One of the best ways to travel while abroad is in your own rented car. Compared to organized group trips and public transportation it's a breeze, allowing you to go where you want when you want. As convenient and comfortable as it may be, however, it also comes with responsibilities. One of these is having the proper insurance coverage. If you're thinking of driving a car outside of the United States, you may be wondering how your own current car insurance coverage fits into the equation.
Car Insurance in Other CountriesThe answer is that by and large, it doesn't: When you insure your car you're insuring it for use in this country only. There are important exceptions.
One of these is Canada. Canada needs proof of insurance in the same way we do, and car insurance policies issued by American providers are legally valid. So, when you drive your car into Canada, you're covered.
Mexico is a different story. Laws here are different from those in the U.S. and Canada, and the Mexican government requires Americans driving into the country to buy temporary Mexican car insurance for the duration of their stay. This is true of all nations in Central America as well. There's an exception to this rule too, however: Many American auto insurance providers offer people living in border states " Mexican auto endorsement" coverage , which is quite limited and does not offer third-party liability.
International Car InsuranceBeyond the neighboring countries that Americans can actually drive to, people planning on driving overseas will need to purchase international auto insurance. One well-known American insurance provider that sells international auto insurance is Geico . It works with International Insurance Underwriters, a firm which specializes in international auto insurance and other similar policies.
However, the vast majority of Americans driving abroad, especially those outside of North America, will be doing so in a rented car. In almost all cases insurance is automatically provided by the rental agency. So, for example, if you arrive in Italy and get a car from Hertz or Avis for two weeks, your auto insurance is a part of the entire package. It's critical to be aware of what this insurance does and does not cover because in many cases, it will be bare-bones and may not cover third-party liability. Choosing to buy their optional car insurance coverage is often a very smart idea.
...13.09.11
One interesting part of being a parent is figuring out your own balance of independence and protecting your child while also observing (and sometimes having to deal with) the balance that other parents choose.
For example, I let my kindergartener walk to the bus stop on his own. The walk to the bus stop is quite short – it’s about half a block away and he has to cross a very low traffic street to get there.
At the same time, there are other parents who insist on walking to the bus stop with their kindergarten-aged children.
Another funny aspect of all of this is the protectiveness that my child requests . In the afternoon, he’s asked me to be at the bus stop when he gets off the bus. (There are usually several other parents over there at the same time.) If he ever changes his mind, I’ll certainly wait for him at home.
This happens over and over again with things like playing at the park, visiting friends, and so on. There’s a balance between making sure your child is safe and also making sure that they have the independence they need to grow. I think, by default, I tend to be closer to the “independent” end of the spectrum, but I’ll be there when they ask for me.
Source: Christian Science Monitor
You can get some great information online regarding short term car insurance. These are typically policies that are available for anything less ...
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