Buying & Insuring A Car To Drive In America?

[GCorvette]

I did this back in 2007, but no doubt things have changed a lot since then.

Has anyone here purchased a car stateside and insured it to drive there prior to shipping here in recent times?

 

[Nassau65]

It is possible to do stateside, though the majority of insurance companies do not like offering a short term policy on a foreign drivers license. Some dealers can arrange same and put temporary tags on for you.

 

[GCorvette]

It was for a month last time on a private sale.

 

[Nassau65]

Some sellers will sometimes add you to their insurance or their insurance company will agree to cover you.

 

[James Vette]

Insurance is such a ballache.

 

[Stingray]

When I looked at this sort of thing there was a registration issue as well as the insurance issue. Cars are registered in individual counties in individual states (not in "USA") and you need a local address to register the vehicle. Also the transfer/registration laws vary from state to state, some states requiring a vehicle inspection (MOT) whenever a vehicle changes hands in addition to the routine annual inspections. I think that depending where you are, and like UK, there can be a difference between the registered keeper and the legal owner. So you need to check everything out carefully before you take the plunge.

Forum members living in USA will be able to give a better explanation than mine.