Car Insurance tip?
Aug 15th 2004, 2:22 am
#1
British/Irish(ish) Duncs
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Cambridge MA, via Mississippi and Belfast Northern Ireland.
Posts: 700
Car Insurance tip?
I thought I would share an experience on getting Auto insurance in Massachusetts.
I know people here have repeated ad nauseum that a UK record means nothing. Well on the whole that seems to be true. However on arrival in Boston our insurance with progressive lapsed as they dont cover in MA. We got new cover with Commerce and were quoted $1965 for the year(2000 Mercury Sable LS sedan) wife as main USC, me as second driver UKC and USA PR. The insurance company though indicated that if i got a letter from the UK licensing authority confirming that i have a clean UK record they would upgrade my rating and lower our cost. After lots of messing around I managed to get Driver Licensing in NI to fax to the broker a letter of entitlement confirming my 10 years clean UK record.
The insurance company have now upgraded me from a class 14 to a class 9 driver(MA has its own system). This has knocked around $700 off our bill and the new rate is now $1265 for the year. Cheaper than we had with progressive.
Thats a big difference and aparently its not uncommon in MA for drivers to get credit for foreign driving experience.
Anyway i just figured i would share my experience for anyone who happens to be moving to MA anytime soon.
I know people here have repeated ad nauseum that a UK record means nothing. Well on the whole that seems to be true. However on arrival in Boston our insurance with progressive lapsed as they dont cover in MA. We got new cover with Commerce and were quoted $1965 for the year(2000 Mercury Sable LS sedan) wife as main USC, me as second driver UKC and USA PR. The insurance company though indicated that if i got a letter from the UK licensing authority confirming that i have a clean UK record they would upgrade my rating and lower our cost. After lots of messing around I managed to get Driver Licensing in NI to fax to the broker a letter of entitlement confirming my 10 years clean UK record.
The insurance company have now upgraded me from a class 14 to a class 9 driver(MA has its own system). This has knocked around $700 off our bill and the new rate is now $1265 for the year. Cheaper than we had with progressive.
Thats a big difference and aparently its not uncommon in MA for drivers to get credit for foreign driving experience.
Anyway i just figured i would share my experience for anyone who happens to be moving to MA anytime soon.
