# Why do Americans have to keep their car documents with them?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-have-to-keep-their-car-documents-with-them/423977>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 25, 2007, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-have-to-keep-their-car-documents-with-them/423977 "2007-10-25T15:58:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-have-to-keep-their-car-documents-with-them/423977/81 "2007-10-27T11:15:38Z")

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[QUOTE=jjimm]  
And I think the reason is that in the US the _car_ is covered to a certain extent for all drivers (with the owner’s permission), whereas in the UK the insurance covers only the specific driver. Thus when I borrow my friend’s car over here, I am only insured on it because I have a policy for my own car that covers me for all vehicles, third-party only. Is that right?  
[/QUOTE]

Ah, that makes sense.

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-have-to-keep-their-car-documents-with-them/423977/82 "2007-10-27T11:18:59Z")

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[QUOTE=jjimm]  
**chowder** ’s hob nob? And/or his ginger nuts?  
[/QUOTE]

My _own_ chocolate hob nob, thank you very much.

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**Author:** ![BlackNGold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BlackNGold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackNGold)\
**Post date:** [October 27, 2007, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-americans-have-to-keep-their-car-documents-with-them/423977/83 "2007-10-27T15:37:01Z")

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[QUOTE=Spoons]  
I’m curious–you need a separate insurance card for Canada?

[/QUOTE]

Sure, so the vehicle can be registered in metric tonnes or stone or kilometers, whatever funky units they use up there…

Just guessing, my insurance card has a “NAIC”(?) number (I don’t have it in front of me), that identifies my insurer. Assuming the “N” stands for “National”, perhaps that insurer has a different identifier in another country?

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