Most American car insurance policies will be recognized as valid north of the border, but some preparations related to proof of coverage are still necessary before crossing over.

Online PR News – 16-February-2011 – – Looking at international travel statistics for residents of the United States, it appears that Americans like to travel internationally, but also to stay as close to home as possible while doing so. In 2009, Canada and Mexico were the top two international tourism destinations for Americans. The No. 1 destination was Mexico, with 19.5 million Americans traveling there that year, followed by Canada, which was visited by 11.7 million Americans. For those who choose to head north by car, the writers at OnlineAutoInsurance.com have published a new FAQ outlining the car insurance preparations that need to be made beforehand.

Considering the serious repercussions of getting into an accident while having invalid coverage on the other side of the border, it’s important for international road-trippers to get the answers to their auto insurance questions before crossing over.

Getting covered for a road trip to Canada is much easier than for a road trip to Mexico. In most parts of Mexico, an American policy is not considered valid, and the owner of a car involved in an accident could face jail time if unable to pay for the damages. But in Canada, U.S. car insurance policies are valid as long as the policyholder is a tourist. Visitors to Canada need to have proof of coverage, though. Before entering the country, Americans can get Canada insurance cards from their policy providers that will serve as legally recognized proof of coverage.

Source: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html

When obtaining proof, it is also important to ask about minimum levels of coverage. As in America, different parts of Canada have different necessary minimums, with some as high as $200,000 for third-party liability.

Readers can go to http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/learn/ to access the full FAQ and to get the answers to other frequently asked coverage questions.