If you already own an imported car you will already be experienced in what is needed to get the best imported car insurance quote.
However there is a possibility that you are reading this article either through sheer curiosity or you may actually be considering buying an imported car.
Which ever camp you come from hopefully I can simplify and help you to understand why import car insurance is different to insurance for a regular domestic vehicle and also help you to find a better quote.
One of the best things with owning an imported vehicle is the feeling that your car is a bit more exclusive or individual than many domestically supplied vehicles. It is however this individualism that causes a headache for insurance companies due to the fact that the very differences which make the car more individual are in fact what can make an insurer inflate your insurance premium.
The fact is that many imported vehicles appear to look the same take for example the Japanese Mazda Eunos which is also known as the Mazda MX-5 as well as the Miata in America, in essence the car looks the same but on closer inspection of the interiors of the car and especially the engine these car models are very different indeed.
The differences between the domestic spec vehicles and the imported vehicles mean that insurers have to treat these vehicles different when calculating the quotations.
What makes imported car insurance more expensive?
The majority of these differences will arise from the differing parts costs between the vehicles as many parts will be required to be imported as domestic suppliers will not keep import parts in stock. Therefore you would expect that compared to similar domestic vehicles the car insurance for a imported vehicle will be higher on average.
Another large factor in determining the price for import car insurance will be how the driver is orientated when driving, this is because not all cars are driven on the same side of the road in every country around the world.
Some cars are left hand drive and come from countries like America and Europe where many cars are also right hand drive and come from countries like Japan and the United Kingdom.
Any type of car can be imported anywhere in the whole world and this causes a problem for insurers because if you live in America but want to import a Japanese car the Japanese car will be a right hand drive vehicle. This situation causes problems when the car comes to overtaking and taking blind corners as the drivers view can be obscured due to their position on the wrong side of the car.
Generally the liability insurance portion of the coverage will not be any more or less because this is usually determined by your age and past driving record.
So we have covered the general factors that can increase the cost of your policy, but what can be done to ensure that you find a cheap quote for your coverage. Firstly you need to have a plan laid out in order to ensure you approach every possible insurer both online and off line, online you will need to look at comparison sites, individual insurers, specialist import insurers and also visit owners community forums as they are usually willing to help fellow owners find the best quotes.
All in all it is best to keep an open mind and ensure you keep a structured approach to your search as there is no shortage of import insurers willing to provide you with you import car insurance quotes. Also do not discount regular motor car insurance companies this is due to the increased number of individuals who own imported vehicles some larger companies are able to supply quotes from their specialist section.
