Please help: Getting Car rental, insurance and license

[rajesh_arr]

Hello Friends,

I recently got my PR and will be moving to Toronto next month. I have been leaving in USA for the last 6 years and have a USA driving license. I don't have any accident history. I was in India before that. I have the below questions:

1. I have requested USA DMV to issue me my driving history records so I can exchange my USA license for a Canadian License. Please let me know in case I need any other document for this exchange. Is 6 years USA driving history is enough or I need to bring Indian driving records also?

2. I have heard that Auto insurance rates in Canada are very high especially for new immigrants. Will showing them my USA AAA insurance records for last 6 years and USA driving records will help reducing my insurance charges. If yes , then which document should I request from my USA car insurance company which will be acceptable in Canada.

3. In USA you can take an auto insurance policy (in California) without owning a car, so that one use it for car rentals and if driving someone else car. Is this type of car insurance available in Canada?

Thanks for your help.

 

[desi_jatt]

Hello Friends,

I recently got my PR and will be moving to Toronto next month. I have been leaving in USA for the last 6 years and have a USA driving license. I don't have any accident history. I was in India before that. I have the below questions:

1. I have requested USA DMV to issue me my driving history records so I can exchange my USA license for a Canadian License. Please let me know in case I need any other document for this exchange. Is 6 years USA driving history is enough or I need to bring Indian driving records also?

2. I have heard that Auto insurance rates in Canada are very high especially for new immigrants. Will showing them my USA AAA insurance records for last 6 years and USA driving records will help reducing my insurance charges. If yes , then which document should I request from my USA car insurance company which will be acceptable in Canada.

3. In USA you can take an auto insurance policy (in California) without owning a car, so that one use it for car rentals and if driving someone else car. Is this type of car insurance available in Canada?

Thanks for your help.

From ur insurance company get a letter showing that you were insured for such time and no claims were made against your policy. Its a standard document called claim history or something, just call them they will know,

Check which side of toronto u r moving too. GTA has the highest Car Insurance rates because of Insurance fraud, so plan your move accordingly,for example; Brampton is the Costliest 1 for insurance, Ajax, Pickering has low rates compared to Brampton.

Hopefully they can use your north american driving history to reduce your Insurance rates.

if u r planning to rent a car, then use the loss damage waiver on your credit card (gold or platinum cards) , but you will still need to have third party liability too.

In Ontario , you can drive using your California license for 60 days and just exchange it at the end of 60 days period .
and if u have AAA membership, u can use AAA website for renting car for 30 days and then returning it , then again renting for 30 days. Your Credit card or AAA will cover the insurance. The rental cost would be the same as the Lease cost. for the short term u can do that, if you plan to keep your US card for some time.

If you planing to move permanently, bring your car from USA ( have to modify some things like daytime running lights etc), it can be imported free of cost as settlers effect. and You have 1 year to import other household stuff too, just give the goods to follow list to customs while landing.

check CBSA web site for customs
Drivetest.ca for License
mto.gov.on.ca/english/ for vehicle registration

 

[rajesh_arr]

Thanks Desi_Jatt. I have requested my insurance company to issue me such a letter.

 

[trademark]

I got the PR recently, planning to move in June. Please reply back.