Insurance for Japanese imports: get the quote before you buy

Duty, VAT and VRT can be estimated in advance. Insurance is different. It is a yes or a no from a particular insurer for a particular car, and you want that answer before your money leaves the country.

What has been reported

The Irish Times reported on 27 May 2026 that some insurers decline to quote for some Japanese imports. One dealer quoted in the report said that 2 or 3 cars in 50 have a problem.

That is one dealer's experience, not a measured rate. On that account most cars are insured without difficulty. The trouble is that you cannot tell which group your car is in until you ask.

Camber does not have data on which models are affected or why, so this guide does not guess.

Get the quote before you bid

Do this once you have settled on a specific car and before you bid or pay.

1. Use the exact model and chassis details. A quote for the nearest Irish-market model is not a quote for the car you are buying.
2. Ask what documents the insurer needs. Some may want the car's specification or an engineer's report. Ask who arranges that and who pays for it.
3. If a direct insurer declines, try a broker. A broker may be able to place a car that a direct insurer will not quote for.

Ask for the answer in writing where you can. A quote based on the wrong model protects nobody.

Questions worth asking

• Will you quote for this exact model and chassis?
• Do you need the specification, an engineer's report, or both?
• How long does the quote stand, and what would change it?
• Do you need to know about work done after arrival, such as a radio conversion or an immobiliser?
• Is there anything about this car that would stop you renewing?

You are not looking for the cheapest premium at this stage. You are establishing that the car can be insured, by whom, and roughly for how much.

Put the premium in the comparison

The insurance premium is not part of the landed cost, but it belongs in the decision.

Take the two cars in Camber's worked examples. The Toyota Aqua comes out €3,864 below an Irish asking price of €15,000. The Volkswagen Golf comes out €646.50 below an asking price of €19,000. If the imported Golf costs more to insure than the same car bought here, a gap of €646.50 does not take long to close.

Camber's comparison tool sets the import against buying the equivalent car in Ireland. Add the insurance quotes for both when you look at the result.

If every insurer declines

Stop before you pay. Finding out after the car has shipped is the expensive way to learn it.

Look at a different model, or at the same model from a different source, and get a quote for that.

After the car is registered

Give your insurer the Irish registration number once the car has one. Tell them about any work done on arrival if they asked to be told.

Keep the insurer's written confirmation with the rest of the car's paperwork. Camber's import file has a document checklist for this.

A note on partners

Camber is independent. It is not affiliated with Revenue, NCTS or any government body. Where a partner appears on this site, using it is your choice. No insurer or broker is required for an import, and none is endorsed by Revenue. How Camber works with partners is set out on the partners page.