injury and / or a possible police prosecution they have a habit of leaving the country which leaves the Insurer high and dry

InsideInsurance

dacouch wrote: »

Diplomatic plated car insurance is always more expensive as the virtually none of the main stream Insurers accept the business so it's limited to a few specialist brokers.

The claims rate is fairly high and in the event of a accident involving a serious injury and / or a possible police prosecution they have a habit of leaving the country which leaves the Insurer high and dry

Agreed, but some of his issues (eg no uk license) would continue even if he hadnt gone onto D plates so his insurance would still be high. Plus he is saving c£45 a week by not paying the congestion charge

He has had a few problems with online booking systems that require your registration or carpark ticket machines that want the reg as their validation rejects the 123D123 format

glider3560

InsideInsurance wrote: »

but his embassy is one that refuses to pay the congestion charges so that saves him a lot of money

Sadly my diplomatic privilege specifically excludes motoring offences.

Looks to me like I may as well just stick with my standard UK plates. The diplomatic plates look like too much hassle for very little benefit.

InsideInsurance

glider3560 wrote: »

Sadly my diplomatic privilege specifically excludes motoring offences.

Does not paying the congestion charge count as a motoring offence?

The US etc all see it as a tax rather than a fee/ toll hence their refusal to pay it saying that as embassy staff they are not liable for taxes

glider3560

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Does not paying the congestion charge count as a motoring offence?

The US etc all see it as a tax rather than a fee/ toll hence their refusal to pay it saying that as embassy staff they are not liable for taxes

I don't actually work in London anyway so it would be little benefit. Also I'm not employed by a embassy/consulate but rather an international organisation.

InsideInsurance

Your going well beyond my knowledge.

He is my only exposure to this world and after all these years of knowing him I still (a) havent been invited to meet the ambassador to find out if they do actually serve ferrero rocher or (b) gotten an invite to the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot

*Scarlett

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Your going well beyond my knowledge.

He is my only exposure to this world and after all these years of knowing him I still (a) havent been invited to meet the ambassador to find out if they do actually serve ferrero rocher or (b) gotten an invite to the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: