Q: I am visiting the USA for three months this summer and was
wondering if I would need to purchase a policy for this brief time?
A:
While it is unlikely you will be buying and registering a car for your
brief visit if this is your plan you will need to purchase car insurance
in the USA. If you are staying with friends or relatives it is unlikely
you would have to purchase insurance for your visit, unless you wind up
staying longer than your original plans called for.
If you are
planning on renting a car we highly recommend you buy the optional car
insurance coverage. Why get embroiled in an international lawsuit just
to skip paying the relatively cheap rental car insurance.
Since we
are not a lawyers, and don't pretend to be, we recommend that you
consult with an attorney before driving in the United States as
licensing may also be an issue. If a lawyer is too costly you should
call the Department of insurance for the state you will be visiting and
just ask them.
Car insurance in the USA is a complicated issue as
each state has their own specific requirements. We hope that we have at
least put you on the right track.
One thing that we strongly
recommend doing is shopping around for car insurance rates online. The
Internet makes it extremely easy to compare quotes and to ultimately
save money on your annual auto insurance premiums. Don't make the
mistake that many drivers are guilty of, which is simply jumping on the
first quote they're given.