How to Switch from USA to Alberta Insurance

Overview

Note: Alberta car insurance companies compete on the basis of price, coverage, and service. It is recommended that you contact a licensed Alberta insurance broker who can check rates for you from several Alberta insurance companies.

To insure and register your vehicle in Alberta after you've moved from the United States, you will need to do the following:

What kind of documents should I bring if I'm moving from the USA to Alberta?

If you are moving to Alberta from the United States, you should contact your previous insurance company for a Claims Experience Letter. You will also need to obtain a Driver Abstract from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) of your state. These documents will help lower your rate of insurance in Alberta, and are a requirement of most Alberta insurance companies.

To order a Claims Experience Letter, you need to contact your previous insurance company. You will need to provide at at least 6 years of insurance history (if you have been driving for that long). So, if you have switched insurance companies in the last 6 years, you should get a claims experience letter from each company that you have been insured with during that time.

To get your Driver Abstract, you need to contact the DMV of your state. The driver abstract should show your name, date of birth, address, driver license class, endorsements, restrictions, current status and expiration date of the driver license, as well as any suspensions, revocations, accidents, and moving violation convictions.

How do I get insurance in Alberta when moving from the USA?

Once you have your claim experience letter and driver abstract (see above), the next step is to get insurance with an Alberta Insurance company.

Alberta car insurance is similar to car insurance in the USA in that companies are privatized and competitive. As such, it is highly recommended that you contact a licensed, experienced insurance broker to help you transfer your insurance from the United States and check multiple insurance companies for the cheapest insurance rate for you.

How do I register my vehicle in Alberta?

After getting Alberta car insurance, you then have to register your vehicle at an Alberta registry. Before going to the registry, you will need the following:

  • Proof of valid Alberta auto insurance (commonly referred to as a "pink card").
  • Bill of sale or current registration of vehicle.
  • If the vehicle is from out of province, an out-of-province inspection report must be provided.

Once you have completed all the above, bring your proof of insurance, your bill of sale (or current vehicle registration) and your out-of-province inspection to an Alberta registry agent. The registry agent will process your information and give you an Alberta license plate as well as registration documents for your vehicle.