JohnCindy

I just spoke to my insurance agent this week, and he said that my fiance will be insurance like a new driver! At a higher rate. Is is like that in all states or just glorious New Jersey?

Rete

Has nothing to do with the state but with your individual insurance company. NJ has one of the highest insurance rates countrywide. Check around and also check out previous postings regarding this subject. It was talked about in depth just last week.

Rete

NC Penguin

I have posted on BritishExpats on the subject of auto insurance as a newbie to the US. Search on this newsgroup and the one called The Lounge where the topic of costly auto insurance has been discussed previously.



NC Penguin

leebarton

Would a letter from my current UK insurer saying that I have 8 years claim free be worth getting before I move to the US?

Is it accepted at all?

Thanks

Lee

NC Penguin

If you can get anything more detailed from your UK auto insurance company, bring it with you when you move to the States.

It may be worth offering to potential auto insurers as evidence of your prior driving record. I've not read of anybody succeeding in getting a lower auto premium on this basis, but there's no harm in trying.

Best of luck,



NC Penguin

JohnCindy

Thanks for the post. I will look back about the subject. My fiance just said about bringing a good driver record with him to show the insurance company.

Happy trails lol and cheaper insurance rates!

Kkwaterman

The state does have something to do with it. WHen insurance companies give rates, they pull people's DMV information to det driver's history. The state we live in only offically recognizes international driver's license from France and Germany. So when my English husband went to get a liscense, he had to do it as if he had never had a one before. You can imagine the insurance rates we were quoted. Geico Ins., however, made it so that they wrote me a policy as the primary driver and then I added him, but the rates were only based on my driving record.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

In the FWIW department -- US auto's are left-hand drive and UK are right hand drive. I know that when I visit the UK and rent a car, I have to be extremely careful in driving. The traffic in Italy may have been worse, but at least I didn't have to cope with driving on the other side of the road.

janousek

I was told that in the State of North Carolina that DMV requires the eveidence of Auto Insurance before you apply for license. So the steps are :
#1 Buy the insurance policy
#2 Apply to DMV with the evidence.

My USC spouse doesn't drive. If I go to buy insurance policy based on my country's Drivers License the prices are likely to be higher (In my country, we drive on the other side of road).

I have a question for Kkwaterman
"The state does have something to do with it. WHen insurance companies give rates, they pull people's DMV information to det driver's history...."

How will it work out when I don't have driving records? I guess I'd start like a 16 years old .

Any ideas?

NC Penguin

Which state are you referring to?

Do you actually mean an "international driving license" or simply foreign driving licenses from France and Germany?




NC Penguin

L D Jones

leebarton wrote:
    >
    > Would a letter from my current UK insurer saying that I have 8 years
    > claim free be worth getting before I move to the US?
    >
    > Is it accepted at all?

Maybe, maybe not. Bring the letter and anything else you have and ask

Duckie

dumb question, but are not all with a international drivers license even from germany and france requiered to be treaded as if they never had a us license ???

i know that even i need to do the full program as if i never had a license before. in ohio i need go to the bmv, pay my fee, take the theory test, make the vision test, and real fast drive around the block to show i can drive.

meauxna

Actually, if you moved to my state, your driver's license would be accepted as a 'history' and you would not have to take the driving test; just the vision and written. Germany is the only European country's license recognized here.

Reference Kkwaterman's post: my UK husband's UK license required him to go through all the testing for his local license, but our insurance rates were NOT affected at all (State Farm Insurance).

Rete

Actually I've had a GEICO policy since '72 when I was first married and the present policy since my divorce in '75 so this policy is 27 years old. I added my husband to my policy without his having a US driver's license, only a Canadian one, and with GEICO not having any written driving history on him and the increase was neglible.

As for the state having something to do with it, your reasoning is a little flawed in my viewpoint. The driving record is only maintained by the state, the driver is the one with the record. The state is only the file cabinet that houses the report. ;-)

Also if one looks at the DMV for NYS it is clearly written in black and white that an international driver's license must be accompanied by the country's original driver's license in order to be valid. The international driver's license is only a copy of the original translated to English. In NYS Canadian's do NOT have to take a written or driving test in order to get a NYS driver's license. It is simply a matter of proving residency and proper BCIS status and trading your Canadian license for a NYS one.

Rete

NC Penguin

I live in North Carolina too.

When you say your USC spouse doesn't drive, are you saying he/she has never driven on a full license in the US or just that he or she has a full license and currently doesn't drive?

If it's the latter, then you're OK. Your USC spouse should be the primary driver on the auto insurance.

As for you, have you driven in your home country on a full license for the last three years? If so, this will relevent (at least that's my belief). I came to the US without a full foreign driving license and my auto insurance premium is a ridiculous amount. This will be true for Janousek and his/her USC spouse if he/she has never held a full US driving license.

Janousek- if you have specific questions on finding auto ins in NC, please email privately. I will try and help.



NC Penguin