Foreign Driver? Get Auto Insurance Today!

Whether you have an international or foreign driver's license, understanding the specific coverage requirements, such as liability and optional protections like comprehensive and collision, is essential. Let A-MAX help you find the coverage you need, get a quote below!

Foreign Driver Car Insurance

If you have moved to the U.S. and need car insurance, you may find that your options are limited. Car insurance providers prefer to be able to look at a driver's driving history to assess that person's level of risk. If you have a foreign driver's license, your insurer in the U.S. cannot access your prior driving history in the country you were licensed in. Therefore, foreign drivers are charged higher car insurance rates than drivers with a U.S. license.

International Driver's License Insurance?

Drivers with an international driver's license or foreign driver's license can purchase auto insurance in the U.S. Each state has its own car insurance requirements. Except for the states of New Hampshire and Virginia, every state requires that you carry at least liability and property damage insurance coverage. You may also be required to carry other coverages depending on which state you purchase your car insurance. Here is a list of common coverages required by most states in the U.S.:

• Bodily Injury Liability: This coverage covers the injuries that you cause to another driver, their passengers, or a pedestrian in a car accident that you have caused.

• Property Damage Liability: This coverage covers the damages that you cause to another person's vehicle or property in a car accident that you have caused.

• Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage: UM coverage is required in some states. This coverage protects you and your passengers if you are involved in an accident that is not your fault with a driver who does not have active car insurance or doesn't have enough car insurance to pay for the injuries that you or your passengers may incur in the accident.

• Personal Injury Protection (PIP): This coverage is required in "no-fault" states in the U.S. It covers medical expenses and other expenses, such as lost time at work or funeral expenses, regardless of whether the accident is your fault.

• Medical Payments: This coverage is similar to Personal Injury Protection, but medical payments coverage only covers your medical expenses.

• Comprehensive Coverage: This covers your vehicle if it is damaged by fire, weather, theft, vandalism, or animals. Comprehensive coverage does not cover damage caused by another vehicle.

• Collision Coverage: Collision covers the damage to your vehicle that occurs during an accident or an incident with a stationary object, such as a telephone pole or stone wall.

Get Covered Today!

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A-MAX Military

We are super satisfied with the service we get from Stephanie every time we need a quote, make a payment or even just a simple question…She is super friendly very professional and did I mention very thorough about any information she gives us. I feel like she always goes above and beyond no matter what service we need.Thank you Stephanie we need more people like you in the customer service world!

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A-MAX Cypress

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A-MAX Blackhawk

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A-MAX Closner Blvd

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A-MAX Cypress

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A-MAX Lake June

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A-MAX Garland

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Car Insurance For Foreign Drivers in the U.S.

When applying for car insurance in the U.S., you may be required to carry an international license. If you do not have an international license, you will need to obtain an International Driving Permit, which is a translation of your foreign driver's license and must be presented to your state's Department of Motor Vehicles or car insurance company along with a copy of your foreign license.

Not all insurance companies cover drivers with a foreign or international license. You can speak with a local insurance agent about which insurance company is best for you, or you can access an online rating website such as A-MAX Insurance to obtain quotes from various auto insurance companies that will offer you the coverage you need.

Some states may allow a foreign driver to be insured on a car insurance policy, but you may not be able to register a vehicle in the state if you do not have a U.S. driver's license. In this case, you would have to be added to someone's existing auto insurance policy to legally drive in the U.S. because you cannot register and insure a vehicle on your own.

Can I Rent a U.S. Car with a Foreign Driver's License?

If you are visiting the U.S. for a short time, you can rent a car with a foreign or international license, but you will need to purchase the required insurance on the rental car through the car rental company. Your car insurance coverage in another country will likely not extend to a rental car in the U.S., so make sure you purchase enough liability insurance and the required physical damage coverage (comprehensive and collision) required by the state where you rent the car.

Do I Need Car Insurance if I'm Only Planning to Drive in the U.S. for a Short Period?

In all but two states in the United States, you must have valid car insurance through an insurance company in the state you will be staying in. You can either rent a car and purchase the car insurance from the rental car company or ask a friend or family member to add you temporarily to their car insurance policy if they are willing to allow you to drive one of their vehicles. Not every car insurance company will allow this, so be sure to ask your friend or member to speak with their insurance company to ensure you can be added to their policy with a foreign or international driver's license.

Foreign Driver Car Insurance FAQs

Q: Can I buy car insurance in the U.S. with a foreign or international driver's license?

A: Some insurance companies will allow you to purchase a car insurance policy with a foreign or international license, but you will more than likely incur higher insurance premiums than a driver with a U.S. license because the insurance company will have difficulty reviewing your past driving experience.

Q: Do I need an International Driving Permit to drive in the U.S.?

A: If you do not have an international license but have a foreign driver's license, you will need to obtain an International Driving Permit to drive in the U.S. Your state's Department of Motor Vehicles or your car insurance company may ask you for this.

Q: Can I rent a U.S. car with a foreign or international driver's license?

A: You can rent a car in the U.S. with a foreign or international license, but you will have to purchase the required liability and physical damage coverages on the rental car through the rental car company.