Owning and driving a Uk car as spanish resident.

Pete, I,m not looking to drive it in Spain purely Uk use only. Transferring to other owner is not a possibility either. I am aware I could drive a Uk registered car in Spain but the Uk owner must be in the car at same time. However its the owning and driving a Uk car in Uk only as a spanish resident. Seems its very easy to do opposite way round as we own a spanish car on a Uk driving licence as non residents. 

Regards

Pauline.

Hi Pauline, you say that “ we own a spanish car on a Uk driving licence as non residents.” - if you are non-residents in Spain, then where is your permanent residence? I’m assuming that will be the UK, and you have a UK address, so insuring a UK car, using your UK address, would be fine?

Steve I,m asking because I want spanish residency pre December 2020 (income below post Brexit requirements) but wouldnt have time to refurbish and sell property before that, so as a new spanish resident how can I own and insure a Uk car we already have, as a spanish resident to enable visits back to refurbish home prior to renting it out. This is easy as a Uk resident in Spain owning a spanish vehicle, but not so easy other way round to own and insure in Uk.

Regards

Pauline.

Hi Pauline

I was unaware that your query was for yourself having gained residency before December, I interpreted it as you were looking for a solution now - whilst you are still non-resident, so my apologies for that!

I'm sure that somebody else on here can advise you, as there's a wealth of people with a lot of knowledge and understanding of how things work in Spain!

Thats ok Steve, maybe I wasnt clear so hopefully someone else in similar position can give me an answer. I have read some postings where its mentioned "I insure my Uk vehicle in Spain" but that seems weird re an accident perhaps? but certainly first question in Uk insurance is "are you Uk resident" and I want to do things legally. Of course since posting, I realise we could just buy a Spanish van or hire a way to go van each time , meaning we,d have to sell 2cars and a van Uk registered here. Its the last finer details that are becoming obstacles, and really its just to get that longer period to visit and especially the summer months. I still prefer my warmer Uk house in winter(but then we are high alto inland in Spain) all my fault as hubby keeps reminding me!!

Regards

Pauline

Yes thanks Pete, that may be the only option to hire a van or pay for company to transport belongings.   Still need to use a car in Uk though. I can only think of driving our spanish car backwards and forwards if there,s no other alternative. I thought transporter companies may have given me some answers, especially as some are using Uk vehicles. If I receive adverse info on inheritance tax(other post) then we may have to stay as non residents. I,m afraid I,m clutching at straws now.

Regards

Pauline. 

A UK registered car kept or driven in UK requires insurance provided by a member of the UK's MIB (Motor Insurance Bureau).

Amongst those you'll be very hard pressed to find one which does not demand UK residency as a prime qualifier.

One or two Spanish insurers claim to be able to insure UK regged cars for use in UK but personally I'd view such claims with deep suspicion and would want independent confirmation before relying on it, a call to the MIB perhaps? 

Currently at least in legal terms which driving licence you hold doesn't matter, including for being a named driver on someone else's insurance, my wife for instance is Spanish resident with a French licence but is a (no cost) named driver on our daughters insurance in UK.

Obviously different companies are at liberty to have differing views on the subject but the point is it's not against any rules so will be a purely internal matter.

Thats another possibility, but for 5months may be dearer but could look into it. At our age hiring is not cheap. However if we used our spanish car we could bring stuff back to Spain too. 

Regards

Pauline.

Liberty Seguros will insure a UK car. They insured two of ours on UK plates, while they were still registered at our UK address (before and after we were granted Residencia in Spain and before/after we switched to Spanish driving licences). They were insured for driving anywhere.

They have since been transferred to Spanish plates.

We still have a car in the UK, registered to our UK address, which is insured with Admiral. At the last renewal, Admiral agreed to cover the car, but we may need to move it to Liberty Seguros when the next renewal comes up.