broma25

Hi

I was advised to post here rather than the immigration forum.

Does anyone know if i can buy and insure a car in PA using my UK licence.

Any experiences anyone??

Thanks

Manc

Yes, the cost to insure is gonna be a ballache depending on the state laws.

Dunno about PA, but in Michigan you can insure a car on a UK license no probs.

broma25

Thanks for that manc

Can I also register it in my name?

Manc

who's else would you register it under?

evoal2003

Here I can drive on my UK license for 120 days of the stamp on my I-94.(Which has to be carried with me if i'm driving along with my license). Each state is different so go to www.dmv.gov and check out your state rules and policies. I've heard that insurance is expensive as an immigrant maybe look at a joint policy with hubby Elaine. To take the license here is $20 different states again will have different costs and degrees of difficulty. Overall from what I have read its not too difficult.

Hope your ok talk soon.
alan

ImHere

try Progressiive (www.progressive.com). They insure UK License holders.....bumps the price up by about 15-20% though.

broma25

Thanks for that Alan, hows married life, and where are those pics you promised to post??

evoal2003

The joy of being a house husband.. . take a look at the photopost I just did them. I thought it would take forever on dial up but it was ok.

alan

Bob

$20 for a test ain't bad...was $15 for the theory and cost of first test because I was over 23
As in maine, if you don't take a test in 6 months, you have to pay another $20, but also, if your under 23, you have to have the learners permit for 6 months before taking the test...so bargain for me *lol*

Just a thought here, but, what if you had travel insurance through a credit card, would that then cover your car over here initially?
mbna credit cards, some of them would cover cars up to 31 days if you went abroad from the US....so wondering if there was the same thing as a stop gap till you got license and all that gubins???

Lottie

PA rules are that you can drive on your UK drivers license (if you have an international drivers permit - 4GBP from your local post office in the UK) for 1 year.

We have bought 2 cars, registered them under our names and have insurance this way. Insurance company is State Farm (I'm not sure if that's who you work for Manc). Anyway, I think we're paying $200 per month for 2 people to be insured on 2 cars (brand new jeep grand cherokee and a 3yr old subaru impreza).

We've been really lazy about getting our PA license, but I'm told it's a piece of cake, we've still got 4 months, but we need to get round to it soon! That should bring our insurance bill down a lot I'm told!

BTW whereabouts in Wigan are you from, I was born in Hindley Green but haven't lived there since I was 18...you'd better stock up on fish, chips and mushy peas cos you can't get them out here!

ukemigrant

Our insurance bill didn't come down at all when I switched from UK to US license - I live in PA too.

I wouldn't get your hopes up too high, but if it does go down, please post about it....

Sam.

Lottie

Thanks Sam, forewarned is forearmed and all that! Will let you know if the rates come down.

Lottie

broma25

Lottie

Thanks for that, I am from the Springfield area of Wigan, whereabouts in PA are you, and I will be stocking up on fish and chips before I come.

dragonfly

We lease 2 cars from Chrysler and as we do not yet have our PA liscense yet hopefully within the next couple of weeks. Our insurance with progessive is high but progressive have informed me that when we get our PA liscense it will go down! Where in PA are you going ?

Lottie

We're close to Philadelphia, in a suburb called Exton, just off the mainline. Been here since August last year. Hubby started work straight away as he is on a L-1 visa. I started work in November after waiting for my work permit to come through. Have just moved from an apartment into a house, so it's been a hectic couple of months. Looking forward to the Summer and enjoying lots of good weather and barbequeing. Bit of a culture shock at the beginning, but things are getting easier now. Are you moving to be with family, as a student or for work?

Lottie