Car Insurance for International Visitors & Foreign Drivers

Car insurance is required if you drive a car in the United States, even if you're not a resident.

Short-term visitors can get rental car coverage directly from the rental company. Long-term foreign drivers with their own car will need to buy a car insurance policy from a U.S. company.

And if you're staying for more than a month or two, some states may require you to get a US driver's license.

Car insurance for short-term foreign visitors

If you're visiting the U.S. for a few weeks or less, you probably won't need to buy car insurance from a stand-alone insurer. The easiest option is to get temporary insurance coverage directly from the car rental company.

Car insurance at a rental agency usually comes in three parts:

Every rental car includes a small amount of liability coverage, but it's a good idea to add more if you'll be driving a lot while you're visiting, or are new to driving in the U.S.

Without a damage waiver, you'll have to pay for any damage that happens to your car, even if you weren't driving while it happened.

If you don't already have health coverage for when you're in the U.S., medical expenses coverage is a good investment too — medical care can be very expensive in the United States.

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Car insurance for long-term international visitors

If you're staying in the U.S. for more than a month or two and are planning on buying or leasing a car, you will need to get your own insurance policy. Auto insurance is a requirement to register and drive a vehicle in most states.

Unfortunately, car insurance is not always simple or cheap to get for international visitors. You may also be able to get coverage from large car insurance providers by speaking with an insurance agent on the phone or in person. State Farm, for example, won't sell insurance to a foreign driver online — but you can call to speak to an agent who specializes in helping drivers with foreign licenses.

Local insurance companies that sell auto insurance to foreign drivers

Some smaller auto insurance companies offer insurance for drivers with foreign licenses. However, these providers often specialize in working with higher-risk drivers, which means they may charge higher rates.

Small insurance companies that sell car insurance to foreign drivers include:

Regardless of where you're from, the best way for any driver to get affordable insurance is to compare rates from multiple insurers.

United States car insurance requirements

In the U.S., car insurance requirements change by state. This includes the type and amount of coverage you need.

Plus, if you have coverage that meets the legal limits in one state, you will be covered if you travel temporarily to another.

For example, if you move to New York and buy a car, you'll have to get insurancethat meets the limits in New York. But if you drive to another state, like New Jersey or Pennsylvania, you won't need to worry about meeting the auto insurance requirements there.

Common required car insurance coverages

Not all of these are required in every state, so check with your host state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to see what you need about meeting its requirements.

For example, the minimum insurance requirements in California are:

The state insurance minimum will always be the cheapest option. But buying the minimum amount of insurance usually only covers the other driver's injuries and damages, meaning you might have to pay for repairs to your own car.

Do I need an international driver's permit as a foreigner in the U.S.?

An IDP is a document issued by your home country that translates your driver's license into several languages, including English. The permit is just a translation of your regular license, so you'll need both documents to be considered "licensed" in places that require it.

You must get your IDP before you arrive, because the U.S. does not provide them to international visitors.

The term "international driver’s license" or IDL is sometimes used to describe an IDP. However, this is an inaccurate term. Any organization claiming to issue or accept an IDL is likely a scam.

You may be required to get a U.S. license

Depending on which state you’re visiting in the U.S., you may be required to get a local driver's license to legally drive there. For example, in Florida, international visitors must get a Florida driver's license if they live there for more than six months or are employed there.

How to get car insurance as an undocumented immigrant

All states require a license to drive a car, and most require auto insurance as well. For undocumented immigrants, this can be a serious challenge. Without a driver's license, you cannot get an auto insurance policy that lets you drive.

If you are eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, you can get a driver's license in any state.

If you are not eligible, though, you may not be able to get a driver's license — and consequently, you won't be able to get insurance. Only 19 U.S. states and the District of Columbia currently permit undocumented immigrants to get driver's licenses.

The process for getting a driver's license as an undocumented immigrant varies among these states, so check your state's DMV website for steps on how to get a license.

States where unauthorized immigrants can get a driver's license:

Frequently asked questions

Methodology

We compared Progressive's rates for two 30-year-old male drivers with clean records who live in Austin, Texas. Both drivers have not had auto insurance in the past 31 days and plan to put 10,000 to 11,999 miles per year on the 2017 Honda Accords they bought within the last year .

One driver has moved from outside the U.S. within the last six months and holds a foreign driver's license. Tthe other has not moved at all and holds a U.S. driver's license. Both have been licensed to drive since they were 16.

Both drivers opted for a minimum-coverage policy, which in Texas includes the following limits: