# Moving UK car to Italy



## AndersMo (Aug 2, 2010)

We are moving to Italy at the end of August (for around 11 months), and are taking our UK car with us. The car's UK road tax, MOT and insurance will lapse shortly after we arrive. Would it be cheaper to renew everything here in the UK, or does it make more sense to get Italian road tax/MOT when we get there? 
Can we insure our car with GB plates with an Italian insurer? Or do we have to get an international insurance quote?

Hope someone has some good advice!
Thanks.


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## Kongo66 (Aug 10, 2010)

A lot depends on the type of car, road tax in italy is expensive and is predicated on the engine size/power. Also the insurance here is almost prohibitively expensive, here in tuscany it can cost well over €1000.00 PA to insure a car similar to a Punto and the cover is more or less UK 3rd Party. (You would have to register the car first).
The process of registering a car is also very expensive and beurocratic. In short if you are only staying for less than a year just go with the UK option. (If you take a UK car out of the country for more than a year the rules say you need to register it in the new country, but it's common to not bother, although you would have to take it back to the uk for the MOT).


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## AndersMo (Aug 2, 2010)

Many thanks Kongo66. I had been told by a friend that there is no such thing as road tax on the continent, since motorists pay their way on motorway tolls... The insurance really is the clincher though. I know it's expensive to get international insurance but surely not more than €1000.


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## Kongo66 (Aug 10, 2010)

AndersMo said:


> Many thanks Kongo66. I had been told by a friend that there is no such thing as road tax on the continent, since motorists pay their way on motorway tolls... The insurance really is the clincher though. I know it's expensive to get international insurance but surely not more than €1000.


Your friend is partly right, there is now no road tax in France, but you pay to use the Motorways, the road tax is added to the cost of fuel.
However in Italy you pay for tolls on the Autostrada, AND also pay road tax. I have a 3 litre car (UK reg) and I estimate road tax would cost me more than €700.00 pa, the insurance would be ludicrously expensive too as the insurance in Italy is on the CAR not the driver hence there is no such thing as a no claims bonus. I also think you might be under a misconception as you refer to international insurance, to my knowlege there isnt such a thing just extended cover for european trips (Green card in the UK). You can get these from your insurer in the UK but they only last for 3 months at a time and cost a fair bit as I recall (more than £100 I think). So for a trip of 12 months you would need 4 of these.


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## oldjerry (Jul 27, 2010)

Kongo66 said:


> Your friend is partly right, there is now no road tax in France, but you pay to use the Motorways, the road tax is added to the cost of fuel.
> However in Italy you pay for tolls on the Autostrada, AND also pay road tax. I have a 3 litre car (UK reg) and I estimate road tax would cost me more than €700.00 pa, the insurance would be ludicrously expensive too as the insurance in Italy is on the CAR not the driver hence there is no such thing as a no claims bonus. I also think you might be under a misconception as you refer to international insurance, to my knowlege there isnt such a thing just extended cover for european trips (Green card in the UK). You can get these from your insurer in the UK but they only last for 3 months at a time and cost a fair bit as I recall (more than £100 I think). So for a trip of 12 months you would need 4 of these.


some UK insurers are now giving 'green card' cover for longer than 3 months,eg LV and they don't actually charge you for it.This seems like a good deal,you'd need a UK Address and come back periodically,it works for me.Check out confused .com or similar comparison sites they list the details you require viz 'green card' periods etc. best wishes.


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## AndersMo (Aug 2, 2010)

Thanks to both of you - very good advice.


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## pugwashington (Dec 20, 2008)

AndersMo said:


> We are moving to Italy at the end of August (for around 11 months), and are taking our UK car with us. The car's UK road tax, MOT and insurance will lapse shortly after we arrive. Would it be cheaper to renew everything here in the UK, or does it make more sense to get Italian road tax/MOT when we get there?
> Can we insure our car with GB plates with an Italian insurer? Or do we have to get an international insurance quote?
> 
> Hope someone has some good advice!
> Thanks.


Saga is a good option if over 50 - you get 1 year of foreign car insurance for free.


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