Car insurance with EU driving licence

sn1987a

I have a EU driving licence for 15 year now and according to the legislation I don't need to change it to a UK one before I reach 70. I live in UK the last 5 years.
I never considered changing my driving licence to a UK one, but I read that insurance companies may not recognise the years I was driving with an EU licence. I used to have a car in the past, never in UK, but I want to buy one soon.

Does anyone know how it works? Should I change my licence? Will companies recognise my previous experience without accidents anyway? If I change licence, will I appear as a new driver? I I change it how can I prove that I was driving in the past and that I am not a new driver? My understanding is that I have to give up my old licence.

I tried to compare prices of car insurances online to find an answer on prices but I could either say "I have an EU licence for 15 years" or I have a "new UK licence". Obviously the last one gave me as a result expensive insurances.

forgotmyname

Your licence doesnt show that you were driving and accident/claim free which is what the insurers want to know.

If you have zero no claims they will accept then you start with zero no claims, although age and length of time you have held a licence for will be a small bonus.

knightstyle

We had a problem when returning to UK from Many years abroad. In the end Direct Line recognised our NCB on receipt of a letter which had to be faxed direct from the French insurance company. They would not accept the letter sent by post by us!

Vile_Orange

There is absolutely no problem with EU license in the UK. If you have a proof of no claim from your EU insurer send it to the insurance company you will have here in the UK. If they will accept it you will get your co claim discount. If not then you just have 0 no claim bonus and your insurance will be more expensive.

AdrianC

knightstyle wrote: »

We had a problem when returning to UK from Many years abroad. In the end Direct Line recognised our NCB on receipt of a letter which had to be faxed direct from the French insurance company. They would not accept the letter sent by post by us!

Of course they wouldn't. It would be trivially easy for you to forge the letter if sent in directly. Sending it in from the insurer is not much more secure, but it does add an extra layer of confirmation.

forgotmyname

A fax can be faked also though.