How to get auto insurance for foreign spouse?

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

All insurance is regulated by the individual states, so the rules will vary. Links to the various state insurance boards.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Regulators.aspx

To Paul: Here's some good info for you about CA.

http://www.carinsurance.com/kb/content25967.aspx

And a link about driver's licensing of aliens

http://www.carinsurance.com/kb/content46189.aspx

[Liam and Sam 2]

Talked to Progressive today about the excluded driver thing. She said it means that my car is not covered if he is driving because he is excluded from the policy.

[Angela & Paul 12]

Talked to Progressive today about the excluded driver thing. She said it means that my car is not covered if he is driving because he is excluded from the policy.

So what does it mean?

Car insurance is about insuring cars (yours and whomever car you damage) and people (you and whomever else you injure).

If not adding Angela to my auto insurance means the insurance company wil pay for all damages to people and cars, except my car, I don't care if she's not on it.

If not adding her means I would have to pay the 100,000's of $ of medical care for someone she may injure, that's an entrirely different story.

[William33 110]

Car insurance is about risk. Risk is defined by the driver(s), specific vehicle(s),vehicle location, annual mileage and credit risk. Your premium is a derivative of all these factors, crunched with software to develop a risk rating.

[TiffandDai 0]

Talked to Progressive today about the excluded driver thing. She said it means that my car is not covered if he is driving because he is excluded from the policy.

So what does it mean?

Car insurance is about insuring cars (yours and whomever car you damage) and people (you and whomever else you injure).

If not adding Angela to my auto insurance means the insurance company wil pay for all damages to people and cars, except my car, I don't care if she's not on it.

If not adding her means I would have to pay the 100,000's of $ of medical care for someone she may injure, that's an entrirely different story.

Angela & Paul I think it is very odd your insurance company/agent will not let you add your spouse to your policy even though she has a license. Is she driving now? It all depends on your insurance contract, some state only people listed on the policy can drive and others have automatic coverage for spouses as long as you two reside in the same household.

I work in the insurance industry and in CA rates are based on how long a person has had their license (regardless of age) , I am sure it depends on if they count her foreign license as having a license or only stateside licenses count.

Due to clientele I have, I see a lot of foreign licenses and my company has never had a problem with a foreign licenses as long as the person gets a US DL within a year.

Hope this helps!

Edited March 14, 2009 by TiffandDai

[paulinespens 3]

I have my drivers permit. The first insurance company we used I was on the insurance before I had my permit as we was married. When I changed to Geico im on the insurance as the main driver although my wife uses the car all the time it was cheaper for me to be main driver for some crazy reason.

[Ed+Cindy 1]

Just FYI, I checked with Progressive (in Oregon) about this.

First off, my fiance has a valid foreign license and will drive on it until she is able to get a US one. If your fiance doesn't already have a license, I suspect things are different.

With one car insured, adding my fiance, once married, will raise my rates around 40% UNTIL she has a US license for 12 months. At that point, my rates will actually be about 5% lower than they are today, with just me insured.

So while she is driving on the foreign license and waiting for 12 months to pass with a US one, we will pay more, but its only temporary.

(this is pretty standard - I lived in France and paid high auto insurance premiums because I had no history there).

[Craneman 2]

I do not know about CA, who does?, but my insurance company stated that as long as the person has a valid drivers license, regardless of country of issue, and they had permission to drive, they were covered.

Specificly related her situation and they said it was not a problem, her Brazilian drivers license is valid until she is eleigble the obtain a state drivers license.

Talked to Progressive today about the excluded driver thing. She said it means that my car is not covered if he is driving because he is excluded from the policy.

So what does it mean?

Car insurance is about insuring cars (yours and whomever car you damage) and people (you and whomever else you injure).

If not adding Angela to my auto insurance means the insurance company wil pay for all damages to people and cars, except my car, I don't care if she's not on it.

If not adding her means I would have to pay the 100,000's of $ of medical care for someone she may injure, that's an entrirely different story.

[Angela & Paul 12]

I remember a while back that I had to add my son to the policy for him to be insured. I have Mercury Insurance.

I called the DMV and they confirmed that here in CA they look at the EAD document as proof that the driver is legal and thus will not give Angela a driver's licence (temporary or not) until she gets a valid EAD (probably within 3 months).

I called my broker who didn't know much. I told her that I want Mercury to insure my wife with her Brazilian driver's licence until policy renewal (August) and I want it in writing. At that point, I am guessing Angela will have her CA driver's license

I also told the broker that if Mercury denies my request, I will change insurance company. It seems Geico is more receptive to foreign driver's license.

I do not mind paying 40% more for 3 months at that point. What's $100 when the USCIS asks for $1,010 for a green card

I will keep you posted, I am sure the issue will pop up for others in CA.

[Caladan 19]

You can't exclude the person and then let them ride on your coverage; think about it, then no one would ever add their kids and pay the extra premiums.

We added C. once he had his CT license, but I think GEICO would have let us add him sooner.

[Angela & Paul 12]

I called Geico today, they accept foreign driver licenses here in CA.

They said if Angela can have a document from Brazil showing she has a clean record, they will give her the good driver discount.

I did a head-to-head comparison between Mercury - my current insurer - and Geico.

I have two vehicles and Mercury's yearly price would be $974, Geico $1,316 (no good driver discount for the foreign spouse).

Geico is $1,186 with the good driver discount.

I have the Geico quote on hold, ready to switch if Mercury does not abide by my request (to accept her Brazilian license). I can always switch back to a cheaper insurance once she has her CA license.

[himher 634]

Better check again. Car insurance is about insuring drivers in HOUSEHOLDS where the vehicle is registered. Wanna test that "car only" theory? Let your uninsured teenager drive (with your permission), have an accident, and see if they cover it.

We got the permit, added my wife, which allowed her to drive. After driving, she passed the driving test and got the license. Same way a newly licensed teenage driver would have been treated. Our policy went UP about 15%.

Talked to Progressive today about the excluded driver thing. She said it means that my car is not covered if he is driving because he is excluded from the policy.

So what does it mean?

Car insurance is about insuring cars (yours and whomever car you damage) and people (you and whomever else you injure).

If not adding Angela to my auto insurance means the insurance company wil pay for all damages to people and cars, except my car, I don't care if she's not on it.

If not adding her means I would have to pay the 100,000's of $ of medical care for someone she may injure, that's an entrirely different story.

[rheanick 42]

I called Geico today, they accept foreign driver licenses here in CA.

They said if Angela can have a document from Brazil showing she has a clean record, they will give her the good driver discount.

I did a head-to-head comparison between Mercury - my current insurer - and Geico.

I have two vehicles and Mercury's yearly price would be $974, Geico $1,316 (no good driver discount for the foreign spouse).

Geico is $1,186 with the good driver discount.

I have the Geico quote on hold, ready to switch if Mercury does not abide by my request (to accept her Brazilian license). I can always switch back to a cheaper insurance once she has her CA license.

Please verify with geico on the pricing. We have two vehicles under my husband name and he added my name in the car insurance (using my foreign license). We are paying less than 1000. A few hundred dollars cheaper than Mercury's quote.

Edited March 20, 2009 by rheanick

[NatPatBen 3]

Please verify with geico on the pricing. We have two vehicles under my husband name and he added my name in the car insurance (using my foreign license). We are paying less than 1000. A few hundred dollars cheaper than Mercury's quote.

With the # of variables that determine pricing, the price each person pays will vary quite a bit.

I've even found that over a few years, the price charged by each company varies. For several years, Progressive was cheaper for me. Then I did a price comparison (recommended to do every 3 years) and found Geico to be cheaper. Since then, Geico has always been cheaper for me.

[Angela & Paul 12]

I did a head-to-head comparison between Mercury - my current insurer - and Geico.

I have two vehicles and Mercury's yearly price would be $974, Geico $1,316 (no good driver discount for the foreign spouse).

Geico is $1,186 with the good driver discount.

I found a solution with my broker's help.

Since I have a multi-policy discount with Mercury (auto + home), I am staying with Mercury.

Angela will go on a temporary Progressive policy for one of my car only. Our total will be $1,232 (per year). In a couple of months, when she gets her EAD and CA driver license, we'll both go to Mercury at a rate of $974.

In summary for all of you CA 'immigrants', Geico and Progressive will accept to cover the foreign spouse with a foreign driver's license.

On an individual basis, Geico was 12% cheaper than Progressive, but Geico is a direct insurance, i.e. they do not go through brokers. And assuming Angela stays with Progressive just 3 months, it's $20 more than Geico. Not a big deal.

Hope this helps others...