I'm a happy camper this month. I've been wondering about my insurance options for my new car. In the states I had qualified for insurance with USAA (a company that provides insurance and banking for US service personnel and their families). They always had some of the best rates in the states.
I started wondering if they might cover things here in the UK--figuring that there are plenty of military people working overseas that might need to drive in those countries. I did some research and found out that USAA has a London office, which got me even more excited. I gave them a call and got a great rate! They didn't ask about my UK license. They gave me the discount for no claims. They were great to work with and my husband is covered in my car as well. They were fine with us having licenses in different countries.
I thought I would post the info in case anyone else might be interested. I'm guessing there might be some others like me that liked their services but didn't realize they were available here in the UK. They even have a toll-free number. I'll put it here so others don't have to pay for the call to the states like I did to get the number. It is 0080053180800. Or you can try the London number 02076 551800. It transfers to the US number after hours, so you can call when you want. I actually set up my insurance after midnight the night I bought my car, and I had proof of insurance from the London office the next day.
There are specific requirements for membership in USAA, but I was able to get in fine with my Navy Commander stepdad who had an account before he died. It's nice knowing they won't raise a fuss or hike up my rates when I get a new license in November, saying I no longer have a claim-free discount.
