Motorhome Insurance in Italy

[APN01]

I am in the process of importing my Auto Trail Tracker motorhome into Italy. The vehicle has been exported from the UK but cannot be imported into Italy without passing the Italian version of an MOT. I have an appointment for a vehicle test in Lucca on 15 November.

 

I do not know how I can get insurance for a vehicle which has been exported from the UK but not yet imported into Italy and therefore does not have a valid number plate. I would be grateful for any advice on this and/or on the Italian vehicle insurance market more generally.

 

Thank you.

[Keithl]

Have you asked the insurance company if you can insure your MH on it's VIN prior to getting the registration number? I believe this used to be the way of doing this in the UK.

 

Keith.

[Derek Uzzell]

Evidently it’s still possible in the UK to obtain vehicle insurance using the chassis/VIN number

 

https://tinyurl.com/5mpbc283

 

(My understanding was that the UK’s MID (Motor Insurance Database) demanded a UK-format registration number to identify a vehicle, so I don’t how a vehicle insured via its VIN number could get on to the MID.)

[Brian Kirby]

I think the answer to that, Derek, is that it can't, but the insurer has to confirm the vehicle on the MID within a fixed time of issuing the insurance. In effect, they stretch a point, and use that breathing space as a grace period for the vehicle to be insured for limited use on the roads providing it is not kept on a public road. That is the issue which creates the deadline within which vehicles so insured must have a reg. No. notified back to the insurer, so that it can be entered onto the MID post hoc. If the deadline is missed, the insurer gets a slap on the wrist from the MIB! At least, that is what was explained to me - albeit 15 years ago! Times change, of course!

 

The thing not to do, was to remove the "foreign" plates, as a vehicle on the road without any plates stands out like a sore thumb, so even foreign export plates are/were better than none.

[Derek Uzzell]

In the following link the possibility is mentioned of an annual insurance policy being available based initially on a ‘VIN-number’ cover-note that would subsequently be superseded by a ’normal’ policy once a vehicle had been UK registered

 

https://ajinsurance.co.uk/personal-insurance/car-insurance/chassis-number-unregistered

 

while another company refers to a 7-days period of grace being allowed for an insurer to get a vehicle’s UK registration details on to the MID.

 

As Keithl has suggested above, it would be worth APN01 checking whether Italy has anything similar that would permit his Auto-Trail motorhome to be insured on its VIN-number and allow it to be driven legally to the Lucca test centre prior to it being Italy-registered.

[onecal]

Hi ,

If you contact any of the offices below they will inform you what you need to do regarding what you need re insurance, .lights ,Importing in etc' and importantly what is acceptable to them on importing a vehicle into their country from outside the EU

A simple phone call may be best at this late stage .

You will get an English speaking administrative rep' who will explain in detail all the questions you need answered

Just be prepared to write them down

 

Rome:

• Salaria, 1045 - Tel: +39 06.81.691

• Delle Cince, 28 - Tel: +39 06.23.18.02.10

 

Milan

• Cilea, 119 - Tel: +39 02.35.3790.01

 

Naples

• Argine, 422 - Tel: +39 081 591 1111