With border states like New York and the upper seaboard states as well as the Great Lakes region, Canada is literally a neighbor next door. And there’s a lot of historic traffic that goes back and forth as people on both sides visit the other on a regular basis. The traffic is so common, many make seasonal trips on a regular basis, and have done so since childhood.

However, just because Canada is just up the road doesn’t mean a driver’s insurance coverage will automatically cover the driver and car the same way. Most auto insurance companies write their risk coverage policies for travel in the continental 48 states and the U.S. International travel can oftentimes be limited, especially if the company was not aware of driver going out of the U.S. ahead of time.

Fortunately, there are two ways to handle a cross-border drive situation. For the extremely occasional drive, a simple short-term additional policy can be the trick. For those who don’t want to pay for a more comprehensive policy but do want to drive on an upcoming trip can easily negotiate a temporary, short-term policy for time in Canada which then expires shortly after the trip is over. Most such polices are date-based, have a short duration, and cost a one-time fee to put in place; it’s a bit like traveler’s insurance for a car. The second option works better for regular visitors to Canada: inclusion of specified coverage in a standing policy. While it will cost a bit more than the same policy for domestic coverage, a driver can visit Canada regularly without worrying about an accident.

To find out about both options drivers in the Albany, NY area can receive guidance and advice from NY Twin Bridges Insurance Agency, experts in auto policies and how international travel applies.