I recently imported a car into Canada from the US. There's an excellent thread on this forum already on the steps to do this. It can be found at : https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-discussion-board/threads/exporting-a-vehicle-from-the-u-s-and-importing-into-canada-complete-step-by-step-guide.539649/
But, if there's anyone out there facing insurance issues, I'm writing this thread for you!
In the run up to importing my car, I researched the requirements to register the car in Ontario and, unsurprisingly, they require an Ontario-based auto insurance policy covering the car. I called various auto insurance companies via their listed numbers on the web. These are typically call center numbers. This is where I initially ran into quite a few problems, which I lay out here with solutions.
Problem 1. They flat out refused to insure a car that was not already registered in Canada
This was a chicken and egg problem. The registration required insurance and the insurance refused to provide a policy, without registration. As it turned out the reason this was an issue, is that I did not yet have an Ontario Driver's license. Once you have an Ontario DL, call up insurance and explain your situation to them. Some folks might still give you a hard time, but keep at it. It is very much possible to insure a car that has US plates, you just need a knowledgeable person to help out.
Solution-
1. Get your Ontario DL first and THEN go about the process of getting insurance for your car.
2. Work with an actual insurance agent instead of getting your information online. This helps a GREAT deal in working through this issue. I myself used Des Jardins insurance and they have agents who can help.
Problem 2. Ridiculously high insurance premiums
It is true that auto insurance in Canada is quite a bit more expensive than the US. But, if you have experience in the US, don't resign to accepting terrible quotes. I was variously quoted anything between C$425- 550 to fully insure my car which is a 7-8 year old small sedan. This is because when you generate a quote online or on the phone, they are unable to fully account for your driving history in the US, particularly if it spans multiple years and states. They are also unable to fully account for your previous auto insurance history from the US
Solution-
1. Work with a good auto insurance agent in person. Online quotes absolutely do not work for nuanced situations like this and for new drivers in ON who have previous histories in the US.
2. Driver's History Documents: Be thorough with accumulating documentation before you leave the US. Get Driver's History records from as many DMVs as possible in the states in which you held a driver's license. Some of these takes take longer than others to come through, so do this ahead of time.
3. Auto-Insurance and Claims History: Get an insurance "Experience Letter" from your previous auto insurance. This is typically a letter that states how long you've had coverage with your previous auto insurance. Also get a claims letter which summarizes the claims you've had over the years via your auto insurance. This helps a tremendous amount in lowering your insurance rates.
4. Getting a G license in ON: Try your very best to get a G driver's license in ON which is their full, unrestricted DL. This may require that you produce Driver's History documents for 3+ years from the US. Again, get those before you arrive in Canada from the DMVs in the US.
Problem 3: Waiting Periods for Auto Insurance
Sometimes, insurance agents will put you on a 14 day waiting period if your documents are not thorough. This is awful because it makes driving your imported car risky in Canada, since your US insurance policy though active, would be highly unlikely to cover you in case of an accident. This typically happens if you have an older (10+ year) car or if you don't have all the required documents that they need to feel satisfied that you can be insured with them.
Solution-
1. Procure and bring all the documents- Driver's history, insurance experience letter and claims history from the US with you when you arrive. This makes the process much, much easier.
2. Shop around till you find an agent who is willing to work with you and accommodate your needs and concerns. I had a pretty disappointing experience with 2-3 agents and multiple call center agents before I found one who was able to understand the situation. It is frustrating, but hang in there!
But, if there's anyone out there facing insurance issues, I'm writing this thread for you!
In the run up to importing my car, I researched the requirements to register the car in Ontario and, unsurprisingly, they require an Ontario-based auto insurance policy covering the car. I called various auto insurance companies via their listed numbers on the web. These are typically call center numbers. This is where I initially ran into quite a few problems, which I lay out here with solutions.
Problem 1. They flat out refused to insure a car that was not already registered in Canada
This was a chicken and egg problem. The registration required insurance and the insurance refused to provide a policy, without registration. As it turned out the reason this was an issue, is that I did not yet have an Ontario Driver's license. Once you have an Ontario DL, call up insurance and explain your situation to them. Some folks might still give you a hard time, but keep at it. It is very much possible to insure a car that has US plates, you just need a knowledgeable person to help out.
Solution-
1. Get your Ontario DL first and THEN go about the process of getting insurance for your car.
2. Work with an actual insurance agent instead of getting your information online. This helps a GREAT deal in working through this issue. I myself used Des Jardins insurance and they have agents who can help.
Problem 2. Ridiculously high insurance premiums
It is true that auto insurance in Canada is quite a bit more expensive than the US. But, if you have experience in the US, don't resign to accepting terrible quotes. I was variously quoted anything between C$425- 550 to fully insure my car which is a 7-8 year old small sedan. This is because when you generate a quote online or on the phone, they are unable to fully account for your driving history in the US, particularly if it spans multiple years and states. They are also unable to fully account for your previous auto insurance history from the US
Solution-
1. Work with a good auto insurance agent in person. Online quotes absolutely do not work for nuanced situations like this and for new drivers in ON who have previous histories in the US.
2. Driver's History Documents: Be thorough with accumulating documentation before you leave the US. Get Driver's History records from as many DMVs as possible in the states in which you held a driver's license. Some of these takes take longer than others to come through, so do this ahead of time.
3. Auto-Insurance and Claims History: Get an insurance "Experience Letter" from your previous auto insurance. This is typically a letter that states how long you've had coverage with your previous auto insurance. Also get a claims letter which summarizes the claims you've had over the years via your auto insurance. This helps a tremendous amount in lowering your insurance rates.
4. Getting a G license in ON: Try your very best to get a G driver's license in ON which is their full, unrestricted DL. This may require that you produce Driver's History documents for 3+ years from the US. Again, get those before you arrive in Canada from the DMVs in the US.
Problem 3: Waiting Periods for Auto Insurance
Sometimes, insurance agents will put you on a 14 day waiting period if your documents are not thorough. This is awful because it makes driving your imported car risky in Canada, since your US insurance policy though active, would be highly unlikely to cover you in case of an accident. This typically happens if you have an older (10+ year) car or if you don't have all the required documents that they need to feel satisfied that you can be insured with them.
Solution-
1. Procure and bring all the documents- Driver's history, insurance experience letter and claims history from the US with you when you arrive. This makes the process much, much easier.
2. Shop around till you find an agent who is willing to work with you and accommodate your needs and concerns. I had a pretty disappointing experience with 2-3 agents and multiple call center agents before I found one who was able to understand the situation. It is frustrating, but hang in there!