I am going to appropriate this word - just wonderful! 
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T&Cs apply 
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Unfortunately the āone foot each sideā thing was always problematic even pre Brexit, and worse now.
No you didnāt advocate giving false information, but you were suggesting giving a false impression by omission - not telling the insurers that you are not a full-time UK resident.
And yes you are, Iām sure, extremely scrupouloud, I can hear you from across the Channel. 
No I donāt think the residency question is new - though as I have said it may vary by insurer, I donāt know.
Iām pretty sure I had to state how long I had lived in the UK (or not) when I moved back from Turks & Caicos in 2010. Fortunately they honoured my TCI no-claims discount.
UK residency does affect the risk, if someone has been previously living in a country that doesnāt drive on the left and has different traffic laws - for example Americans can legally turn right on a red light if nothingās approaching from the left, which you canāt do in the UK. Iām sure there are other examples.
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So, if youāre coming from a RHD country theyāll load you less than from a LHD one? Or, does one being resident two years vs five years change the risk.
Iām seeing an old pal of mine for a pint on the 1st, he was CEO of AVIVA general insurance in Ireland. If I remember Iāll ask him. Then all I have to do is remember what he said and report back.
I have no idea how itās assessed, I am not an insurer - all I can tell you is what I was asked when taking out my car insurance, clearly they had some reason for asking the question.
Sure Chris, Iāll see if my pal can shine any light on it. Iām very wary of every company we interact with asking for more and more information about us. Then they donāt protect it and we end up with bloody spam or worse. I think all information we are required to provide should have a transparent justification.
Sorry Highlander, but I have just thought of another reason why your plan wonāt work, even if you do get someone to insure it.
Isnāt it the case that a French resident cannot drive a UK reg. car in the UK?
When my son came to stay a couple of years back he had to hire a pushbike locally because he was not allowed to drive my French cars. The only thing he could drive was a hire car, because, like lorries, they are exempt.
Friends of mine brought a car from England and registered it here to be left for them to drive while here. There was much about the legality of it at the time but it was only proved to be legal when the law changed to make it illegal. They still drive it here though, presumably because it was legal at the the time they did it. Iāll ask them when I see them if they are still able to insure it still in France.
That is not the case. If it were, a French resident would be unable to hire/drive a car in the UK.
My daughter is a UK resident and I am a named driver on her policy - declared as a French resident/French dl holder but they claimed (I think, mistakenly) that they were not interested as they do not record the addresses or residence status of named drivers. This was checked and verified with a supervisor, then confirmed in writing at my request.
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No David, itās that as a French resident we canāt legally drive foreign registered vehicles. Itās the same in all EU countries.
ā¦.we canāt legally drive foreign registered vehicles in Franceā¦
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ā¦ with certain exceptions such as hire cars, company owned vehiclesā¦
Itās the other way round, a UK resident canāt drive a foreign registered car in the UK.
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I think you missed this bit of what I said:
When my son came to stay a couple of years back he had to hire a pushbike locally because he was not allowed to drive my French cars. The only thing he could drive was a hire car, because, like lorries, they are exempt.
And, although I stand correcected by several others, my thoughts on the matter were formed precisely because I learned of the hire car and heavy vehicle exemptions. Exemptions are only needed if otherwise the actions described are not legal.
Indeed! 
Is it possible the quote was so high, because they donāt recognise the NCD from your current insurer?
Iāve never understood why just about everything you do online in France asks for your date of birth. āOh, you want to buy a t-shirt, when were you born?ā
Needless to say I now have more birthdays than Iāve had hot dinners. The only ones that get my true date of birth are those where thereās a clear need, like government and banking.
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So youāre 21 again, eh?
The last insurer was a UK based firm specialising in Brits living in Europe., and with cars in the UK.
Weād to lapse the insurance after it ended because the car was sold at the same time.
Fast forward a month, a new car bought, and that insurer couldnāt seem to find the old policy and asked silly questions. (Q: and when did you return to the UK? ) Eventually they quoted Ā£750 (Ā£340 or so last year) but that was based on the āoldā car rather than the new one. (for which theyād full details)
That didnāt inspire confidence, then along came one of those insurers mentioned on here.
They asked what weād been quoted, and after hearing the figure replied, āOh, I think weāll be well over that.ā
Three days later they came back with a quote of just over Ā£500 - accepted - so my wife flies back to the UK next week, with the car (coming from Norfolk) being delivered to her office in Lancs later in the week.
Thanks for all suggestions.
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I told you already. Again: premiums are pretty well doubling on renewals across the board this year. Ā£750 on Ā£340 sounds normal to me.
I am though at a loss. Your first post says the insurer says ānoā. Now it appears there is a quote but high but you do not like itā¦
I do not know why you do not bite their hand off and take the Ā£500 quote. I would.