Foreign car

  • tprideaux's Avatar
    Fresh Eyes
    I own a Mercedes. Does this disqualify me for applying for insurance?
  • 1 Reply

  • Verified Answer

    ChristopherP's Avatar
    Your Community Expert
    Verified Answer
    @tprideaux Hey there, thanks for getting in touch!

    There are 2 types of imports, 'Grey Imports' & 'Parallel Imports'.

    A grey import is a car which has been bought abroad and does not have a UK spec. Many grey imports come in the ‘top spec’ level so you can get extras which are not as standard on UK spec cars.

    Grey imports can increase the cost of car insurance and may require extra work to be carried out so they comply with UK legislation. For example, the indicators have been changed to orange.

    If the vehicle is not available in the UK, car parts will be harder to come by and it is unlikely you will have a warranty with the vehicle.

    Grey Imports are a decline.

    A vehicle imported from within the EU is sometimes known as a parallel import.

    This refers to right-hand drive vehicles purchased from abroad, built to EU type approval and are compatible with UK specification.

    If the parallel imported vehicle is on our system, then we are okay to quote, provided you are able to confirm that the vehicle has been changed to UK specifications.

    You will need to call us for a quote on a parallel import. You can reach the Car Insurance team on 0345 246 2895 (Mon - Fri: 8am - 8pm, Sat - Sun: 9am - 2pm) and they'll be happy to help 😊


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