UK car insurance with no UK driving license

UHF

Hello, I live abroad and no longer have a UK driving license - I have a Korean one. Last year I tried adding myself to my father's insurance so I could drive his car when visiting the UK. The insurance company couldn't do it. In fact no one seemed to be able to do it. I tried several temporary car insurance websites, but they couldn't. Does anyone have any experience adding a driver with a foreign license to insurance? Many thanks.

Emmia

There are some specialist companies out there offering insurance to people in your position. It might not be the cheapest though.

https://www.sterling-insurance.co.uk/car-insurance-non-uk-residents/

Herzlos

It's potentially going to be easier and cheaper to just hire a car whilst in the UK, which will include insurance. Or depending on your usage, just getting taxis.

Nebulous2

I faced something similar last year, with a visitor from New Zealand.  Direct Line were quite happy to insure him on a New Zealand licence.  Here's the thread I started about it. 

foreign licence - replacement or additional? — MoneySavingExpert Forum 

Apparently Korea is a 'designated country' meaning their licence holders can drive here on holiday, subject to some restrictions. 

Can you drive in the UK with an international licence? (marshmallow.com)

Flight3287462

You will still have a UK licence unless you are over 70.  Accessing that licence and getting a photocard etc may be tricky, but possible using your father's address.

Car_54

Nebulous2 said:

Apparently Korea is a 'designated country' meaning their licence holders can drive here on holiday, subject to some restrictions. 

Can you drive in the UK with an international licence? (marshmallow.com)

Any advice on "international" licences - there is no such thing - is likely to be dubious.

You can get the official line at https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence

UHF

Thanks for the replies. I wanted to avoid hiring a car.

What nonsense. I can't renew my UK license as it requires you to live in the UK, as it's proof of address.

Emmia

Nebulous2 I faced something similar last year, with a visitor from New Zealand.  Direct Line were quite happy to insure him on a New Zealand licence.  Here's the thread I started about it. 

foreign licence - replacement or additional? — MoneySavingExpert Forum 

Apparently Korea is a 'designated country' meaning their licence holders can drive here on holiday, subject to some restrictions. 

Can you drive in the UK with an international licence? (marshmallow.com)

The UK allows any licence holder (cars, motorcycles), from anywhere in the world to drive for up to 12 months, but will only exchange a licence from some countries (like New Zealand, South Korea).

Those who have a licence issued elsewhere (like the US) and who want to continue to drive after 12 months, need to take and pass a driving test. There are some other restrictions for exchangeable countries, depending on where the driving test was passed.

Nebulous2

[Deleted User] said:

Nebulous2 said:

Apparently Korea is a 'designated country' meaning their licence holders can drive here on holiday, subject to some restrictions. 

Can you drive in the UK with an international licence? (marshmallow.com)

Any advice on "international" licences - there is no such thing - is likely to be dubious.

You can get the official line at https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence

It isn't talking about a specific document called an international licence. It is using that as a generic term for any non-uk licence. 

The page you linked to isn't very helpful. It has a flowchart:- 

Are you a visitor to the UK?  Yes
Did you pass your test in the UK? Yes 

You can drive in the UK until your current licence expires, which clearly doesn't work for the OP. 

Flight3287462

UHF said:

Thanks for the replies. I wanted to avoid hiring a car.

What nonsense. I can't renew my UK license as it requires you to live in the UK, as it's proof of address.

Well whatever, you just need an address that you can be contacted on.  I lived in London and then abroad for a number of years and my driving licence address remained at my mother's house in Scotland until I was in my 50s, without issue.

Just go and hire a car.

Emmia

[Deleted User] said:

Nebulous2 said:

Apparently Korea is a 'designated country' meaning their licence holders can drive here on holiday, subject to some restrictions. 

Can you drive in the UK with an international licence? (marshmallow.com)

Any advice on "international" licences - there is no such thing - is likely to be dubious.

You can get the official line at https://www.gov.uk/driving-nongb-licence

There are international driving permits, which are essentially licence translation documents in a standard format - for UK licence holders these are available from Post Offices.