{"id":194432,"date":"2019-06-24T19:51:37","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T18:51:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?p=194432"},"modified":"2024-06-22T15:13:29","modified_gmt":"2024-06-22T14:13:29","slug":"car-insurance-for-uk-drivers-in-the-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/car-insurance\/car-insurance-for-uk-drivers-in-the-us","title":{"rendered":"Car insurance for UK drivers in the USA"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’re travelling around the USA and don’t plan to use public transportation, you’re likely going to need a car. To legally drive in most states, you need a minimum amount of car insurance<\/a>. And depending on whether you’ll be driving a rental car, borrowing one or buying your own, different insurance rules apply.<\/p>

Do I need car insurance to drive in the USA?<\/h3>

Yes. In order to legally drive in most states, you’ll need to meet the state’s minimum car insurance requirements. Your specific situation as an international visitor will affect the type of policy you’ll need.<\/p>

Driving a rental car<\/h4>

Rental companies offer insurance<\/a> coverage on their vehicles. If you’ll be renting a car, you can purchase insurance from the rental company. An alternative to getting cover through the rental company is to get short-term insurance<\/a> through a provider.<\/p>

Driving a borrowed car<\/h4>

Many policies cover any driver of the car, not just the owner. How long you’ll be driving the borrowed car will also affect whether you’ll be covered under the existing policy, so check with the provider. If you’re planning to meet up with a friend from the US and road trip in their car, then they, as the car’s owner, might need to temporarily add you to their policy if you’ll be using it on a regular basis for an extended period of time.<\/p>

Driving a car that you bought in the US<\/h4>

Many visitors to the US opt to purchase a car there for a road trip around the country. Some will sell the car before they head back home to the UK while others export their car back home at the end of their trip. In either case, you’ll need to register it in the US once it’s purchased.<\/p>

Some states offer temporary registrations. In order to register your car, you’ll need to show proof of insurance, so temporary insurance might be a good option in this case. Alternatively, you can purchase a traditional insurance policy that allows you to cancel cover at any time<\/a> without fees.<\/p>

Driving a car-sharing vehicle<\/h4>

Travellers are no longer limited to the traditional, big-name car rental companies. Alternative car-sharing services are popping up all over the country. Most car-sharing vehicles will already be covered under an insurance policy, so you likely won’t be required to obtain insurance.<\/p>

What kind of cover do I need?<\/h3>

Most states require a basic policy with minimum coverage levels that you’ll need to meet. You can then choose to add optional coverage that offers extra protection against all the other mishaps that might happen while on the road.<\/p>

Basic coverage usually includes:<\/p>