I am sorry to raise what no doubt is an old topic but we need some help. For three years now I have used a UK registered left hand drive car in Italy. We visit about 4 times a year for a total of about 4 months.
Hi,My wife and I have just joined the Community and are looking forward to learning and sharing experiences in Italy. We have a holiday home in Calabria which we love.
melbreak, our situation is as you describe. We travel out in July and bring it back the following April/May. The annoying bit is that Saga knew the situation when I last renewed the policy on 1st July. They asked me to notify them if I left the car which I did when trying to organise a weeks cover for my son in Sept. It obviously was too good to be true! Thanks again for all your help.Dave and Anna
Many thanks for the explanation. Looking again it seems to indicate that in the past the Green Card had in the past been the proxy for cover with the Post Office but for some reason the PO guidance has been changed and it is this that they are taking up with DVLA. It also indicates that the policy and accident claim forms will be issued in English.
Those of you using Italsure may wish to reconsider. I have just had a quote from them and Stuart Collins and Italsure are practically double the price. The car is a bog standard Ford Fiesta so I wouldn't expect such a margin of difference. In addition the Italsure quote includes a warning that it cannot be guaranteed that a Post Office will accept their cover as fulfilling UK needs when re- taxing the car. The higher quote may, in part, be explained by the reference to the quote being inclusive of Italian taxes. They do also mention that they are taking up the car tax issue with the DVLA which may of course resolve any potential difficulties.
We know where you are but can't say we know the village. We have certainly shopped for fruit at Davoli and looked around there when we were searching for a house. The Garden Centre at Satriano is another place we have used. Have you been to Badalato just down the coast a little from you? The old town at the top of the hill looks almost biblical as you approach it from below.We are not going again until October when like you we will be doing some DIY etc. Sept will still be fairly warm so we hope you are not doing anything to strenuous. Shame we are not there at the same time as we could have met for a coffee and cornetto or pizza and glass of wine.Dave and Anna
Hi, Thanks for the welcome. We are in Montepaone Lido not far from Le Vele - where are you? Did we also see that you are in Bournemouth? If so we are not far away as we are between Winchester and Romsey.
I actually found the car on e-bay. It had been bought by an English couple living in France who had returned to the UK and needed a RHD car. It was just under 2 years old and I got it at a great price. The plan had been to register it in Italy, insure it there etc. However not having residency put a stop to the plan, that and the price of Italian insurance!There are though a good number of places in England that specialise in LHD cars - the only down side is that they seem to charge a premium. I used "The Left Hand Drive Place" in Basingstoke to transfer the car to UK plates. They were helpful and I plan to give them a call about the insurance problem to see if they can give me a name. If I can get one then at least I will have a comparison with Italsure. If you search on the internet I am sure you will find a number of options.As regards selling the car in Italy I understand that so long as you have the documentation it can be done although whomsoever buys it will have to pay a few hundred euros to get it onto Italian plates.
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melbreak, our situation is as you describe. We travel out in July and bring it back the following April/May. The annoying bit is that Saga knew the situation when I last renewed the policy on 1st July. They asked me to notify them if I left the car which I did when trying to organise a weeks cover for my son in Sept. It obviously was too good to be true! Thanks again for all your help.Dave and Anna
Many thanks for the explanation. Looking again it seems to indicate that in the past the Green Card had in the past been the proxy for cover with the Post Office but for some reason the PO guidance has been changed and it is this that they are taking up with DVLA. It also indicates that the policy and accident claim forms will be issued in English.
Those of you using Italsure may wish to reconsider. I have just had a quote from them and Stuart Collins and Italsure are practically double the price. The car is a bog standard Ford Fiesta so I wouldn't expect such a margin of difference. In addition the Italsure quote includes a warning that it cannot be guaranteed that a Post Office will accept their cover as fulfilling UK needs when re- taxing the car. The higher quote may, in part, be explained by the reference to the quote being inclusive of Italian taxes. They do also mention that they are taking up the car tax issue with the DVLA which may of course resolve any potential difficulties.
We know where you are but can't say we know the village. We have certainly shopped for fruit at Davoli and looked around there when we were searching for a house. The Garden Centre at Satriano is another place we have used. Have you been to Badalato just down the coast a little from you? The old town at the top of the hill looks almost biblical as you approach it from below.We are not going again until October when like you we will be doing some DIY etc. Sept will still be fairly warm so we hope you are not doing anything to strenuous. Shame we are not there at the same time as we could have met for a coffee and cornetto or pizza and glass of wine.Dave and Anna
Interestingly Stuart Collins is the Insurance company that was suggested to me by The Left Hand Drive Place I mentioned above.
Many thanks to you and melbreak.Dave and Anna
Hi, Thanks for the welcome. We are in Montepaone Lido not far from Le Vele - where are you? Did we also see that you are in Bournemouth? If so we are not far away as we are between Winchester and Romsey.
I actually found the car on e-bay. It had been bought by an English couple living in France who had returned to the UK and needed a RHD car. It was just under 2 years old and I got it at a great price. The plan had been to register it in Italy, insure it there etc. However not having residency put a stop to the plan, that and the price of Italian insurance!There are though a good number of places in England that specialise in LHD cars - the only down side is that they seem to charge a premium. I used "The Left Hand Drive Place" in Basingstoke to transfer the car to UK plates. They were helpful and I plan to give them a call about the insurance problem to see if they can give me a name. If I can get one then at least I will have a comparison with Italsure. If you search on the internet I am sure you will find a number of options.As regards selling the car in Italy I understand that so long as you have the documentation it can be done although whomsoever buys it will have to pay a few hundred euros to get it onto Italian plates.