Japanese Import Car Insurance
Japanese import car insurance is specialist cover for vehicles originally manufactured for the Japanese domestic market (JDM) or other non-UK markets. Whether you’ve imported a Nissan Skyline, Toyota Supra, Mazda RX-7, or any other JDM vehicle, standard insurance policies often struggle to provide adequate cover.
At Chris Knott Insurance, we work with insurers who understand Japanese imports and can provide competitive quotes for both standard and modified JDM vehicles – including grey imports, parallel imports, and personal imports.
What Our Japanese Import Car Insurance Covers
Our Japanese import car insurance provides the same comprehensive protection as standard policies, with specialist understanding of import vehicles. Coverage includes fully comprehensive, third party fire and theft, and third party only options. We can arrange cover for right-hand drive and left-hand drive imports, vehicles registered on chassis numbers, Q-plated imports, and cars with short VINs.
Optional extras include agreed value policies (recommended for rare JDM models), modified car cover, breakdown assistance, and legal protection. Whether your import is a cherished weekend car or daily driver, we’ll find the right level of cover.
What Japanese Vehicle Brands Can Chris Knott Insure?
We specialise in providing comprehensive insurance for a wide range of Japanese manufacturers and models, including:
- Toyota (including rare JDM models like the Century and Crown)
- Nissan (including Silvia variants)
- Honda (including NSX and rare Type-R models)
- Mazda (including rotary-powered vehicles)
- Subaru (including special edition Imprezas)
- Mitsubishi (including Evolution models)
- Lexus
- Daihatsu
- Suzuki
- Isuzu
- Infiniti
Why Choose Chris Knott for Japanese Import Car Insurance?
Chris Knott has extensive experience insuring Japanese imports and understands the unique challenges import owners face. Our UK-based team knows the JDM market and can accurately assess your vehicle’s value – crucial for rare or appreciating models like Skyline GT-Rs or NSXs.
We work with multiple specialist insurers who actively want to cover Japanese imports, meaning we can find competitive rates even when mainstream insurers decline.
Our service includes access to agreed value policies, coverage for modified imports, and the flexibility to use your preferred Japanese car specialist for repairs.
Does Chris Knott Cover Japanese Modified Cars?
Yes. Many Japanese imports arrive with modifications or are modified after arrival, and we can cover both scenarios. Whether your import has performance upgrades like turbos and suspension, aesthetic modifications like body kits and wheels, or both, we work with insurers who understand modified JDM vehicles.
Declare all modifications when getting your quote – our team knows the Japanese tuning scene and can accurately assess modifications that might baffle mainstream insurers. We can also arrange agreed value policies that account for both the import status and modifications.
Get Your Japanese Import Car Insurance Quote Today
Whether you’ve just imported your dream JDM car or you’ve owned your Japanese import for years, Chris Knott can find you specialist cover at competitive rates. Our knowledgeable team understands the import market and will ensure your vehicle is properly protected.
Don’t settle for insurers who don’t understand Japanese imports. Get specialist cover from people who know the difference between a GT-R and a GTS-T.
Frequently Asked Questions
To arrange insurance for your Japanese import, you’ll typically need:
- Vehicle Registration Document (V5C) showing UK registration
- Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) certificate
- Valid MOT certificate
- Proof of vehicle value
- Import documentation
- Japanese export certificate
- Previous insurance history
Several factors impact insurance when importing a vehicle from Japan. Your vehicle must be properly registered with the DVLA and pass all necessary inspections, including obtaining a valid MOT certificate and ensuring compliance with UK road regulations.
Any modifications made to meet UK standards must be declared to your insurer, including lighting adjustments, speedometer changes, and any other technical modifications.
Yes, absolutely. Failing to declare that your car is an import will invalidate your insurance policy. Japanese imports have different specifications, parts availability, and values compared to UK-market vehicles, which insurers need to know. This includes imports that have been in the UK for years – the vehicle’s import status is permanent. Always declare your car as a Japanese import when getting quotes, along with any modifications and whether it’s left or right-hand drive.
Several strategies can help lower your Japanese import insurance premium. Join a Japanese car owners club or JDM forum – we offer exclusive discounts to recognised club members. Garage your import overnight to reduce theft risk, particularly important for desirable models like Skyline GT-Rs. Fit Thatcham-approved security devices such as trackers and immobilisers. Consider limited mileage policies if your import is a weekend car. Increase your voluntary excess if you can afford the higher upfront cost in a claim. Building no-claims bonus and maintaining a clean driving record will also reduce costs over time.
Japanese import insurance can be more expensive than UK-market equivalents, but not always. Factors that may increase premiums include parts availability (repairs can be more expensive), higher theft risk for desirable JDM models, right-hand drive vehicles in a left-hand drive market, and lack of UK claims data. However, many imports are used sparingly as weekend or show cars, which can reduce premiums through limited mileage policies. Working with specialists like Chris Knott often results in better rates than mainstream insurers who simply see “import” as high risk.
Importing a Japanese car involves several steps. First, find your vehicle through a Japanese exporter or auction house, ensuring it meets UK age and emissions requirements (typically 10+ years old for easier compliance). Arrange shipping and customs clearance, paying import duty and VAT. The vehicle must then pass an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) test or be inspected for mutual recognition if under 10 years old. Register the vehicle with DVLA using form V55/5, providing proof of age, identity, and IVA approval. Finally, arrange specialist insurance before collection. Many import specialists can handle the entire process for you, though expect 2-4 months from purchase to UK registration.
Beyond Japanese import cars, Chris Knott arranges specialist insurance for modified cars, classic cars, American imports, European imports, kit cars, performance cars, prestige vehicles, and motorsport activities including track day cover. We also provide motorcycle insurance, van insurance, home insurance, and multi-car policies. Our expertise extends to unusual or hard-to-place vehicles that mainstream insurers won’t cover. If you have multiple specialist vehicles or unique insurance needs, speak to our team – we can often arrange package deals across different policies to save you money.
