Transfer of the plates isn't much of a hassle. Just fill out a couple of boxes on a form and post it away. (or pop into your local DVLA office with them)
Getting them made up is a doddle, and the insurance company bit can be a pain. A previous insurer wanted to charge me £50 to change over to a private plate, Aviva lets you do it for free (not even an admin charge) through their online policy management tool.