GEICO does not insure Canadians
The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO) does not provide car insurance to Canadians. They do however provide auto insurance in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. GEICO does not have agents selling policies like many insurance companies. Instead they have a direct-to-consumer sales model, which means that they don’t have to pay agent commissions. The company is known for its commercials and they are typically running a variety of national advertising campaigns on television in the United States.
History of the company
Lillian and Leo Goodwin founded GEICO in 1936. They wanted to provide car insurance to employees of the federal government and their families. In the 1980s the company introduced a full 24 hour, 365 day a year telephone customer service line. In 1996 Warren Buffett purchased outstanding GEICO stock, making GEICO a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway. Buffet had made his first stock purchase of the company in 1951 when he was a student at Columbia University. In 2002 the company reached the five million-policyholder mark and in 2010 they passed the 10 million mark. GEICO became the first insurance company to allow customers to purchase policies via iPhone and Android devices in 2010.
GEICO advertising campaigns
In 2007 GEICO spent $751 million in advertising but Warren Buffett has said in the past that he would spend two billion dollars on GEICO ads if he could. Some of GEICO’s more popular recent advertising campaigns include the GEICO gecko, the GEICO Caveman, and the ads that feature actor Mike McGlone. Wikipedia has a pretty comprehensive list of GEICO’s past advertising campaigns.
Differences between driving in the USA and Canada
Driving in Canada is not that different from driving in the United States. There are a few things to look out for when crossing the border though. First of all, speeds and distances are posted in miles in the US and in kilometers in Canada. To avoid speeding tickets and to gauge distances make sure that you are familiar with the difference between miles and kilometers. If you are traveling in Quebec then you will find some of the signage to be written in French but Canada is a bilingual country and most signs are written in English or in both national languages.
Driving a rental car into Canada from the USA
It is always best to check with your car rental company before you cross the border. They will be able to tell exactly what you can and can’t do with your rental car, including whether or not you can drive your rented car across the border.
Where can I get a quote
Although GEICO does not offer car insurance in Canada, you can get a quote for insurance from the GEICO website if you live in the United States. US residents can also get insurance quotes from GEICO by contacting one of their insurance representatives by telephone.
