Car insurance in Texas with UK or NZ driver's license

[seanjoe 1]

Hi,

So I finally reached Houston - first part of the great american dream sorted. Now, i'm trying to find a job. Trying to get a rental car but struggling with car insurance as I have the UK license.

I can only apply for the TExas license after 30 days, does anyone know where I could source a cheap car insurance for myself. Prices I'm seeing are coming to in excess of $150/month?

Any ideas?

[Darnell 8,478]

150 /month for a rental car, where it's full coverage? that's cheap in texas.

You could always get a quote from AMCO or Fred Loya.

Alternatively - suggest you buy a beater (less than 3K) and get only liability insurance on it.

The yearly savings is immense, done this way.

[administrivia]

since yer back, asking real, real-world, real-life questions,

please, I BEG OF YOU -

fill out yer official VJ Timeline over at

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=198085

Thanks so much, and Thanks in advance !

Edited February 5, 2015 by Darnell

[seanjoe 1]

No that's not fully comp. its just the liability one. I'm planning on using a car from a garage which the agency gives out to people for a nominal rental fee. So the car is owned by them. so in that case, the minimum liability would not be sufficient right, as its not my car?

what if my friend here loaned me his car? what is the portion that I need to take? His car would have the minimum liability. so in this case, would I need to take any other PERSONAL insurance?

[Darnell 8,478]

if a friend loans you a car, you need to have insurance on it.

USUALLY it's cheaper, as a new immigrant into the usa,

for the friend to add you to his/her insurance, even at minimum liability coverage.

2nd request - please make official VJ timeline up at

http://www.visajourney.com/timeline/profile.php?id=198085

or I will call yer Mum, and complain.

[seanjoe 1]

hi darnell, happy to do it. but DV visa is not there in list. also who is a petitioner.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

No that's not fully comp. its just the liability one. I'm planning on using a car from a garage which the agency gives out to people for a nominal rental fee. So the car is owned by them. so in that case, the minimum liability would not be sufficient right, as its not my car?

what if my friend here loaned me his car? what is the portion that I need to take? His car would have the minimum liability. so in this case, would I need to take any other PERSONAL insurance?

If a friend lets you borrow a car, presumably he already has insurance on it. In Texas the car is insured, not the person. If he gives you permission to drive his already insured car, then it is covered for whatever he carries on his policy, even if it is you who damages it....as long as he gave you permission to drive it.

Examples:

My son-in-law wrecked my car back when he was just the boyfriend. He was not listed on the policy as one of the drivers. State Farm still fixed the damages. It was the car that was insured.

After my husband got here, I added his name to the policy on my two cars. It did not cost any more per month because the rate was based on the car. Had he been a teenager, they would have charged more, but I am assuming you are more of an adult.

If you rent a car, it is already insured. You don't take out an additional policy on it. Who told you that?

If you purchase a car, then you as an owner must insure the CAR, not yourself.

[seanjoe 1]

very informative. The car i was planning to take was from a garage where the guy has many cars on the lot, and he just gives it out on month to month rentals. so the car is presumbably owned by him/the garage.

so not sure why he said that i need to get the insurance for the car. perhaps he owns the car, but have not insured it to save money? so he wants me to have the car insurance??

[Umka36 781]

http://www.insure.com/car-insurance/rental-car-basics.html

[Darnell 8,478]

Nich-Nick - that's not entirely accurate - the level of insurance you write about was there because someone paid for it. it's a rider for uninsured motorist. It's not that common for folk to get it, either.

In the end, it'll be cheaper for the friend to simply add the OP onto his policy.

[seanjoe 1]

so when they add the other person to the policy, do they ask if he has a foreign license or texas license? or does that not make any difference to the premium?

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, it makes a difference on the premium, you betcha. is it huge difference? depends on the type of coverage, always.

[seanjoe 1]

if it is liability only, i'm presuming it will be very little difference like what nich-nick said above.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Nich-Nick - that's not entirely accurate - the level of insurance you write about was there because someone paid for it. it's a rider for uninsured motorist. It's not that common for folk to get it, either.

In the end, it'll be cheaper for the friend to simply add the OP onto his policy.

What endorsement rider? What is it called? State Farm has always told me the car is insured, not the driver. I have asked the same question many times over the last several decades. I just got off the phone with them before I read this. I could have asked what this rider is, (I was calling in to get my new car added and temp card emailed to me. Seanjoe--want to buy my old car?)

With taking a car from a car lot, the car may be under some general fleet coverage a dealership carries. Many never register each car (to the dealership) as they come on the lot until they sell it and transfer the title to a new owner. No clue what that arrangement is. I didn't understand his explanation calling it an "agency". Now it sounds like a used car lot, so I dunno.

[seanjoe 1]

Thanks all. Got the clunker car for a good deal and put liability on it. Its from a garage and I have taken liability only.

[Darnell 8,478]

Great ! Which insurance company ?

which clunker? [i'm a fan of volvo 740 wagons with the towing package]