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Imported cars bring a lot of joy to automobile aficionados, but there can often be a headache associated with insuring them. When searching for imported vehicle insurance, you need to be mindful of a few important aspects.
If you are looking for import car insurance without the hassle, QuoteSearcher has you covered. We reach out to our panel of brokers, who can offer competitive imported car insurance quotes, and connect you directly to them. Simply fill out our form and our partners will be in touch with you as soon as we can.
Policy Features for Imported Car Insurance
Your import insurance policy could include the following features:
Cover for All Grey Imports
Car insurance for imported vehicles from Japan, the EU, and the US. Find out more about Grey Imports Cover.
Left Hand Drive Cover
This will insure your car in spite of it being left hand drive as opposed to the UK standard
Specialist Repairs
Imported cars have parts that are often difficult to source, so you need to be covered for this
Q Plated Import Cars
If your imported vehicle has been modified from manufacturer standard. Read more about Q Plated Import Cars.
Types of Cars Covered
The type of car you import will directly influence the price and type of cover you can have. The issue insurers have with imported cars is the simplicity and ease with which they can be repaired should something go wrong. For example, a Japanese imported car may have parts that cannot be easily sourced by UK mechanics; this will make coverage difficult.
Similarly, regulations and standards in the UK might be vastly different from those in the country of origin, therefore meaning they pose more of a risk due to the lack of adherence to these standards. Premiums can be high but this is due to the relative unknowns that come with insuring such a car.
Grey Imports
This term refers to cars that have been imported from overseas privately, rather than by the manufacturer. Many grey imports come from Japan, and have thus do not meet European emissions or safety standards, so you will need to bring this in as a personal import. In order to do this, and be able to get an insurance policy, you will need to ensure your car goes through the Basic Individual Vehicle Approval Test.
Insurers can often see grey imports as more of a risk due to their usually increased power and risk of theft. You can help to reduce your premium by ensuring your car is locked away and stored safely in a garage or secure car park.
Parallel Imports
A parallel import is a car that has been brought in from an EU country where the specifications are either identical or very similar. Insurers consider these types of imports as much less risky due to the fact that they meet EU standards. The rules on parallel imports after Brexit are still to be ironed out.
Reducing Your Premium
The best way to save money on your imported car insurance is to opt for a broker that specialises in this type of cover. Choose an insurer that understands the unique risks you face and can work to design a bespoke policy that covers you for your specific use case. For example, you may only use your imported car for track days or demonstrations, in which case you can opt for limited mileage or agreed mileage cover – this means you will pay a reduced sum as long as you keep below an agreed mileage limit, the logic being that less time on the road means fewer chances of getting into an accident.
Another way to keep costs to a minimum is to buy a car that has as few modifications to the factory standard as possible. Increased power and excessive decor, among other things, can push up the price of your insurance as these changes make the car more attractive to thieves and vandals.
Frequently Asked Questions about Imported Car Insurance
I bought my insurance online before and the quote process was so lengthy and complicated compared with the process on your site. Great stuff!
I just wanted to say how impressed I was with the ease in which I managed to purchase my very reasonably priced insurance online.