Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Looking for help with UK Morgan export insurance

Hi,

I have just bought a M3W. It is presently in Revolutions in Perth (Scotland), with some parts off to see Mr Bleazey and assorted other parts being fitted and fettled.
Revolutions came recommended by Calum for his routine chassis changes.

I live, and am resident, in Portugal and have no UK residency or property.
To export the car, I will need to insure it for the UK part of the journey. I then need insurance that is EU valid for a few months while the car (apparently it's actually classified as a motorbike in Portugal?) is imported, tested and registered locally in Portugal.
The registration process can take anything from a few days to many months and the car apparently cannot be insured by a Portuguese insurance company until it has it's local registration certificate/number plate.
I am told this last piece is correct and have not been able to find if there is a Portuguese company that would insure a UK registered car for a resident of Portugal. ??

Anyone done this before and suggestions for insurance companies, hints and tips, ways of doing this without bankruptcy?

Many thanks

I found this surprisingly easy with a new car in Italy. This was while the UK was still in the EU. I had to show the documents for the car, invoice and COC (Certificate of Compliance ), pay the IVA (VAT) in Italy, and then a plate was issued. With the registration number I was able to get insurance. We then flew to the UK, went to the factory, stuck the plates on the car, and drove home.

That was March 20, 2012

The photo used for my avatar was taken on the homeward trip.

I am not sure if this can be done with a second hand car. You would probably be asked for the COC in order to register it in Portugal even if it is second hand. Check carefully on the rules about having to pay VAT on a second hand vehicle too. I think a certain minimum age and mileage may be required to avoid having to pay VAT.

I can Imagine that to transfer the registration to you a residential address in the UK would be required.

In the end your easist option may simply be to get someone to transport it for you. There are vehicle recovery services that bring cars from the EU back to the UK. They may well often have outward trips to the EU that are without a full load.

Thanks Peter, post Brexit, and with a second hand car... it all gets a bit more complicated. I would prefer to drive down through Portugal, but may have to just pay for a shipper. The VAT aspect is not ideal here, but M3Ws are more expensive in Europe

It lacks the romance of driving it home but borrowing a trailer and picking it up, then back via Santander would minimise the number of potentially niggly borders to cross.

The 'transporter going out empty' option is good too ... I've shifted some big stuff cheap using 'return loads' ..... the problem might be that with the number of borders to cross they might be wary of taking on an oddball job for fear of being held up by overzealous customs somewhere.

K

You could try telephoning Jack at My car import. He, or a colleague might have some advice on export. I found him very helpful. You might enquire of the inestimable Sarah at Brands Hatch Morgans too.

.
Since Brexit everything has changed drastically to import a used car into EU - for instance a similar spec pickup in UK now costs around 30% of the UK purchase price to be registered in EU - so although vehicles are 'cheaper' in UK, by the time exchange rate/VAT and import duties have been applied its not much different to buying one already in EU.....
Pick up - £24k UK
Then exchange rate + import duties + VAT = €35k

Equivalent FR vehicle = €34k
And its LHD and is accepted at main dealers for warranty work etc unlike RHD.....

If its transported then VAT and import duties will need to be paid before it leaves UK...

Its probably easier to drive into EU via Santander as will give you more time to sort paperwork when you get home - but be wary regarding UK insurance as your not a UK resident.

The plan is to drive via Santander. For local registration I have a contact who can do it, just need the insurance to be real for the time until it is legal in Portugal. Prices are not fixed here. Cheers

Couple of pieces. There is duty payable to import a car from France to Portugal - same rate as from the UK. Importing parts from the UK also has Brexit duty added. Doubt there will be much interest from the local dealer in warranty work on a car of this age. Does help with the cost justification for buying in the UK.