car to BI questions

[hotzcatz]

Most folks on the Big Island have a P.O.Box number so even if someone does take the paperwork from your car, they are just going to end up at the P.O. Box.

[Due]

Originally Posted by OpenD

If registering the car in Hawai'i, you need a new policy from a Hawai'i chartered insurance company. Let's say your mainland insurance was through Geico... you will need to terminate that policy, and open a new policy through their Hawaiian subsidiary. It can all continue to be billed on your same national Geico account, but technically it's from a different company.

And if you are used to being able to print out your insurance card on your personal computer, then hopping over to the inspection, not so in Hawai'i. The ID card has to be printed on specially water-marked paper, and mailed to you, adding a few days to the process.

What OD said.

I know from personal experience. Went for the safety inspection and first thing they asked for was proof of insurance, so the existing mainland insurance card was handed to them......."fail".

Spent the next hour and half working with the Hawaii insurance broker who insured our property and then drove to their office to sign-up and get the ID card, which they printed on site.
~Then back to safety inspection (window tint marginally passed), got proof I'd been there, then to Hawaii Tax to register the vehicle and get plates, then back to safety inspection where they informed me the front license plate bracket had to be installed....."fail". Go home, install bracket, go back to safety inspection and finally...."pass".
Took all day.

....Piece of cake....

[davephan]

Originally Posted by Due

What OD said.

I know from personal experience. Went for the safety inspection and first thing they asked for was proof of insurance, so the existing mainland insurance card was handed to them......."fail".

Spent the next hour and half working with the Hawaii insurance broker who insured our property and then drove to their office to sign-up and get the ID card, which they printed on site.
~Then back to safety inspection (window tint marginally passed), got proof I'd been there, then to Hawaii Tax to register the vehicle and get plates, then back to safety inspection where they informed me the front license plate bracket had to be installed....."fail". Go home, install bracket, go back to safety inspection and finally...."pass".
Took all day.

....Piece of cake....

Was the tint the original factory tint color? I assume that if the original manufacture's tint is acceptable. Did you have to pay for an inspection fee each time to did a re-inspection? Are there some inspection locations that are not as picky has others? Since the automobile insurance has to be based in Hawaii, does the insurance cost more because they have less competition? I call that the OTB charge, which stands for 'Over the Barrel".

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by davephan

Since the automobile insurance has to be based in Hawaii, does the insurance cost more because they have less competition?

It is the same competition as on the mainland. All the major insurance carriers are in Hawaii. I pay less than I did in SF and comparable to Portland.

"Drivers in Hawaii ranked 50th in GMAC Insurance's annual drivers test rankings, making it the state with the least knowledgeable motorists in the nation"

MSN suggests Hawaii is 15th in the nation in rates.

Highest car insurance rates by state - coverage & policies - MSN Money

[Due]

Originally Posted by davephan

Was the tint the original factory tint color? I assume that if the original manufacture's tint is acceptable. Did you have to pay for an inspection fee each time to did a re-inspection? Are there some inspection locations that are not as picky has others? Since the automobile insurance has to be based in Hawaii, does the insurance cost more because they have less competition? I call that the OTB charge, which stands for 'Over the Barrel".

It isn't factory tint, but it was a color supposedly accepted by all states and it was by Hawaii....but close.
I discovered the tint meters used here can vary in sensitivity, especially if the batteries are weak.
Following wasn't included in my previous post: the first safety inspection station (bad attitude from the start) I went to said the tint was too dark and I'd be required to strip the ($300) tint. I went to another safety station (recommend by our insurance agent) and the tint shop next door explained about the meter's battery strength.
A major key is to have them check the tint BEFORE the safety station has entered your vehicle's VIN in their state computer. Once they have your VIN, you must deal with that station for the inspection.

The insurance in Hawaii is less expensive than Texas, so no OTB issues at all. [I have found all our insurance (in Hawaii) less expensive than Texas: although we never had earthquake insurance in Texas ]

[davephan]

Originally Posted by Due

It isn't factory tint, but it was a color supposedly accepted by all states and it was by Hawaii....but close.
I discovered the tint meters used here can vary in sensitivity, especially if the batteries are weak.
Following wasn't included in my previous post: the first safety inspection station (bad attitude from the start) I went to said the tint was too dark and I'd be required to strip the ($300) tint. I went to another safety station (recommend by our insurance agent) and the tint shop next door explained about the meter's battery strength.
A major key is to have them check the tint BEFORE the safety station has entered your vehicle's VIN in their state computer. Once they have your VIN, you must deal with that station for the inspection.

The insurance in Hawaii is less expensive than Texas, so no OTB issues at all. [I have found all our insurance (in Hawaii) less expensive than Texas: although we never had earthquake insurance in Texas ]

I'm surprised that the safety inspection station will do any work before entering the VIN into their computer. Because if the VIN locks you into their safety inspection station, then I would assume that the first thing they would do is to lock you into their station, so you couldn't shop around for a better safety inspection station, especially if the stations are privately owned.

That's good to hear the insurance is less expensive. How much does earthquake insurance cost? My former next door neighbor who moved to Florida had earthquake insurance for his house. He got the earthquake insurance because it was dirt cheap and maybe because he used to live in California. I've never felt an earthquake here or anywhere I've visited, yet.

[Due]

The Safety station didn't do any work without entering the VIN into their computer.
I saw the tint shop when driving into the office/warehouse area: stopped and told them about the previous safety station, then asked the tint shop what it would cost to have the tint removed.

The owner didn't believe the previous station was correct and he took the initiative to check my tint, but he borrowed the meter from the safety station. I owe the tint shop a favor!

Sure makes me wonder about the first safety station's honesty.

[hotzcatz]

And it's an island so word will get around. Although they may not want folks to get their safety inspections at their station. All the safety inspections are the same price and most stations seem to view them more as annoyances than as a way to generate revenue. Not quite sure why, you'd think they'd sell a lot of light bulbs and such.

[Due]

hotzcatz-

The safety station next to the tint shop was awesome: near Costco and have a Harley/motorcycle shop as part of their business.
The husband/wife owners were polite, helpful, and efficient. They said the safety station business is non-stop from open to close: every day.

This will be my go-to safety station (and tint shop).

[hotzcatz]

See? Word gets around! So now more folks on the Kona side will probably use those folks since they get a good rep. For folks moving to Kailua, that may be a good first stop once they get their car from the port and get the insurance cards for it. Although, they can go to the safety inspection station first, too, they will just check "insurance" as well as "registration" or whatever else needs to be done before they pass the safety check.