Insuring a Vehicle FAQs

Every driver must carry liability (third-party) insurance that covers against damage or injury that might be done to others.

The maximum that the insurance company will pay is called the Limit.  Each state has its own minimum limits; we recommend limits of $100k/$300k/$100k.

Collision coverage reimburses you for damage resulting from an accident.

Comprehensive coverage reimburses you for damage resulting from a non-accident event, such as theft, vandalism, fire, flood, and hail, among others.

Roadside assistance is available as additional coverage from all auto insurers.

You might also consider uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which protects you against damages from other drivers with insufficient coverage.

Auto insurance depends on a number of factors: the level of coverage, the value of the vehicle, the age of the driver(s), etc.

The best way to estimate cost is to use a quote tool on the website of an insurer that doesn’t require a US driver’s license (assuming you don’t have one), like progressive.

A standard auto policy has a policy period of six months; a motorhome policy typically lasts 12 months.

Yes. An insurer owes you a refund for any unused premium paid, less a cancellation fee (usually 10% of the unused premium).

Feel free to cancel your insurance after you sell your vehicle. Your insurance company can back-date your cancellation by four to seven days, so it won’t hurt to wait until payment from the buyer clears before you take this step.

Auto insurers require a vehicle's "garaging address," or the address where the vehicle will spend most nights.

This is because the coverages available and the rates charged vary from state to state, and from city to city.

If you list an address where the vehicle will never spend time, and you need to make a claim, the insurer may think you used the address provided to fool it into offering you lower rates.

But it’s perfectly acceptable to take road trips anywhere in the country.

So the appropriate address to provide is one where the vehicle will spend at least one or two nights. This way, the insurer can't accuse you of misrepresenting yourself.

If you have friends that you'll be visiting, or an AirBnb where you're staying, you might consider using one of these addresses - it's your policy, so anything that might happen (touch wood) is your responsibility, and does not impact others at the address you choose.

Only a handful of auto insurers don’t require a US driver’s license:

- Progressive
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‍- National General

- State Farm

- Dairyland

Insurance is regulated by the US states, not the national government.

Some insurers that generally allow foreign driver’s licenses require them in certain states.

For example, while Progressive generally allows foreign driver’s licenses, it does require a US driver’s license in New York State in most situations.

We’re working on it, but we’re not there yet.

At the moment, large auto insurance companies simply don’t think that international visitors, who are unlikely to renew their policies and unlikely to add home or other insurance, are high-quality customers.

We’re working to educate a focused set of insurers that international visitors are exceptionally cautious drivers, but building this case takes time and data.