Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > USA
Reload this Page >

Motor insurance

Motor insurance

Old Jan 16th 2012, 8:51 pm
  #1  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 23
columbo is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Motor insurance

Hi everyone,
Still planning my move to Florida when I retire. I have a question about motor insurance. Because I will have no credit history in the US will I have problems obtaining motor insurance or pay a premium because of this. Maybe there is some way my son who lives in Florida can add my car to his policy? I think i've heard something about that. Anyway, hope you wise people have some more good advice for me. Thanks.
columbo is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2012, 9:01 pm
  #2  
 
Weeze's Avatar
 
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 2,262
Weeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond reputeWeeze has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Motor insurance

Hi and welcome to BE!
Car insurance comes up quite often. Yes you can get insurance, and yes, you will pay a premium. As you may know already from yours son's experience, car insurance is expensive in the USA compared to the US. We joined a company called AIG Travelguard (if you use the search feature at the top of the section, you should find lots of posts about them). You pay them $400 upfront, but it gives you access to cheaper insurance and the like. In our case, we saved more than the joining fee in the first 6 month period.
Not sure about your son adding you to his policy. Our policy is based on the car, not the person. We added my mam for the time she was here visiting, but don't know how it would work for adding a whole car.
Weeze is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2012, 9:03 pm
  #3  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Michael's Avatar
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 10,678
Michael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Motor insurance

Originally Posted by columbo
Hi everyone,
Still planning my move to Florida when I retire. I have a question about motor insurance. Because I will have no credit history in the US will I have problems obtaining motor insurance or pay a premium because of this. Maybe there is some way my son who lives in Florida can add my car to his policy? I think i've heard something about that. Anyway, hope you wise people have some more good advice for me. Thanks.
Lack of US credit but primarily lack of a US driving record is the maun reason for paying high insurance rates. It may be possible to put you on your son's insurance but if you have an accident, you all may be cancelled if 100% the insurance company isn't completely informed about you situation and you may have to haggle with the insurance company about claims.

In other words, if you state that you are a member of his household and are not, there could be problems down the line. Even with correct information, if you have an accident, the insurance company may just possibly cancel the whole policy or at a minimum get rid of his good driving record discount.
Michael is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2012, 9:13 pm
  #4  
Just Joined
Thread Starter
 
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 23
columbo is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Motor insurance

Thanks Michael. I wasn't thinking of trying to deceive the insurance companies by going on my son's policy. I was just wondering if this was usual practice in the US..........obviously not then. I've just searched AIG Travelguard as recommended. I'd never heard of them but have just read some positive threads about them. Always seem to get good advice on here. Mike
columbo is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2012, 9:57 pm
  #5  
Bob
BE Site Lead
 
Bob's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,167
Bob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond reputeBob has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Motor insurance

You also have no US driving history, you will be starting out as a fresh faced, whatever age one can get a license in that state.

So yes, it will be expensive.

Not much you can do but drive a beater...but Florida is one of those weird states that don't have car inspections, so makes getting a older car much more risky.

Combining all your insurance policies together such as home owners or rental insurance etc certainly helps with a discount.
Bob is offline  
Old Jan 16th 2012, 10:02 pm
  #6  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Michael's Avatar
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 10,678
Michael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond reputeMichael has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Motor insurance

Originally Posted by columbo
Thanks Michael. I wasn't thinking of trying to deceive the insurance companies by going on my son's policy. I was just wondering if this was usual practice in the US..........obviously not then. I've just searched AIG Travelguard as recommended. I'd never heard of them but have just read some positive threads about them. Always seem to get good advice on here. Mike
It is common for people in one household to be on the same policy. However since insurance is on the car and not the driver, some that have bad driving records try to get on someone else's policy in a different household without mentioning that they will be the primary driver. In minor accidents, usually they get away with but if a major accident occurs (injury or death), usually there is a lot of problems for both the holder of the policy as well as the person that asked him/her to fake the policy.
Michael is offline  
Old Jan 17th 2012, 6:21 pm
  #7  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62
cowtowntaff is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Motor insurance

I had very good experiences with expatride.com who helped me lease and insure a car. They will be more than happy to help you with just the insurance.
cowtowntaff is offline  
Old Jan 17th 2012, 11:18 pm
  #8  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 101
washsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nicewashsaint is just really nice
Default Re: Motor insurance

Interestingly, when I first moved across with 0 credit history I got a better deal than 12 months later when I had a credit history. Based on age, etc. I was very low risk initially but this went up to low risk as soon my credit history started building!

Same for house insurance......go figure!
washsaint is offline  
Old Jan 19th 2012, 5:08 pm
  #9  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: USA
Posts: 167
jukes is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Motor insurance

Originally Posted by cowtowntaff
I had very good experiences with expatride.com who helped me lease and insure a car. They will be more than happy to help you with just the insurance.
Hi,
Are expatride.com still operating? The weblinks to them don't seem to work.
Thanks.
jukes is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.