INSURANCES When Your Spouse Arrives

[tokyo.lovers 6]

Hey everyone!

Typically what do people do for health and auto insurance once your spouse gets to the USA?

health insurance is definitely going to want to see their previous health insurance statements before they will give you insurance, no? or does the medical exam for the visa get used instead as a record of good health??

how about auto insurance? i cannot even get a quote without entering a name on the websites. won't the insurance be too high because they don't have a USA record??

what will most people do?

[TheBears 9]

My understanding is that health insurance doesn't care to see proof of previous insurance (so they can add their waiting period for certain coverage) or physical condition (varies according to provider, providing has no health problems). When I called my agent to see about either getting Husby a separate policy or adding him, she was leaning that he needed to be here first. Other than that, it wasn't an issue. No SSN is fine; I don't even use my SSN with my health insurance and I'm the USC.

Auto insurance, I don't know about. Why not try adding the name to the website and see what the quote is? It might be the same for anyone his age, or it might be more new-driver-rate. I think the rates are tied to credit, too, but with you as the policyholder, that part shouldn't be different that what you have now.

What we're doing is: I'm calling the health insurance company once he gets his visa in his passport. I have this idea that it proves something. What and why, I don't know. But that's how I'm taking it a step at a time. Auto insurance, I'll have to call the agent in the morning and get some information.

You could, too. Just call them and ask. You don't even have to mention it your name if you want. Just say you're looking for new insurance for a soon-to-be new immigrant. Can he apply while not being in the country with coverage starting once he gets here? I know you can only apply for coverage so far in advance. 30 days, I think, but that's enough. Have your marriage certificate and translation ready, just in case they want to see it for some odd reason. Or check into him getting his own policy for a few months first.

Ask Melody, too. I see she just added her husband to her policy.

Let us know what you find out. And I'll share what my auto insurance company says, too.

[dan_ling 6]

I am not sure about auto insurance but when adding my wife to my health insurance the insurance company requires a SSN and I told the HR department and explained my situation and they said to just enter a bogus SSN. My wife now has her insurance card 2 weeks later.

[Deryck and Miho 0]

Hey everyone!

Typically what do people do for health and auto insurance once your spouse gets to the USA?

health insurance is definitely going to want to see their previous health insurance statements before they will give you insurance, no? or does the medical exam for the visa get used instead as a record of good health??

how about auto insurance? i cannot even get a quote without entering a name on the websites. won't the insurance be too high because they don't have a USA record??

what will most people do?

Neither my health insurance or auto insurance company required proof of prior coverage. I already had coverage for both, and was juat adding her to my existing policies, so I am not sure if your situation differs but...

I was able to add my wife to my auto and health insurance without any issue, once we were married. Both asked for a SSN, but did not require it. She was able to get a driver's permit, auto insurance card, and health insurance card, all prior to receiving the SSN number. The only thing we had to provide in both cases was ID (passport, I-94) and a copy of our marriage certificate.

In fact, the only issues we had was with my bank. It was incredibly difficult to add her to my banking accounts without a SSN, so we ended up waiting for it to arrive before getting that done.

Regards,

Deryck

[tokyo.lovers 6]

hmmm thanks everyone.

i guess i will look into getting polices for us together once he gets here. as long as they don't make us try to get his health insurance records from abroad. that would be a big hassle.

also, do you think he can drive around for a long while just on his international driving permit? those are valid for a whole year!!

[RyannTanya 2]

I checked it with my employer and it seems that my hubby needs to provide a statement that his current insurance is terminated. But most important fact i got to know about insurance is that it will take about 3 months to put his name into my health insurance. So the HR person told me if I know when he's coming, let her know right away so three month waiting can begin before he arrives.

[Donna A 4]

i added my husband as soon as i got married to my health insurance. he was on it when he steped foot on usa soil. as for car insurance i added him with no problems also once he got his lisense. no questions asked. u just call you agent and say u want to add ur new spouse to the insurance...they add them and thats it.

[tokyo.lovers 6]

hmmm i wonder if it is harder to get car insurance if you are on the international driving permit??

[clowy 2]

I think she can use her INTERNATIONAL LICENSE but u have to check it too but it is easier if she has an international LICense to get a new one here in US. Compared to those peep who doesnt have any license they wil lask her too is she has a previous Experience in driving or LICENSE back home so IT WILL be easier for her...

[Brian and Dona 0]

Hey everyone!

Typically what do people do for health and auto insurance once your spouse gets to the USA?

health insurance is definitely going to want to see their previous health insurance statements before they will give you insurance, no? or does the medical exam for the visa get used instead as a record of good health??

how about auto insurance? i cannot even get a quote without entering a name on the websites. won't the insurance be too high because they don't have a USA record??

what will most people do?

I have added my wife to the auto insurance as a insured person, but listed as non driver. For the health ins..I just called today but they need her ssn, but she just arrived on Sat, so we wont have the ssn for a few weeks.

[tokyo.lovers 6]

I think she can use her INTERNATIONAL LICENSE but u have to check it too but it is easier if she has an international LICense to get a new one here in US. Compared to those peep who doesnt have any license they wil lask her too is she has a previous Experience in driving or LICENSE back home so IT WILL be easier for her...

good thing he has a license in his country!!

I am just not sure if it is valid because they drive on the left side of the road in japan!

hopefully it will be okay. we will get the international permit too just to be safe.

I have added my wife to the auto insurance as a insured person, but listed as non driver. For the health ins..I just called today but they need her ssn, but she just arrived on Sat, so we wont have the ssn for a few weeks.

okay! so hopefully they do not give you trouble for someone who has just arrived with a visa. just gotta wait for the SSN!! thank you

[TheBears 9]

good thing he has a license in his country!!

I am just not sure if it is valid because they drive on the left side of the road in japan!

hopefully it will be okay. we will get the international permit too just to be safe.

This is what scares me the most about Husby driving here. He's used to a totally different perspective.

okay! so hopefully they do not give you trouble for someone who has just arrived with a visa. just gotta wait for the SSN!! thank you

You might want to check with your insurance company. Mine doesn't require SSN. They asked for it a few times, but I told them I wouldn't give it. Right now, there is only 1 person with my last name in the US -- me. There won't be any mix-up. Of course it's strongly recommended, but name and date of birth are usually sufficient enough to identify a person. Add in address and you're good. Call and ask. Necessary and strongly recommended are two very different things.