Thinking of moving to canada
 

My girlfriend has been offered a job in white rock bc and we would just like some more information we have a 2month old baby and 15years old boy, we have done a lot of research and found some good website but i have been reading up that you have to have a canadian driving licence to get car insurance and i have heard car insurance in very expensive if someone would be able to help us that would be much appreciated

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

I can't help you with your car insurance as I have to pay for my own and my wife's, but I can confirm that insurance for a vehicle where we live in Ontario is quite expensive compared to the UK. We pay over $2,000 a year for 2 vehicles. That's after 4 years driving in CAnada.

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

Hi, and welcome to BE.

Have a search of the forums and you will find tons of threads on car insurance. But yes, it's not cheap!

Good luck with the move.

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

I have been reading that car insurance goes on credit rating and you cannot take your UK No claims bonus

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

You can. But it's still bloody expensive!

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

Never heard of a credit rating making car insurance more expensive, please paste the link for that one!

As for no claims, Johnson's in Ontario look at you in a better light if you bring a letter from your previous insurer stating that you are accident free not just stating you have x years no claims.

No claims is different, as it can be protected if you have a smash.

May I add, if you is worried about a few grand for insuring a car, then in the grand scheme of things, moving costs. House sales, rent, visas ect, it's just a drop in the ocean.

Found a credit score link. It's been banned in Ontario since 2005. Not sure about BC?
http://www.mcmillan.ca/Ban-on-using-...ns-and-deepens

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

Requesting a discount is easy. Here's what you need to do:
1.Ask your previous auto insurer(s) for a claim history letter.

Please note: this letter must
come from the insurance company (not a broker or agent), and be on its letterhead
include the insurer's contact info (phone, mailing address, etc.)
be dated
name the principal operator of the vehicle you're insuring with ICBC
include your policy number(s)
include the exact dates of coverage (for example, Jan. 1, 2002 – Aug. 23, 2012)
provide details of any claims, or state that there were no at-fault claims, and
be written entirely in English.
http://www.icbc.com/autoplan/moving/...ewres-discount

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

I believe in BC all you have to do is swap your UK license for a Canadian one.

But the Canadian one will be a new driver - and as such as has been noted above you will have no history with the insurance companies.

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

We got a fair bit knocked off with an email from our old UK insurers in both Alberta and now BC following more or less what Former Lancastrian mentioned above.

Don't know anything about the credit history discount thing.

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

Nope that was a new one on me too. For the record we pay $1700 a year for me and my hubby on two trucks (one totally fully comp the other just the minimum - i'll leave you guys to work out which is which ;) ). I'm lucky that we are through State Farm, they don't require previous proof of my insurance - I just get a free ride cos I'm married to a Canuck therefor automatically obtaining the full no claims bonus for a spouse (that migt be worth looking into for all other partners of cradles ;) )

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

That should be mentioned in the actual wedding vows, just after that "for richer, for poorer" bit. ;)

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

:)

You don't need to have a BC license (note there is no such thing as a Canadian driver's license) to get car insurance. As a new resident you are allowed to drive on your UK license for up to three months. Then, if you want to continue driving you just exchange your UK license to a BC one.

Car insurance is expensive if you are middle aged and have accumulated years of no-claims bonuses in the UK. If you are young it may not seem so bad. You can get up to a 40% discount based on your UK driving record. However, you need to gather letters from former insurers (not agents) and the letters must be in the exact format ICBC (Insurance Corporation of British Columbia) requires. See here http://www.icbc.com/autoplan/moving/...ewres-discount.

Insurance is in two parts. Basic Autoplan is roughly equivalent to third party only in the UK, but much more expensive. You must buy this from ICBC. There is no other choice. Optional coverage includes fire, theft, collision and extended third party liability. This is highly recommended but, as its name suggests, it is not compulsory. You can buy optional insurance form ICBC but there are other providers who can offer a better deal if you have a clean driving record.

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

i was reading on a website if you have been driving longer than 2 years you just take a eye test n some theory questions then get your bc licence but if you have been driving under 2 years do you have to do the bc test also a mate told me insurance is based on you not the car like the UK

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

Yes, if you have held your UK license less than two years you go into the graduated licensing program. This means there will be restrictions on your license and you will have to take and pass a driving test to have these removed.

The type of car has SOME weighting in your premium, as does location. However, the overwhelming factor in how much you pay is whether or not you have at fault accidents on your driving record. If you start bumping into things insurance gets very expensive, very quickly.

Re: Thinking of moving to canada
 

Actually by the same reckoning there's no such thing as a UK license either! The UK has 2 different driving licenses - a GB license and a NI license. Each are administered by different agencies (DVLA and DVLNI respectively) and have their own reciprocity agreements with foreign driving license agencies. Luckily both have reciprocity agreements with BC. However, in Alberta for example, you can exchange a GB license but not a NI license.