Car Insurance for American Husband?

[iiiEllie]

I'm having some major issues getting a straight answer about this. Does anyone know if my American husband can get car insurance from a Canadian company? Or does anyone have any ideas if his old US company will insure a Canadian car?

He can't get a PEI license until we get his COPR, or we get a visitors record..But I'd like to stay away from the visitors record in case our application takes longer. No place I talk to seems to know if they can insure a US citizen. I'm pretty puzzled at this point. We'll be registering the car in my name, but I don't have a license so I obviously can't insure it and just add a casual driver.

 

[DanOCan]

I'm having some major issues getting a straight answer about this. Does anyone know if my American husband can get car insurance from a Canadian company? Or does anyone have any ideas if his old US company will insure a Canadian car?

He can't get a PEI license until we get his COPR, or we get a visitors record..But I'd like to stay away from the visitors record in case our application takes longer. No place I talk to seems to know if they can insure a US citizen. I'm pretty puzzled at this point. We'll be registering the car in my name, but I don't have a license so I obviously can't insure it and just add a casual driver.

I'm afraid I'm not of much use since we added my wife as a secondary driver to my insurance when she came for her extended visit.

One thing we did run into was the insurance company wanted a five year driver's abstract and twelve years of insurance history from her before they would recognize her as anything other than the highest-risk brand new driver. Until we had that documentation they were going to increase my monthly payments by $350! I spoke with some other people in the same situation and their insurance companies had no such requirement, so I guess they're all a little different.

 

[iiiEllie]

I'm afraid I'm not of much use since we added my wife as a secondary driver to my insurance when she came for her extended visit.

One thing we did run into was the insurance company wanted a five year driver's abstract and twelve years of insurance history from her before they would recognize her as anything other than the highest-risk brand new driver. Until we had that documentation they were going to increase my monthly payments by $350! I spoke with some other people in the same situation and their insurance companies had no such requirement, so I guess they're all a little different.

That does actually help quite a bit, you were at least able to add her to a policy with her US license. Gives me some hope!

 

[canadausa#11]

That does actually help quite a bit, you were at least able to add her to a policy with her US license. Gives me some hope!

Do you know why you need a visitors record to transfer the licence? In Ontario I could transfer over after 2 months.

 

[iiiEllie]

Do you know why you need a visitors record to transfer the licence? In Ontario I could transfer over after 2 months.

They will give him a PEI license if he has proof of how long he will be in Canada, which means visitors record in their eyes. I tried explaining that US citizens don't typically get those, but we would have approval of his extension for 1 year. But that won't be accepted apparently.

 

[krishnalynn]

I'm having some major issues getting a straight answer about this. Does anyone know if my American husband can get car insurance from a Canadian company? Or does anyone have any ideas if his old US company will insure a Canadian car?

He can't get a PEI license until we get his COPR, or we get a visitors record..But I'd like to stay away from the visitors record in case our application takes longer. No place I talk to seems to know if they can insure a US citizen. I'm pretty puzzled at this point. We'll be registering the car in my name, but I don't have a license so I obviously can't insure it and just add a casual driver.

Does he have an American license? I can't see why they wouldn't insure him. You will probably need to request a driver's abstract from his home state. I really don't think an American company would insure a Canadian car in Canada just because an American is driving it.

My problem when insuring my car was it was still an American car and wasn't being imported. They didn't ask about where my license was from.

 

[bjohnson921]

I am American and when I first moved here, I continued my coverage with GEICO but notified them I was living in Canada. After about 2 months, I got my Ontario DL, registered the vehicle in Ontario and switched to Desjardins (Certas Direct) as I found their rates the best. I am sure it's common to overlap like that if your move here was permanent. If your move is temporary, you can retain your registration, DL and insurance in your home state.

However, the current exchange rate may make that a bit too costly to do.

 

[krishnalynn]

I am American and when I first moved here, I continued my coverage with GEICO but notified them I was living in Canada. After about 2 months, I got my Ontario DL, registered the vehicle in Ontario and switched to Desjardins (Certas Direct) as I found their rates the best. I am sure it's common to overlap like that if your move here was permanent. If your move is temporary, you can retain your registration, DL and insurance in your home state.

However, the current exchange rate may make that a bit too costly to do.

I think the problem is he has a Canadian car already so he wouldn't be able to register it with GEICO in the states.

 

[iiiEllie]

Thanks for the responses! Finally found a company here that will insure him with drivers abstract and a letter from his previous insurance agency. It seems hit or miss with who will take a US license, at least on PEI.