car insurance

[Dan and Lynne 0]

hi,

this might sound like a silly question,

i have been in the usa just over a year and i have been driving since i arrived (the first time it snowed like crazy...!!) anyways, i am unsure if i am insured to drive, i have a full uk licence, and the international permit (now i am aware that the permit is kinda useless really, but at the time i was told it was as good as an american licence...pretty dumb really!)

my husband is being kinda shady about all this and we are having a few issues in general, he told me i am insured but i cant see how as the insurance company (allstate) have never seen my licence, do they not need to see at least a copy??

the reason i am curious about this is because on his visit to the uk to see me, he hired a car and i was to drive it back from glasgow to cumbria, it wasnt until i got the car back to the hire company that they told me i wasnt insured and that they would overlook it as the car was in good condition and i have a nice smile.

i am kept in the dark about most things, he puts any 'private' paperwork out of the way, in the safe or somewhere i wouldnt look, ive never seen any insurance policies or bank statements even, i see them in the envelopes but never once they are opened. i am not even covered for health insurance, (he will cover the vehicles as they are due but not me! and i cant do it myself because i cant work!) which is something else, i have told him when i am not well and i need to see a doctor, and now it is like i am going on about it all the time, like im some kind of hypochondriac...which i am not!! but i suppose when you hear a woman complaining of pains and stuff every other week it begins to seem that way...i am really getting pi**ed with how he has become...and how it is all my fault. i have just turned 40 and my husband thinks i haven't lived and i am thick...(for instance, a recent previous post about IRS and filing taxes, filing about a uk income in the first place!!...WTH is that all about? if i mention it to him...ill be 'making it up' )

i feel i have no one to talk to about things...stuff...anything, and no one is interested anyway.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Insurance laws vary from state to state. If you look in this forum, there was some discussion recently. Maybe he thinks it will cost more to insure you. Some have paid more. In Texas we don't. Call an Allstate agent in your state and ask.

Driver's license laws vary by the state. Some allow you to drive on a UK license for a year. Google Driver's License (Your state). You need a license if you're driving. Some states require an EAD or green card before issuing a license. Others just a SSN.

Have you applied for AOS? I don't see it in your timeline. You are technically out of status right now, and while some people wait, it would be a good thing to get your green card and work authorization started so you could work if you wanted to. Most get work authorization within 90 days of applying.

You've got a whole lot of issues with that husband of yours besides car insurance. You need to have a serious talk with him if you aren't happy living as a second class underling to him. If you wreck the car and have serious medical bills, he's in for a whole lot of trouble and expense. I find it ridiculous that he keeps things from you. You sound very unhappy and perhaps the marriage isn't so great. You don't have to live that way. Stand up for your rights. If he dismisses your discussion, then he must not really want to be married to you since he's not helping you go through the steps to be an American resident. If you want to post about problems like this, try the forum Effects of Major Family Changes on Immigration Benefits There's good information about your immigration status when things don't work out the way you thought they would.

[rheanick 42]

When i started driving here in the US, my hubby added me up in his insurance. The insurance asked for my license number (from my own counttry). If you want to verify your insurance agent, you should have a copy in your car. From there, you could call and verify your insurance agent on their policy.

Im not sure from what state you are, but i know that your car should always have a copy of car registration and insurance.

Hope this helps.

[MrsCat 6]

Lynne,

I am not sure about insurance in your state, but given your husband's behavior I think it is safe to say that you're not covered. If it was me, I would call the insurance company and tell them that you're his wife, living in the household and driving the vehicle on a regular basis. If they say you're already covered then great, otherwise they'll probably contact your husband and indicate that he needs to add you.

I'm speculating but it sounds like either your husband is hiding something financial from you or he's never been married before and isn't used to consulting anyone else about his finances. Either way that's really serious and you both need a frank discussion. Probably not going to be a comfortable one but you really need to have it. If it was me and he didn't want to talk, I'd have a crow bar to the file cabinet.

Good luck.

[almaty 19]

i agree..cause if not covered and if there is an accident ..there be heavy consequences

[TiffandDai 0]

Good question! Being an insurance agent myself in Florida not NY, most insurance policies are written as a family policy where all family members are covered automatically. However there is a clause with most policies aswell that states any change in risk in the household (added family member for example) could cause the policy to not pay out.

It most likely would be more expensive to add you to the insurance as when I added my British husband even though he had experience driving he didnt have an american license before (we are in our twenties so that could also explain the increase).

I agree with Nich-Nick though there needs to be open communication between you and your spouse regarding your personal finances. Even though you aren't working at the moment you still need to know about the finances. I would talk to him about your concerns openly and honestly.

Good luck!

[aidan80 9]

hi,

this might sound like a silly question,

i have been in the usa just over a year and i have been driving since i arrived (the first time it snowed like crazy...!!) anyways, i am unsure if i am insured to drive, i have a full uk licence, and the international permit (now i am aware that the permit is kinda useless really, but at the time i was told it was as good as an american licence...pretty dumb really!)

my husband is being kinda shady about all this and we are having a few issues in general, he told me i am insured but i cant see how as the insurance company (allstate) have never seen my licence, do they not need to see at least a copy??

the reason i am curious about this is because on his visit to the uk to see me, he hired a car and i was to drive it back from glasgow to cumbria, it wasnt until i got the car back to the hire company that they told me i wasnt insured and that they would overlook it as the car was in good condition and i have a nice smile.

i am kept in the dark about most things, he puts any 'private' paperwork out of the way, in the safe or somewhere i wouldnt look, ive never seen any insurance policies or bank statements even, i see them in the envelopes but never once they are opened. i am not even covered for health insurance, (he will cover the vehicles as they are due but not me! and i cant do it myself because i cant work!) which is something else, i have told him when i am not well and i need to see a doctor, and now it is like i am going on about it all the time, like im some kind of hypochondriac...which i am not!! but i suppose when you hear a woman complaining of pains and stuff every other week it begins to seem that way...i am really getting pi**ed with how he has become...and how it is all my fault. i have just turned 40 and my husband thinks i haven't lived and i am thick...(for instance, a recent previous post about IRS and filing taxes, filing about a uk income in the first place!!...WTH is that all about? if i mention it to him...ill be 'making it up' )

i feel i have no one to talk to about things...stuff...anything, and no one is interested anyway.

From my own personal experience (the non USC) the insurance agency needed to see my license before they would add me to the policy. Now once I was added we went from paying about $138 a month down to $89 a month now it's back up to about $121 a month. That's for two people, two cars and it covers both of us for just about everything.. uninsured motorist, health costs, road side assistance, towing, car rental.. etc I know things are different state to state and insurance agency to insurance agency I'd be fairly certain that you're not covered. As suggested contact the insurance agent and ask them. If you get into an accident you and your husband will be paying more than just a few extra dollars a month for car insurance! You might also want to make him aware that in a marriage you are a team.. it's not me team and her team.. what affects one person can certainly will have an impact on the other.

My wife and I are first time married (we were in our early/mid 20's) and we made the initial adjustment fine in regards to sharing our money (or what little money we had lol) and everything else.. bills where the same and are still the same, we both work we both pay everything. There's no distinction between a bill addressed to my wife or a bill addressed to me it's paid from our money which is pooled together. There isn't really anything we hide we can always look at anything anytime including bank accounts and everything else on paper or online. It does sound like your husband isn't being totally honest with you, he's hiding something or even up to something. Maybe it's just me but I always tend to keep my guard up when not 110% sure of anything.

If I were you and my other half was being dishonest or being a wanker (sorry no offense intended) I'd confront them if it's safe to do so, some people it's best not to confront but avoid. I'd also get my AOS sorted, get a US Drivers License and get a job. I'd keep myself halfway independent enough if things ever took a nose dive or god forbid an accident ever happened you'd be able to survive on your own. I know that sounds awful but it's a sad fact of life. If anything happened to either of us right now I'm 100% sure the other would be able to keep going money wise and bills and stuff.

[reeses16 8]

I added my hubby to our insurance when he had his driving permit. I was too afraid not to have him covered. I was warned by our insurance agent that when he got a license and was added our premium would increase b/c would not have been licensed in the US for 3 years or more. Once he got the license they added him and our premiums did not increase. They are well aware he is a LPR (they have his passport # and A# on file), so I don't know if they forgot (unlikely!) or if it was because we have only one vehicle and I'm the primary driver and he's secondary. Both our names now appear on our insurances cards. In any case, since you're a female, I doubt your premiums would go up very much if at all.

He's got to be more open about finances. I'm charge of money at our house. I make it a point to give my hubby updates on pay days. And I make the info available to him anytime he asks (plus he knows where I keep the financial records, and our banking log-ins and passwords). Anytime we spend money (outside of bills, gas, and groceries), its a joint decision. Everyone is different, but you guys should talk and make a plan that would work for you both. Best of luck!

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

State Farm never wanted to see a copy of my licence...They took the number of my provisional license down and later I gave the the number of my US licence when I got it.

hi,

this might sound like a silly question,

i have been in the usa just over a year and i have been driving since i arrived (the first time it snowed like crazy...!!) anyways, i am unsure if i am insured to drive, i have a full uk licence, and the international permit (now i am aware that the permit is kinda useless really, but at the time i was told it was as good as an american licence...pretty dumb really!)

my husband is being kinda shady about all this and we are having a few issues in general, he told me i am insured but i cant see how as the insurance company (allstate) have never seen my licence, do they not need to see at least a copy??

the reason i am curious about this is because on his visit to the uk to see me, he hired a car and i was to drive it back from glasgow to cumbria, it wasnt until i got the car back to the hire company that they told me i wasnt insured and that they would overlook it as the car was in good condition and i have a nice smile.

i am kept in the dark about most things, he puts any 'private' paperwork out of the way, in the safe or somewhere i wouldnt look, ive never seen any insurance policies or bank statements even, i see them in the envelopes but never once they are opened. i am not even covered for health insurance, (he will cover the vehicles as they are due but not me! and i cant do it myself because i cant work!) which is something else, i have told him when i am not well and i need to see a doctor, and now it is like i am going on about it all the time, like im some kind of hypochondriac...which i am not!! but i suppose when you hear a woman complaining of pains and stuff every other week it begins to seem that way...i am really getting pi**ed with how he has become...and how it is all my fault. i have just turned 40 and my husband thinks i haven't lived and i am thick...(for instance, a recent previous post about IRS and filing taxes, filing about a uk income in the first place!!...WTH is that all about? if i mention it to him...ill be 'making it up' )

i feel i have no one to talk to about things...stuff...anything, and no one is interested anyway.