BibbyBear

Hi all,

It's been almost 12 months since I last visited here for help with my AOS paperwork (which went through fine) but now I'm looking for advice on car insurance.

After procrastinating for many months, I finally took my road test early in November 2013, and passed with flying colors..... that was good to know after holding my UK driving license for almost 26 years without incident. But now comes my problem.....

My husband recently spoke to his insurance broker to find out how much car insurance would be for me if he bought me my own car - he has never added me as a named driver on his policy because he was originally told that as long as he gives his permission, I could drive (not true apparently!)

Anyway, they have since updated his car insurance with me as a named driver and the best they can do is an increase for the remainder of the year (7 months) of $1111.00!!!!

This is because I am being classified as a young driver as I've only recently passed my test?!

I have provided them with the last proof of no claims discount which I received in the UK, but that just covers me for the four years prior to moving here in September 2012. Before that, I was a named driver on my ex's car insurance, so I am unable to prove my driving record before then.

I have given them a copy of my UK license which clearly shows I've held a license, without any endorsements, since February 1988 and I can also provide them with a police certificate from the UK to prove I have no prior criminal convictions, which would include DUIs, driving without insurance, dangerous driving etc., but none of this counts!

The broker said that it might help if I could provide 6 years worth of driving records, but otherwise, I'm just going to be insured as a youth driver.

I've been online and collected many different quotes using different variations (my husband as the insured with me as a named driver, vice versa and just me on my own) and all of the quotes are into the thousands!!

Does anybody know of any way around this? Any insurance companies which are able to work around the rigid parameters the systems have? Or any other useful advice at all?

I would be extremely grateful for any help at all but if none is available, then maybe this could be something that is mentioned to all other Brits who are thinking of / in the process of moving to the US - perhaps it's something they can try to resolve in the UK BEFORE getting over here.... making calls to UK insurance companies or the DVLA would be much easier whilst still in the UK.

Many thanks for your help.

Pulaski

This is about normal. $2,000/yr as a "new driver". Very few report any success in getting their non-US driving record taken into account. .... We mention it all the time, pretty much any thread about US driving tests, licences, and new immigrants getting their first vehicle in the US.

BibbyBear

Thank you. I did do a search using "car insurance" but I drew a blank - sorry for the repetition in asking the same question.

I was just hoping somebody may have found a work-around for this one, but alas..... just another huge bill to fork out for

Thanks again.

civilservant

My newly minted license increased our insurance premium by.... nothing.

Next month when we renew its actually going down. How I don't know, but thank you State Farm.

(However, it is liability only on a 1999 Chevy Monte Carlo, we aren't talking a Lambo here)

Mr Weeze

Try AIG inbound. They took mine into account. Saved us thousands.

emmac1979

Sorry to hear about that

Our insurance agent said that what the companies want to see is continuous coverage. We lucked out because there was overlap between my UK policy ending and my husband's US policy (through work) starting. Plus we had each other as named drivers. If there had been a gap the insurance company would have treated us as new drivers, apparently shifting your life across the Atlantic is not a good enough excuse for a break in coverage! So for anyone who hasn't moved yet, try and get that overlap, even if it means you're paying for two policies at the same time it is worth it for the savings, I ended up with a premium of $700. That was with Allied, who were prepared to take UK driving record into account.

BibbyBear

Thanks for the information. I will get on to these companies tomorrow to see if we can get any improvement on the quote.

Emmac1979 - my husband's broker has said that he can take my UK driving record into account but he is wanting at least 6 years' worth, preferably longer but my problem is.... how do you prove a driving record? I thought showing my UK license without any endorsements would have been sufficient, but it's not and I only have proof of insurance (with no claims) for the last four years I was in the UK - how do we get proof of a driving record from the UK?

It's things like this which really add a sour taste in the whole experience of emigrating. Like it doesn't cost us enough, both monetary and emotionally, to move over here anyway but now they just want to hammer us a little bit more and if it was just going to be for the first year, then maybe I could swallow it, but I imagine it's going to take years before the quotes get down to something of a more acceptable price range.

I'm just feeling a little down right now (probably got something to do with the way my husband equated the extra $1111.00 to that of a flight back to the UK, which I took to mean that I either get car insurance OR a trip back to see my kids!)

Thank you everyone for your help - it is really very much appreciated x

Pulaski

It does come down fairly quickly, and quite a long way. We are now paying $1,300 a YEAR for a Honda Accord, a Mustang GT, and an F250 crew cab.

emmac1979

I know the feeling! Just when you feel like you're getting on top of everything something comes along...

I had my UK paper license and proof of no claims and that was fine - not sure what else your broker could expect you to show.

_Clueless$y$t€m_

You can get your driving record from the DVLA, costs about £5 and that'll bring the quote down a little bit but you're still seen as a new driver. Showing your UK driving record gets you quoted more like an 18 year old new driver as opposed to a 16 year old new driver.
$1200 sounds about right for Massachusetts insurance..you're paying for the lack of skills of other MASSholes.

RICH

I hesitate to say, but maybe waiting so long to take the test did not help. I don't recall insurance cost being an issue for me. Also credit history, bizarrely, may have an effect, I have heard.

Get a different Broker. Dime a dozen, no need to be loyal, if it is not to your advantage.

hungryhorace

I'm going to buck that trend then..

My broker put my insurance down with 10+ years driving history as I simply gave them a copy of my UK driving licence. Initially the policy was against my UK licence, then when I obtained an MA license I updated my insurance appropriately. The price stayed the same, coming down by $100 when I added my wife.

When I was added to my wife's insurance, the price rose by around $30.

studentgwant

When my wife finally took her Mass test, our insurance went down quite significantly, as they then decided to back date it. I would suggest talking to an insurance agent, as the human touch is usually alot better than the automated systems from Geico / State Farm etc, at least to start with. $1200-1500 a year is pretty normal for Car insurance in MA though, im paying $1500 for a 2006 Durango and a 2001 F250 Crew Cab.

Bob

In MA, you get your DVLA driving history and it's clean for the last 6 years, you can use that to be considered a new driver, rather than a youth driver, so in the 18-21 camp rather than the 16 year band camp of new driver.

As soon as you got your license, you were going to be added to your OH's insurance or face voiding the policy, unless you didn't live in the same household.

Credit history is another thing that helps the rate a fair bit.

Other factors, car with all the safety bells and whistles, off street parking, especially covered, distance away from NH, property tax rate of the town. Liability is the big one, but you don't want state minimums. Also adding home/renters/umbrella/life insurance policies together get large discounts.

If you're in the metrowest, I'd recommend our broker, he's a bit gob chatting happy, but he does put in the effort to get a decent rate.

Online quotes from websites are meaningless.

Sally Redux

I don't think it goes down here - you have to pay for other drivers, many uninsured.