I don't know how it was before but it looks like it is not possible anymore on the progressive site to use an foreign drivers licence number.

So as it looks, even with an US adress it wouldn't be possible to get the insurance.

I feel your pain everyone - I'm having the exact same problem the other way around at the moment: Lisa (who is not a UK resident, and has a US licence) cannot be added to my existing policy, even though in the past she was...

It seem the insurance industry would rather encourage uninsured drivers, than actually provide for those few (and therefore relatively low risk) foreign travellers who want to travel abroad, on either their own or a borrowed bike...

We're trying to do the right thing by offering them money and they won't take it!

A conspiracy theorist might say it's a cartel between the rental car/bike companies to try and stop people using private vehicles abroad.

Grrrrrr.

Jx

Ok, Called Progressive. Got some guy called Jean, who is a biker. He explained there isn't a foreign bike insurance policy in place.

Buutt, that they could insure a foreign bike on the condition it was to be registered with a DMV while in the states.

Could be a loophole worth exploring. As I said to the guy, it's covered on the provisio I'll register it. He said yes. It's similar to what I did when I brought my Jeep here from California.

The quote for said policy was $553, which including liability, collision, and roadside assistance. And was, as Jenny mentioned above, able to be cancelled early minus admin fee's.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++

Had a nice chat with two ladies at Fernet. Who, despite the website stating

DO still provide coverage, via Progressive!

They asked me to use their Online form (https://www.fernet.com/Pages/motorcycle-quote.htm)

However, it's broken as their Captcha system is out of date.

So, I've send all my details (VIN, US address, etc) to them by email. I'll let you know what they come back with.

Also had an online chat session with Progressive, regarding my earlier quote. They were of the opinion that the bike needs to be registered with a DMV office before that particular policy would be effective.

Fernet seem to think that's incorrect. Waiting to hear how they will get around it.

UKJeeper; good work finding all of that out and thanks for sharing.
Very interested how this will turn out.

I better also get in touch again with fernet, and try to find an US adress to use.

@Chris must have overlooked that, thanks for the info, also good idea to merge the threads!

Guys, for what it's worth. I had a similar situation last year. Temporary importing a UK bike into Canada and the riding around Canada and the USA.

Eventually I insured it with progressive and got them to issue me a separate certificate showing that I was covered in Canada, this was sufficient to allow Canadian customs to release the bike.

Originally I had gone down the route of filling in the online form for Progressive, at the time it only asked for the VIN and accepted a foreign driving license (reading the above posts, this might have changed). It also required, as others have stated, an address and phone number, any address and number will do as the documents can be faxed to you - they wont email documents.

Just to be on the safe side I phoned them direct to make sure I was covered as a foreign national on a foreign bike and the person at Progressive told me that was ok, and began issuing the quote, unfortunately I lost the phone line at that point. I called back and got another person who then went on to tell me it wasn't possible, but in the mean time person 1 had emailed me my quote, so I went ahead an completed. Moral of that story, just because one person says no doesn't mean it isn't possible.

Was I really covered? I don't know. But I did have all the documents required to show I was, which was good enough for me.

__________________
Heading East - Destination Unknown
http://www.pachamoto.co.uk

That's kinda what I was looking at in my post above. Taking the policy as offered, 'forgetting' to get around to registering at the dmv, and flying home before progressive noticed.

All a bit 'grey area' though. And not something you want to go wrong if the policy is needed. IE: accident or law enforcement.

Will call the two ladies (fernet) later this evening.

I just checked.
You can use foreign drivers license IF in
Driving History
Driver's License Status
You select International
Then it will allow "international" to be selected on the page where you put in your license number

Some parts seem to be slightly different depending on the state you select at the beginning. I used Washington state.