Manc

if you never carry any passengers other than family members maybe.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

Yes you will have to do both. You might want to consider going to a private US driving school just for practice. First of all, you will be on the wrong side of the road and your reactions will be all wrong. [I trust you did NOT order a "manual" stick-shift transmission -- the UK is one country I will not rent a stick-shift -- I've never shifted left-handed.]

Besides the practice, you will get the hang of the rules of the road. You make ONE moving violation during the test, you instantly fail. From my daughters' experience, they are easy to make. [One time, on post-mortem I told my daughter she was clearly in the wrong but if it was any consolation I would have done the same thing].

Almost no traffic circles and the Freeways are signed quite differently [I actually like the way the British Motorways indicate off-ramps].

Besides, if you are in the City proper, it can be a bitch to drive in. [My other half lets me do it simply because I went to law school in the City and then stayed another two years -- but that was a long time ago now. However, I can still parallel park backing UP the hill in a stick shift! Also, don't forget to block the wheels the correct way!].

Good luck.

Bob

It's a doddle though, unless your a one armed monkey, you really shouldn't have any problems with it

md95065

You can get information about the CA driving test requirements on the CA DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) web site at http://www.dmv.ca.gov

Regardless of the requirement to get a CA driver's license withing 10 days of becoming resident in CA you will definitely want to get it as soon as possible because, for most practical purposes, without it you do not exist.

In the US the driver's license is the universal form of identification, and without one you will find it remarkably difficult to do anything from opening a bank account to getting your garbage collected.

You will also go through an unpleasant period of purgatory until you get a US Social Security Number. You *can* get a driver's license without one providing that you can prove that you are in the US legally, but don't expect the first five people you talk to at the DMV to know this. Opening a bank account will most likely be similarly painful.

md

Chrissywissy100

[QUOTE=Folinskyinla;6018081]

[I trust you did NOT order a "manual" stick-shift transmission -- the UK is one country I will not rent a stick-shift -- I've never shifted left-handed.]

I figured with never having driven on the wrong side of the road in a place I dont know well, I probably wouldnt cope with a stick, so have gone for an automatic transmission... one less thing to worry about!

We are living in the financial district for 4 weeks, then moving to bay side, so not too much city driving, and we have been given a parking space by our city rental, so I wont have to park on the road.. phew!

tamms_1965

When my daughter was on her dad's ins. she only had $5K for med....she was put on mine right before she turned 18 and I increased it tremendously. If she had a collision with someone without health ins. it could ruin her life (financially).

augigi

I got quotes today - for a 2001 Subaru Legacy wagon in Pittsburgh, PA. Quotes ranged from $1000 to $1500 for six months' coverage. Will try AIG direct tomorrow.

Jerseygirl

We have 4 cars...3 drivers and pay around $3K per year.

All drivers have clean records and house/contents insurance is with the same company. We have a $500 deductible...can't remember the details of the policy but know we are very well covered in case of an accident etc.

geeandtee

I think I pay about $130 a month, for my car and DH's motorcycle. However, I'm with State Farm, and have my house and flood insurance through them and I've been with them for 6 years, and the premium goes down the longer I go without making a claim. When we first got here, the only company I could get car insurance with was Progressive, but I only needed to do that for 6 months, provided I kept my nose clean, as it were. It was just as well, it cost so bloody much I've blanked it from my mind.

scrubbedexpat099

I know a lot of this is state dependant, and I do not know the rules in CA.

But isn't your biggest asset your future earnings and your biggest insurance type liability your daughter?

I would call the limits low/basic, get a price or the next one up. Just for the UL cover. Probably 0.5% of your UK limits for comparison.

Medpays biggest plus is that it isn't liability based

Folinskyinla

Hi:

No, the biggest asset is the equity in my house. I mentioned the "umbrella" policy -- it is for several million dollars with a "deductible" matching the underlying insurance. It ups your liability coverage a huge amount. I also have "UI" coverage. Although the med pay is not liability based, it is expensive for the amount of coverage. If my passengers do not have medical coverage, they will be covered by either my liability, the other guys liability, or the UI coverage.

scrubbedexpat099

And there was me thinking Lawyers were well paid.

We also have an Umbrella, can be tricky to get if you have teenage drivers.

Underinsured/Uninsured coverage from a selfish bastard perspective is a must, half the drivers in CO have no Insurance or State minimum.

I doubt if it applies to you but I know that some Medical schemes require you to max out your medpay first and its not what you bought, but what you could have bought.

tamms_1965

I always had the umbrella with ex which allowed us to do the same.

Giantaxe

This is almost identical to the coverage I have. I live close to downtown SF and pay about $450 with Geico to insure a 9 year old BMW for six months, i.e. about half what you are being charged. But then I do get discounts for never having made a claim etc and it sounds like you're insuring for two drivers.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

To Chissywissy -- this is the type of answer you needed -- he has the same coverage and lives in the same locality -- but he gives the differnces.