Will a UK insurance firm classify an NI car as an import?

Do UK insurance companies treat a car brought over from Northern Ireland as an import?

Norman John Gibson (Preston)

Mar 2025 Filed under: insurance

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Expert answer

Hi Norman,

In most cases, UK insurance companies do not classify a car brought over from Northern Ireland to Great Britain (England, Scotland, or Wales) as an import. This is because Northern Ireland is part of the UK, and cars registered there already meet UK standards.

Some insurers may ask if the car was first registered outside 'Great Britain' (which would mean those brought from Northern Ireland as well) and might require additional information. 

If the car was originally imported into Northern Ireland (e.g. from the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere), insurers might classify it as an import, but we wouldn't worry massively about that one.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor