A lot of people worry about insurance more than anything else when they import a car. Who covers it on the ship? What about when it lands? Will anyone insure it on UK roads? It is simpler than it sounds: it breaks into three stages, and only the last one needs a normal car insurance policy in your name.
- At sea
- Marine insurance
- Before plates
- No road policy, one journey allowed
- Once registered
- Normal policy in your name
- Always
- Tell the insurer it is an import
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At sea
Marine insurance
Covers the car up to its full value if it is damaged or lost in transit. Your normal car insurance does not.
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On arrival
Customs, NOVA and testing
The car is cleared, notified to HMRC and tested on our site. It is off the road the whole time.
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Registered
Your own policy
Once the car has UK plates, you insure it like any other car, then tax it and drive away.
Stage one: insurance while it is shipped
Your existing car insurance stops at the port. It will not cover the car on a ship or in a container, and if something happened to the ship that ended in a total loss, you would not be covered at all.
That is what marine insurance is for. Our policy covers your car up to its full value if it is damaged or lost in transit. It is optional, and as a rule of thumb it costs a few percent of the car's value. An excess applies to minor damage, and your quote will tell you what it is.
You add it when you ask for a quote, and it is available whether the car goes by container, RoRo or air. If you are not sure which of those suits your car, see container, RoRo or air.
Stage two: while the car is with us
Once it lands, we clear the car through customs as HMRC CDS authorised agents, and we tell HMRC it has arrived through NOVA within 14 days. Container cars come to our site in Castle Donington, where our own team unloads them.
From there it has any changes it needs, then its test, then registration. All of that happens on the same site, and the car is not being driven on public roads in between. So you do not need a road policy of your own yet. If you want to know exactly what cover applies while it is parked with us, ask us when you book.
The full order of events is in when your car arrives in the UK.
Driving it before it is registered
This is where people get caught out. GOV.UK says you can be prosecuted for using an imported vehicle on a public road before it has been through the import steps, unless you are driving it to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test. It also says to insure the vehicle before you drive it on UK roads.
So the only journey allowed before registration is to a test that is already booked, and the car still needs insurance for it. If we do the testing on our own site, that journey does not happen at all, which is one less thing for you to arrange.
No plates, no policy, no driving. Until the car is registered, the only journey allowed on public roads is to a pre-booked MOT or approval test, and it must be insured for that.
Stage three: insuring it once it is registered
When the car passes its test, we register it with the DVLA. Our dealer-level account lets us register imported cars within 10 working days. Once your registration number is issued, you can insure the car the same way you would any other.
An insurer will want the registration number to give you a firm price, and some will quote earlier from the VIN, the car's chassis number. It is worth getting quotes before the car arrives, so there is no gap between the plates going on and you driving away.
Why imports can cost more to insure
Imported cars can cost more to insure than the UK version of the same model. Some insurers are less familiar with cars built for other markets, parts can take longer to source, and changes made for UK roads, such as headlights or a speedometer reading in mph, need to be declared.
There are specialist insurers who deal with imported cars every day, and many owners find them easier to deal with than a mainstream comparison site. Whoever you go with, tell them the car is an import and list any changes made to it. Leaving that out can give them grounds to refuse a claim later.
Import car insurance in the UK: what are your options?
| Feature | Mainstream insurer | Specialist import insurer |
|---|---|---|
| Familiarity with imports | Varies a lot from insurer to insurer | Deal with imported cars every day |
| Quotes online | Often, but the car may not appear in the lookup | Usually by phone or a short form |
| Rare or modified cars | May decline or load the price | More likely to understand them and cover them properly |
| Worth trying | First, for a common model | First, for a rare, modified or older import |
What an import costs to insure depends on the car, your age and record, where it is kept and how it is valued, just like any other car. We do not recommend or arrange road insurance ourselves, so we cannot give a figure. What we can say is that giving the insurer the right details, up front, is what keeps the price fair and the policy valid.
What to have ready when you ask for a quote
Your insurance details
0 of 9 done
Once the car is insured, tax it and it is ready for the road. If you would like us to collect it from our site and bring it to you, we can deliver to any UK address on an open or enclosed trailer.
Not sure an import is for you? Our guide on whether to buy an imported car covers the pros, the cons and the checks to make first.
Insuring a car from Japan? The questions are a little different, so we have written them up separately in Japanese import car insurance.
Questions people ask
Does my normal car insurance cover the car while it is shipped?
No. Normal car insurance stops at the port and will not cover the car at sea. Marine insurance covers it up to its full value if it is damaged or lost in transit, with an excess on minor damage.
Can I insure an imported car before it is registered?
Some insurers will quote from the VIN, but most want the UK registration number to give a firm price. It is worth getting quotes early so you are ready when the plates go on.
Can I drive my imported car before it is registered?
Only to a pre-booked MOT or vehicle approval test, according to GOV.UK, and it must be insured for that journey. Otherwise you can be prosecuted for using it on a public road.
Is an imported car more expensive to insure?
It can be. Some insurers are less familiar with cars built for other markets, and parts can take longer to source. Specialist import insurers are worth a look.
How much does import car insurance cost in the UK?
It depends on the car, your age and record, where it is kept and how it is valued. An import can cost more than the UK version of the same model, so get quotes from both a mainstream and a specialist insurer.
Do I need to tell my insurer the car is an import?
Yes. Tell them it is an import and list any changes made for UK roads, such as headlights or the speedometer. Leaving it out can give them grounds to refuse a claim.
Want marine cover included? Just tell us on the quote form and we will include it in your price.
