Being treated as a “new driver” by car insurance

[Cogitoergosum 10]

Have been driving in the UK for many years. Since moving to the US, CA law required me to get a CA driving license so I duly did. However, our car insurance rates are insanely high because they treat me like I’m a 16 year old new driver. We’re talking over $4000 a year. 

 

I’ve found some old posts on here about this but I just wanted to ask if anyone has figured out a way to get previous driving experience recognised by insurance companies so as to reduce premiums?

 

Thanks all

[fip & jim 452]

That sounds high. I'm in Michigan and we have the highest car insurance rates. I passed my test recently (here), been driving for over 30 years back in the UK. Our total car insurance this year is just under $2000 a year for both cars (mine and husband's), an increase of about $500 a year since I was added. We pay upfront every six months. The company we are with sent me a tracker to fit in the car for the first few months so I expect the price to go down after that. 

 

Did you you shop around, or was that the best price you could find? 😬

[Crazy Cat 39,206]

That sounds high......My rates actually decreased after adding my wife (who now has a valid Texas DL).

[Cogitoergosum 10]

37 minutes ago, fip & jim said:

That sounds high. I'm in Michigan and we have the highest car insurance rates. I passed my test recently (here), been driving for over 30 years back in the UK. Our total car insurance this year is just under $2000 a year for both cars (mine and husband's), an increase of about $500 a year since I was added. We pay upfront every six months. The company we are with sent me a tracker to fit in the car for the first few months so I expect the price to go down after that. 

 

Did you you shop around, or was that the best price you could find? 😬

It was the best we could find! We used a broker too. It may be high because we live in Orange County (and it we crash into someone here it’s v likely to be someone in a $50k Tesla or Range Rover (🤮 California).

 

Did they ask you for your UK licence or your Michigan licence when you insured, or both?

[Cogitoergosum 10]

34 minutes ago, missileman said:

That sounds high......My rates actually decreased after adding my wife (who now has a valid Texas DL).

Wow. Who do you insure with if you don’t mind me asking? And do they know your wife is a “new” Texas driver (new in Texas not a new driver per se)?

[Crazy Cat 39,206]

1 minute ago, Cogitoergosum said:

It was the best we could find! We used a broker too. It may be high because we live in Orange County (and it we crash into someone here it’s v likely to be someone in a $50k Tesla or Range Rover (🤮 California).

 

Did they ask you for your UK licence or your Michigan licence when you insured, or both?

I think $4000 is high......I would check with multiple agents.......

[Crazy Cat 39,206]

3 minutes ago, Cogitoergosum said:

Wow. Who do you insure with if you don’t mind me asking? And do they know your wife is a “new” Texas driver (new in Texas not a new driver per se)?

Geico.....they asked for my wife's information and I gave it to them...........In Taiwan, their driving laws are very much like the driving laws in the US.  My wife was able, due to an agreement between Texas and Taiwan, directly trade her Taiwanese DL for a Texas DL without taking any tests....

Edited July 8, 2019 by missileman

[Wuozopo 4,285]

Talk to the broker and have them discuss with the insurer.

Rates are based on ages of drivers, male or female, number of cars, level of coverage, where you live, types of cars insured.  There's a lot of variables. Are you a male under 25 years of age? 

[Cogitoergosum 10]

12 minutes ago, Wuozopo said:

Talk to the broker and have them discuss with the insurer.

Rates are based on ages of drivers, male or female, number of cars, level of coverage, where you live, types of cars insured.  There's a lot of variables. Are you a male under 25 years of age? 

Appreciate the response. Have you had success with getting the insurer to recognise non-US driving history so as not to be treated as a brand new driver?

[Falcon Cara 377]

33 minutes ago, Cogitoergosum said:

Appreciate the response. Have you had success with getting the insurer to recognise non-US driving history so as not to be treated as a brand new driver?

I have never heard this anyone having to prove non us driving history,  What insurance?  That is stupid, The ones I know go on age and gender to determine rates

[fip & jim 452]

1 hour ago, Cogitoergosum said:

It was the best we could find! We used a broker too. It may be high because we live in Orange County (and it we crash into someone here it’s v likely to be someone in a $50k Tesla or Range Rover (🤮 California).

 

Did they ask you for your UK licence or your Michigan licence when you insured, or both?

I used my Michigan learner's permit because I hadn't passed here yet. They didn't ask about my UK licence. Perhaps they took my age as proof enough of experience. 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

Michigan is ranked #1 highest($2,693 average), California is #9($1,815 average). Have you looked on a price comparison site?

[rrobin0609 387]

I added my husband with his Missouri licence when we first got married. It went down maybe $10/month. One of the variables is being married. He's a few years older than me as well (age is a variable), but I just marked that he wasn't a new driver because he had a UK licence beforehand. We switched to Geico and got an extra $30/month off. The only issue we had with Geico was having to send them a copy of his Temporary Driving Permit after his licence expired. He hasn't been able to renew the original MO licence for a full without a green card.

[Wuozopo 4,285]

2 hours ago, Cogitoergosum said:

Appreciate the response. Have you had success with getting the insurer to recognise non-US driving history so as not to be treated as a brand new driver?

First of all, insurance is based on your State Insurance Board so my rules may be different to yours in Cali. My driving history  was not a requirement. I have State Farm in Texas, through a SF agent near my home that knows me by name. I am over 25 years old so do not pay the higher rates males pay in Texas below that age. I live in the suburbs so my zip code is not in a higher rate metropolitan area.  I carry full coverage with minimal or zero deductibles on a new Mustang GT 5.0 and 3 yr old sedan. The Mustang bumped our cost up because it's newer and sporty. We have a discount of $1348/yr for having our home AND cars insured with State Farm, anti theft devices, and renewing with yearly State Farm for longer than I've even been here. (Wife's policy forever). Cost $1800 per year (two cars), renewable every 6 months. I think before the Mustang, it was around $1450/yr.

 

Like I said, many individual variables on auto insurance.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Wuozopo

[Villanelle 4,121]

5 hours ago, Cogitoergosum said:

Have been driving in the UK for many years. Since moving to the US, CA law required me to get a CA driving license so I duly did. However, our car insurance rates are insanely high because they treat me like I’m a 16 year old new driver. We’re talking over $4000 a year. 

 

I’ve found some old posts on here about this but I just wanted to ask if anyone has figured out a way to get previous driving experience recognised by insurance companies so as to reduce premiums?

 

Thanks all

It will depend on the state you are in. We live in NC and they have similar rules. My husband was also considered a "new driver". We paid like crazy. This is his last year as a "new driver" so we are looking forward to a drop in the bill next renewal. The only thing you can do is ask for other discounts like student or home owner or taking a defensive driving class etc.

 

In the states that have those kinds of clauses I do not believe there is a way around them. If there was the ins broker would know. Visit a broker and see what they say.

 

Also I think I probably have the record for the highest ins bill. Just FYI in some states "year" policies are actually only 6 months! For our "year" policy- which is actually only 6 months we pay.... 485$....a month. 2 cars. 500 deductible/full coverage  

[bracy 7]

On 7/8/2019 at 6:35 PM, Villanelle said:

It will depend on the state you are in. We live in NC and they have similar rules. My husband was also considered a "new driver". We paid like crazy. This is his last year as a "new driver" so we are looking forward to a drop in the bill next renewal. The only thing you can do is ask for other discounts like student or home owner or taking a defensive driving class etc.

 

In the states that have those kinds of clauses I do not believe there is a way around them. If there was the ins broker would know. Visit a broker and see what they say.

 

Also I think I probably have the record for the highest ins bill. Just FYI in some states "year" policies are actually only 6 months! For our "year" policy- which is actually only 6 months we pay.... 485$....a month. 2 cars. 500 deductible/full coverage  

excuse me for bring up an old topic! I am in NC now and my husband found out our insurance went up from 800 to 2k! We were quoted for 2 cars at 800/6 months when we got a new car and 2 months later they increased the cost to 2k and their reason was because i'm a new driver. Mine you I got my NC license in Nov 2018, so they already have my info when I had to get liability insurance for the NC drivers license. They told me they didn't have any info on my Canadian(Ontario) license and I should get them an abstract to prove my driving experience. (end rant) 

I just wanted to know how long does "new driver" last? and who's your insurance provider?