Hi all.

I have a big problem in hands and I need all your knowlege

I live in Portugal, and I'd like to buy a car in UK - already choosed and paid
a deposit (XP Car Sales - xpcarsales.co.uk)

I'll use it to bring a trailer full of chassis, body, engine and other bits to
build my Super Seven replica (MNR - mnrltd.co.uk).

Later on in the summer I'll use it again to transport the complete car back for
SVA in UK.

I know I have to have insurance in order to pick up the car from XP Car Sales
(and I wouldn't dare to drive in any other condition)
I would like to have a breakdown cover that includes Continental recovery to
home or destination

I have a brother living in UK - Oxford - for 3 years now, and I can use that as
address - but I have no way to prove that I live there.

I tried to get some quotes but I was denied as I don't have a full UK
residense, but according to EC directives I can only insure the car in the
country of # plate origin.

Any idea?
Any connection to an insurance company that could help me?

Thanks in advance,
Joao Caldeira

I don't know the answer to your problem but I will tell you, make sure you are legal. If you try to claim on your insurance and you are not legal thent he insurance company can refuse to pay out.

Could you not get your brother to insure the car and put you on as a named driver???

the car needs to be registered to a uk address, so you may as well put it in your brothers name and address. Get him to ring his own insurance company and enquire about you being a named driver on his policy, to see if its possible. Obviously stating that you are a foreign national on a portugese license. Assuming they will insure you, its plain sailing. Just have him insure it as his own car, with you as an add on.

If not, id just pretend to be your brother, though obviously thats not legal and can easily go wrong, especially driving in a foreign country.

Thank you all who responded.
The car will always be in a UK address.

Got 2 way outs right now:

1. Car and insurance in his name, me / my wife as additional drivers
2. Short term insurance, without european breackdown cover [+/- 40 ukp for a week, but will only have compulsory insurance out of UK]

I'd love to have an European Breaksown cover, but it seems that only if I have both UK residence AND UK licence

I'll probably take the 2nd, as I'm not allowed to drive a foreign car in Portugal that is not in my name (not even wife can drive my car if in foreign plates!!!)

Thanks again,
Joao