Can you buy car insurance with an international driver's license?

Car insurance options for drivers with an international license

If you're renting a car or buying a car while staying in the U.S., you're required to carry your state's minimum liability insurance. Beyond that, there are a few other coverage options, including:

• Collision coverage: May help to pay to repair or replace your vehicle after a collision, regardless of fault. Collision covers multi-vehicle accidents and single-vehicle collisions with objects.
• Comprehensive coverage: Protects your vehicle against damage caused by an event outside of your control, including theft, vandalism, weather-related damage.
• Personal injury protection (PIP): May cover medical bills and related expenses, like lost wages, medications, and prosthetic devices, for you and any passengers in your vehicle who are injured in an accident, regardless of fault.
• Medical payments (MedPay): May help pay for medical expenses for you and your passengers due to injuries from an accident, regardless of fault.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM): May pay for injuries to you and your passengers and damage to your vehicle if you're hit by a driver with no auto insurance or insufficient coverage.

It’s important to note that coverages vary by state.

If you're driving someone else's car, insurance usually follows the car, not the driver. If a friend or family member gives you permission to drive their vehicle, their policy may cover you. It's important to double check with their insurer, as some coverages may limit or exclude protection for international drivers. If you're borrowing a car regularly, you may need to be added to the owner's policy. If that isn't possible, you may consider non-owner car insurance, which provides liability protection when driving a vehicle you don't own.

Do short-term international visitors need to be insured?

Yes, even if you're only in the U.S. temporarily, you must carry at least your state's minimum required car insurance. This applies whether you're renting a vehicle or own a vehicle.

When visiting the United States

If you're renting a car, the simplest option is to purchase rental car insurance from the rental company. Coverage will last for the length of your rental and is usually the easiest solution for short-term visitors.

If you're in the U.S. for several months and driving a car that isn't a rental, you need a standard auto insurance policy. These usually cover your vehicle for six months or a year, but some insurers offer temporary policies designed for shorter stays, giving you proper coverage if you're driving for less than six months.

When moving to the United States

If you're relocating to the U.S., you can typically drive on a foreign license for up to three months and on an IDP for up to a year. During that time, you need to buy an auto insurance policy. That could mean a short-term policy if you're driving with a foreign license or a longer policy if you're driving with an IDP.

If you're not a citizen and living in the U.S. for more than a year, you need to obtain a U.S. driver's license. Some states allow you to transfer your foreign license directly, while others require you to take written and road exams. While you could wait until your IDP is close to expiring, it's often best to get a U.S. license sooner if you know you're going to be in the country long term.

Coming to the U.S. from Canada

The rules are slightly different for Canadian drivers entering the U.S. If you're on vacation, you don't need to take any extra steps — your Canadian license and insurance will cover you during your time in the U.S., just as U.S. policies cover Americans visiting Canada.

When relocating from Canada to the United States, however, you need to register your car with the BMV or DMV in the state where you'll live. Once you've done that, you can purchase car insurance in the U.S. and start the process of transferring your Canadian license to a U.S. driver's license.

Do U.S. insurers look at your international driving record?

No, your driving record from another country usually isn't considered when you apply for car insurance in the U.S. You're likely to be considered a new driver, and your rate will be determined by factors such as your age, location, make and model, how you use the vehicle, and the coverages you choose.

U.S. car insurance for international students

If you're a student in the U.S. with a foreign driver's license, you can purchase an auto insurance policy in any state. You must carry at least the minimum car insurance requirements for the state in which you reside before you can get behind the wheel.

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