JustinLA

Hope everybody is well.

I moved to LA recently and going to buy a new car in the next few weeks. Going to get something simple for around $20k. Not too bothered about make/model but want to make sure the insurance isn't too much.

I have had a license for almost 20 years in the UK but of course will be taking my test again here to get a California license. I have documented 7 years no claims bonus from Allianz (former UK insurer).

So my questions are:

What kind of price should I reasonably be expecting to pay for insurance?

Where should I go as an expat new driver to get a good deal?

Thanks

lansbury

If you have never insured a car in the US I would start by seeking advice from an agent for the bigger insurers. Such as Farmers, State Farm etc. I say that because insurance here isn't the same as the UK where you get third party, comprehensive etc. In the US you choose what cover you get for each part of the insurance. Damage, liability, medical and several other choices. Best to get an agent to explain it all to you, get their recommendations and then shop around. A rough guide for someone just arriving is around $1,000 for 6 months.

Marc_ely

We went with Geico and they were very accommodating for Expats. They even considered our long UK driving records and gave us their "safe driver" bonus.
We were paying $140 a month for 2 of us on 2 cars (a 2007 Ford worth 7k and a 2011 Honda worth 25k).

Make sure you don't go for the cheap coverage.

You'll probably be horrified at the cost coming from the UK. It's just one of many things that are a lot more expensive over here. I could write you a list if I had a spare hour :-)

scrubbedexpat027

I'm with Progressive. For a Fiesta ST (worth about $20K), I pay $80 every month which I think is quite reasonable for LA.
I had about 20 years experience from the UK too when I moved here but the online forms aren't setup to deal with that. I gave them a call and they took it into account.

Plus they do a safe driver gadget, but that's not for me

username.exe

Familiarise yourself with the the different terms and levels of coverage you can select.

Don't just get the state minimum levels.
Liability, collision, uninsured motorists, medical etc. I do 250/500.

Spend $110 p/month on a 2009 Prius 2011 Rav4.