Auto Insurance Policies and Foreign Spouses

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

I recently added my husband onto my auto insurance policy. My agent seemed to have no trouble adding him, however when I recently checked my policy documents, she had listed him as having a valid Ohio license. I corrected it to list him as unlicensed and they are sending me a form for Excluded Drivers.

I have Progressive and they are fine as far as insurance goes but I was considering getting a quote elsewhere. Is there any companies anyone can recommend over the other? I have heard some companies do not allow the addition of foreign spouses to an exisiting policy. Also, how did your rate change? I'm assuming mine will go up considerably once my husband gets his license since it will be as if he is starting as a fresh new driver.

Also, has anyone had their spouse take driver's ed? Did this affect your policy rate?

Thanks!

[florida4life 29]

same thing happen to me i have progressive as well. I had nation wide when i told them i was married and that my husband was not here they didnt renew my policy and i had them for years so yes thats how it goes with insurance companies.

[JRF 117]

You can and should shop around for a better rate but regardless your rates will be higher but perhaps not for the reason you think (lack of driving record). Insurers in Ohio are permitted to use something similar to credit score. It is the lack of this score that may drive rates higher - at a minimum that combined with a lack of driving record will tend to push rates higher.

Best of luck!

[del-2-5-2014 1,339]

I was able to get my Wife on my policy as a non licensed/non driving household member. This was done pre NVC so I can show even more joint proof. That got us a small discount since I wasn't looked at as a single micreant but a responsible married person.

Now that she's here my agent has advised me to bulk up on my slush fund as our rate is going to triple due to a new driver.

[Rebecca616 38]

Is he still in India? I am wondering as to why you added him to your policy if he is not driving your car? When my husband came here, he had a Moroccan drivers license but it had expired, so he didn't bring it. We went down to the DMV( when you are over 18 you don't have to take a drivers ed class, (atleast not in Michigan)) he just had to pass a written test, (which he was able to take in Arabic) and a road test (cost of $35, had to use own vehicle). It might be helpful if he hasn't ever driven to take the course but my husband didn't. We didn't have any increase in our premiums after we added him. We use state farm.

[AKSinghSingh79 143]

Is he still in India? I am wondering as to why you added him to your policy if he is not driving your car? When my husband came here, he had a Moroccan drivers license but it had expired, so he didn't bring it. We went down to the DMV( when you are over 18 you don't have to take a drivers ed class, (atleast not in Michigan)) he just had to pass a written test, (which he was able to take in Arabic) and a road test (cost of $35, had to use own vehicle). It might be helpful if he hasn't ever driven to take the course but my husband didn't. We didn't have any increase in our premiums after we added him. We use state farm.

Yes he's still in India. I added him so I could have another piece of evidence for a bonafide marriage. He is listed on my insurance as an excluded driver and legally he cannot drive my car as an excluded driver. He has driven in India for years but he has said to me he would feel more comfortable taking a course. I'm not sure about Morocco but driving in India is a world of difference compared to driving in the U.S. Also they drive on the left in India so I want him to get more comfortable switching sides. When you are used to driving on the left, your natural tendency is to pull to the left and he needs to break this habit. The only thing I've driven in India was a bicycle and I had to fight my urge to drive on the right constantly. I can't imagine if I was driving a car. It's not a habit you break over night.

Sometimes driver's ed courses and/or Defensive Driver's Courses can help lower your policy rates too.

[Dave&Roza 748]

Is he still in India? I am wondering as to why you added him to your policy if he is not driving your car? When my husband came here, he had a Moroccan drivers license but it had expired, so he didn't bring it. We went down to the DMV( when you are over 18 you don't have to take a drivers ed class, (atleast not in Michigan)) he just had to pass a written test, (which he was able to take in Arabic) and a road test (cost of $35, had to use own vehicle). It might be helpful if he hasn't ever driven to take the course but my husband didn't. We didn't have any increase in our premiums after we added him. We use state farm.

The issue is not whether the foreign spouse has driven before or has to take the written test and road test, but it is a matter of having the proper immigration documents to allow the DMV to issue a license in the first place. This is very state specific--some allow the K-1 via with an I-94 and the NOA for AOS; where others want to see a GC. Until my wife has a valid Co DL, my insurance company will not add her to the policy as she cannot drive and when she does drive she is an authorized driver and is covered under that part of the policy.

I had an insurance agent explain to me that the policy covers the vehicle NOT the driver. As long as the owner of the vehicle gives permission to a person AND that person has a valid DL, then that person is covered by the policy. Now the problem comes in when you have a foreign spouse that has a foreign DL, but the state (think CA here) requires the foreign spouse to get a state DL within 10 days of establishing residency, but they do not have the required immigration documents in which to get a state DL. SO they continue to drive on the foreign unexpired DL. What happens if they have an accident? Insurance companies are all about not paying if they can avoid it. SO they declare that the foreign spouse may have had permission, but they did not have a valid DL in which to operate the vehicle. Claim denied.

I am going to use the "She has my permission to drive the car" until such time as she gets her DL and I can then add her to the policy. The only reason they want to know who drives the car is so they can assess their risk based on the driver's driving record. Long record and few or no claims--a good risk; new adult driver with no record--more risk, but not as high as a teenager.

Dave

[Lynkali 163]

I have AAA and they were quite reasonable about adding my newly-arrived husband on as an "excluded" member, no charge. He doesn't have any driver's license so that's why he's excluded, as he won't be driving at all until he learns how! They did point out that unfortunately, since he has no driving record, once he does get a DL and is added as a driver to my policy, he'll fall under "new driver" for a year and cost about the same as a new teenage driver, in other words, a LOT for coverage for the first year. But after that as long as he keeps a clean driving record, it should go back to normal. No complaints with AAA, I've always liked them and have all my policies (house, etc) through them as well.

[Caryh 5,206]

I also have AAA insurance. Had no issues adding my wife. I did not add her until she got her license though. I checked when she got her permit, and my agent said there was no need to. After she got her license, I updated the policy to add here and my insurance actually went down slightly. That kind of surprised us both, since she was a new driver here, with no record here. She did drive in the Philippines, but thats a totally different type of driving.

Also, I hired a driving school to give my wife lessons. The Philippines kind of have no laws when it comes to driving, and she had some bad habits. I tried to train her out of those, but my wife wasn't that good at taking my words to heart on the rules of the road. The instructor really knew how to get the point across though, and was excellent at teaching her the particulars she needed to pass the road test. I'm really glad I spent the extra money for that, or I think there may have been many repeats to the exam station.