American driver's license while working in the UK?

I've just relocated to the UK and have started living here on a 5-year work permit. I tried to do without, but I've decided that I'll need a car while living here. Last week I went to a used car dealership and was told that, although I can drive on my US license for a year, the insurance rate would be £3,000 per annum because I'm an American citizen. (Note that this is a quote for a relatively inexpensive Honda.) This seems ludicrously high to me and I'm neither willing nor able to pay this much for car insurance. How can I get a (much) more competitive insurance rate?

Answers:
Get a British driving license. The IDP is worthless there, it's ONLY a translation of your license and since they do understand American English in the UK (well, to a point anyway!) it serves no purpose. And if you get one in the UK, it's invalid there anyway.

Get a copy of your driving record from the DMV in the US. And get a "no claims" letter from your most recent insurance carriers. Do NOT open these when they arrive! Then shop around for the best rates. You probably will get the best rates from a "brick and mortar" agent until you have established a clean record on your British driving record. If possible, try shopping in areas where there are US Military bases nearby -- mostly East Anglia in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk -- as they are familiar with US driving records and normally will accept "no claims" letters from US insurance companies. GEICO used to have a storefront in Huntingdon, look it up in the phone book, and catered to US drivers in the UK.

Most importantly, shop around for the best rate! Car dealers are not insurance agents and although most can hook you up with insurance you'll rarely get the best price there; same as in the US!

I lived in the UK for 7 years and always got preferential rates once I got my driving record and "no claims" letters sorted out.
Ask them if having an international drivers license will help if so go to idl-international.com
Five years here is a big committment, and our driving is waaayy different to yours. Take a few lessons, and take the British driving test. I'm sure you'll need to get familiar with some of our 'unique' road-furniture.
I wish I knew but that is ridiculous. Get a second opinion.
You can get a cert. from your old insurance comp. in the US
to establish your " non-claims-bonus " [ncb] than you can try www.confused.com and find you can save yourself a bundle. I
did it last year and nearly had a fit , how much money I have lost by going though a broker, they work on commission and don't
always find you the best rates.Stay away from car dealerships
recomendations they are on the take too.
good luck

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