Taking my car from the UK to Ireland
Hi everyone,
I’m moving from the North West of England to Ireland for 12 months for work, and I’m considering bringing my 2010 Nissan Micra with me. I’m a bit confused about the insurance and registration rules, so I’d really appreciate any advice. Please feel free to point me towards an existing post if this has already been covered.
The car is UK-registered, and I will still have my UK address while I’m in Ireland. My understanding is that because I’ll only be there for around a year, I may not need to register the car on Irish plates, but I’m unclear on what this means for insurance.
My current UK insurer says I have comprehensive cover in EU countries, but only for 90 days. After that, the cover reduces to the minimum required by law. Does anyone know if it’s possible to insure a UK-registered car with an Irish insurer while living in Ireland? If so, what kind of costs should I expect?
The main reasons I’m considering taking the car are:
- to make moving my belongings easier, and
- to have the freedom to explore Ireland during my year there.
I don’t expect to drive much around Dublin itself, and I realise that looking for accommodation with parking could make an already difficult rental market even more challenging. Would it be more sensible to ship my belongings and leave the car in the UK?
For context, I’m 29, have 6 years of no-claims bonus, and the car is small and economical, so I’m hoping it wouldn’t be too expensive to run.
Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!