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candj
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This thread seems to have been hijacked by the insurance crowd but the IDP thing is the main question. I've been going to SXM for YEARS and would never consider having to get an IDP EVERY year...
I would assume many here have been stopped by the police at checkpoints over the years...has ANYONE had an issue with using your regular license. Last year I was stopped in southern France (never stopped in SXM) and they just checked my MA license and sent me on my way...
Any non-theoretical, non-insurance related experiences from those here???
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WWII said:
Your US automobile insurance will not cover you for anything on your rental car in sxm. This has been discussed here many times and no one who's checked with their insurance company has been covered. If someone has a policy that does, it will be the first we've ever heard of. This is not 100% true. I have spoken to my insurance company (NJ Manufactures) and my liability insurance covers me anywhere in the world. Now I don't know if this is a requirement of NJ insurance companies or I just got lucky.
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I hesitate to get involved in this thread but since I've been up and down this slippery slope about a hundred times over the years, what the heck?! Did you actually see IN YOUR SPECIFIC POLICY that you are covered outside the USA? We had this question many years ago and our agent thought we were covered and told us we were. I asked him to show me in writing in our policy since he said it with an air on uncertainty, and he discovered we were not. And to take this a step further, he had also informed me in that first conversation that our various umbrella policies covered us outside the USA, too. Having gotten the first piece of misinformation from the agent, I asked him to contact the underwriting department in the companies (two different ones) to locate it in writing in our policies, and guess what. We were NOT covered at all since our umbrellas were secondary to where our primary coverage left off. We had more insurance than we knew what to do with in the US but once outside the boundaries, we had nada. I don't mean to question you on this but many agents just don't know the limits of the coverage and sometimes make assumptions. I would hate to see this happen to anyone, but who knows, perhaps your agent is up to date and perhaps NJ insurance coverage is different, in which event, i offer my humble apologies for questioning you. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" />
Respectfully,
pat
"Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat
them."
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pat said:I hesitate to get involved in this thread but since I've been up and down this slippery slope about a hundred times over the years, what the heck?! Did you actually see IN YOUR SPECIFIC POLICY that you are covered outside the USA? We had this question many years ago and our agent thought we were covered and told us we were. I asked him to show me in writing in our policy since he said it with an air on uncertainty, and he discovered we were not. And to take this a step further, he had also informed me in that first conversation that our various umbrella policies covered us outside the USA, too. Having gotten the first piece of misinformation from the agent, I asked him to contact the underwriting department in the companies (two different ones) to locate it in writing in our policies, and guess what. We were NOT covered at all since our umbrellas were secondary to where our primary coverage left off. We had more insurance than we knew what to do with in the US but once outside the boundaries, we had nada. I don't mean to question you on this but many agents just don't know the limits of the coverage and sometimes make assumptions. I would hate to see this happen to anyone, but who knows, perhaps your agent is up to date and perhaps NJ insurance coverage is different, in which event, i offer my humble apologies for questioning you. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/handshake.gif" alt="" /> I have never actually asked for it in writing. I have only called them each time I leave the country and they read me the same pre-canned speech which I assumed was from the policy. Next time I will request in writing.
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We have been stopped twice on the French side, showed our US driver's license and rental paperwork to the gendarmes, and were sent on our way with a polite, "merci."
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Unless you see it in writing, it does not exist.
I have discussed this with my AGENT, along with another coverage related issue. Until the AGENT talked to the underwriter or researched it closer, he was mistaken about coverage also.
I would be leery of assuming anything when it comes to insurance.
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boucharda:
As I posted earlier, when I was stopped on the French side my WA license was okay with them.
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Sincerely appreciate everyone's input to the original question and enjoyed the diversions regarding various critters one might encounter on the roadways and general car rental insurance coverage. Believe its safe to say your US/Canadian drivers license will suffice, and don't count on your home auto insurance company to cover you out of country. To all: "Mercy Buttercups!"
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Thanks and thanks also to "January"
Last edited by boucharda; 05/26/2015 12:58 PM.
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I've been spending three to five months on the island for the last 20 years and never purchased an IDL. I have been stopped twice in roadblocks on the French side and showed a US based license (probably NY, earlier years NV). No problem. I was stopped in vehicle controls on the Dutch side because my rental car operator was a bit behind in getting new plates. They let me go and I don't even remember if they wanted to see the license. Having said all that here is a page from the French Embassy that basically says you need a notarized translation of your license and strongly recommends an IDL, which is something like a translation notarized by AAA.
Last edited by ESK; 05/27/2015 04:34 PM.
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Appreciate the info Erich. So, while the French Embassy and St Martin Tourist Office recommends you have an IDL, your experience plus comments from other posters as well as rental car agents all agree the IDL is not needed. Since the IDL is basically a translation of your drivers license in several languages, I suspect if the Gendamerie know some English, they're satisfied with just seeing your US drivers license. I'm confident most if not all of the Dutch police are fluent in English, so they can read the US drivers license just fine.
Liked your web page too...good info on SXM. Thanks!
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Not to bring this back around to insurance but I did get in writing from my insurance company some clarification. In NJ we have a 3rd element to our insurance from Collision and Liability called Personal Injury Protection aka PIP insurance. This coverage pays for all medical expenses for all parties involved in an accident up to the coverage limit and does follow NJ residents around the globe. This is slightly different than liability and explains for the confusion. So if you are NJ resident you should be covered for medical expenses for you and whomever you run over, but I don't think it covers cows or goats.
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gd1147 said:
This coverage pays for all medical expenses for all parties involved in an accident up to the coverage limit and does follow NJ residents around the globe. We have PIP in Florida too but it only covers occupants in the insured's car. Since it's called Personal Injury Protection in NJ also, I'd guess it doesn't cover others. That's what liability and/or bodily injury are for. Also, you should check the coverage limits. In Florida, the PIP max is $10,000 which may cover an aspirin and a band-aid in the ER.
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bksm said:gd1147 said:
This coverage pays for all medical expenses for all parties involved in an accident up to the coverage limit and does follow NJ residents around the globe. We have PIP in Florida too but it only covers occupants in the insured's car. Since it's called Personal Injury Protection in NJ also, I'd guess it doesn't cover others. That's what liability and/or bodily injury are for. Also, you should check the coverage limits. In Florida, the PIP max is $10,000 which may cover an aspirin and a band-aid in the ER. In NJ everything is more expensive  We have up to $1 Million coverage however the standard policy is $250k. Yes it is not liability coverage which certainly changes the way I think going forward.
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I read the French Embassy website as well, but in further research, I believe that a notarized translation is only required if your license is not in roman letters (English, French, etc.)
Beach Hunter
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Just got word from the Office de Tourisme de St Martin indicating, "Your US drivers license should be sufficient for driving on the island". No idea why their website says otherwise.
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