Car insurance (Texas)
 

Hello, thanks for all the helpful replies on my other posts. I'm in the processing of looking at leasing a car. I currently drive a company car and so my insurance is covered. I'm trying to understand how much my monthly insurance costs might be? Will it make any difference that I don't yet have a TX driver's license? I only have my UK license. I have booked my TX test but the first available appointment I could get was September 7th.

Car wise, I'd be looking at Toyota Camry or similar type and lease for 12 or 24 months.

Thanks

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

I would budget around $2000 to $2500 a year for insurance for the first 3 years. You may be able to get it cheaper.

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

Unless you can get the US insurance company to accept your no claims bonus from the UK, expect to pay a high premium as (as I found out when I arrived here) they treat you like a new driver.

I was paying around 150 USD per month.

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

They prefer you to have your Tx drivers license - you'll get a better quote when you have it.

Definitely have proof of no claims from the UK, it may help and certainly won't do any harm.

Where are you in TX? There are a couple of "megacenters" for driving tests and you can get a same day test if you turn up early in the morning. They generally have a lot of no-shows.

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

Maybe a rental car for your first month would be a good idea. That way you have time to comparison shop for vehicles without feeling pressured to sign a lease quickly. Insurance on your rental may even be covered by your credit card if that is how you pay for it.
You may find a Camry doesn't fit your needs once you get here and drive on the roads for a while.

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

You may even get away with using https://turo.com/ , this might also allow you to try a few different cars out.

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

Given that they require an SSN for sign-up in the US, so they can run a credit check, and it's possible they require a US driving license too, this seems an unlikely option straight after immigrating into the US.

Actually, it looks like it might be possible for non-US drivers to register. What criteria they use for approval, though, isn't clear.
https://support.turo.com/hc/en-us/ar...ver-s-license-

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

If you are thinking of taking your test with a rental car check first that the rental agreement allows it. My company rental car was through Avis and the agreement small print said "No Road Tests". I didn't think it meant driving tests but the Texas State Trooper wouldn't let me take the test. (This was Houston). He was very apologetic and said that they had checked with the rental car companies in the past, but I was okay driving around on my UK licence just couldn't take the driving test.

I borrowed my boss's car to take the test in. (His insurance covered other drivers that he'd given permission to).

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

Typical leases are 3 years +/- 3mths, so you might pay a good bit more for a short lease. Also watch out for the mileage cap and per mile overage charges as they can rack up very quickly.

I think 12,000-15,000 miles is typical for a lease and upto 20,000 with a higher lease payment, but you will be driving more than you expect to because everything is so far apart. I used to do about 10,000 miles a year in the UK, mostly driving to my parents, but here, when we first moved to NC, we were doing around 30,000 miles per year, but when our daughter started school, and we could no longer commute together, that jumped to around 45,000 miles per year! :blink:

From a British perspective it sounds crazy to regularly drive 5 miles for groceries, 20 miles to the mall, and 30-50 miles for dinner or to see friends, but you will likely find yourself do such things here in the US.

So, unless you are able to find a home across the road from your place of work, and round the corner from a mall and grocery, expect to drive a lot of miles, and be wary of lease mileage caps and overage charges. ..... Also expect to pay a fee for every nick, chip and blemish when you return the car at the end of the lease.

Re: Car insurance (Texas)
 

I don't know if you've already got a lease but usually just going to the dealership to get a lease doesn't work when you don't have any credit history yet.

Mazda and VW/Audi both have expat programs
International Autosource and Expatride will also sort out your lease car
Advancial credit union may be open to giving you a car loan

Apologies if we covered this elsewhere, can't remember if it was you or not.