Last Updated on December 31, 2025

Importing a car from Japan can get you something you can’t buy at a typical U.S. dealership—anything from a kei truck to a right-hand-drive performance car.

The good news? Getting Japanese import car insurance is usually straightforward once the vehicle is legally titled and eligible for registration in your state.

There’s no special “Japanese import car insurance” product. In most cases, you’ll choose between a standard auto policy (best for daily drivers) or a classic/collector policy (best for limited-use imports, show cars, and weekend cars).

Many enthusiasts call these cars “JDM” vehicles—short for Japanese domestic market (JDM), meaning the vehicle was originally built and sold for Japan’s market.

Key Takeaways

1. No Special “JDM Insurance” Required: Most Japanese imports can be insured with a standard auto policy or a classic/collector policy—once the car is eligible for title and registration.
2. Registerability Comes First: Insurance is much easier after you confirm the vehicle can be legally registered in your state and you have the proper paperwork.
3. VIN/Chassis Number Issues Are Common: Some JDM cars don’t have a 17-digit U.S. VIN, which can break online quote tools—calling an agent or using a specialty insurer often solves it.
4. Value, Mods, and Parts Coverage Matter: Rare imports and modified cars may need agreed value coverage and endorsements for aftermarket parts to avoid claim surprises.

Can You Insure a Japanese Import Car in the U.S.?

Yes—most of the time. Insurance companies generally care about four things:

• Is it street-legal and registerable? (A titled/registered vehicle is much easier to insure.)
• Can they identify it correctly? (VIN/chassis number, trim, engine, and any major modifications.)
• How will it be used? (Daily driver vs. occasional use vs. show car.)
• How will it be valued and repaired? (Parts availability, repair cost, and total-loss valuation.)

If your import is already titled and you have a registration path in your state, you can usually get coverage from the same places that insure domestic vehicles.

Before You Shop for Insurance, Confirm It Can Be Registered

Insurance is easiest after you’ve cleared the “paperwork and compliance” hurdle. Even if you’re focused on insurance, make sure you’re not trying to insure something your state won’t register.

At the federal level, import rules can depend heavily on the vehicle’s age and configuration. For example, vehicles that are at least 25 years old may qualify for a well-known exemption under federal safety rules, while newer vehicles typically require additional steps. You can review the basics directly from NHTSA, and emissions-related guidance from the EPA.

Then you’ll still need to meet your state requirements (title/registration, VIN verification, safety inspection, and possibly emissions testing). Once you’re confident the car is registerable, shopping for insurance becomes much more “normal.”

What You’ll Need to Get a Quote

Have these details ready before you call insurers (or you may get delayed, misquoted, or declined):

• VIN or chassis number (many Japanese imports use a shorter chassis number instead of a 17-digit U.S. VIN)
• Year, make, model, trim, engine (as accurately as possible)
• Current title/registration status (or proof you can register it)
• Photos (exterior, interior, odometer, and any special features/mods)
• Where it’s garaged and who will drive it
• Estimated annual mileage (daily driver vs. weekend use matters a lot)
• Receipts for modifications and major maintenance (especially performance parts)
• Appraisal or market comps (helpful for rare cars and agreed value policies)

Step-by-Step: How to Insure a Japanese Import Car

1. Confirm you can title and register the car in your state (and complete any inspections you need).
2. Decide how you’ll use the car (daily driver vs. occasional use). This often determines whether a standard policy or collector policy is a better fit.
3. Make a clean vehicle “profile”: chassis/VIN, specs, photos, garaging address, and a list of modifications.
4. Get quotes from both standard insurers and specialty/collector insurers (many imports qualify for collector coverage if they aren’t used daily).
5. Confirm valuation and parts coverage (especially if the car is rare or modified).
6. Bind coverage before you drive regularly—and before registration if your DMV requires proof of insurance to register the vehicle.

What Coverage Should You Get for a Japanese Import?

Your policy should always meet your state’s minimum requirements, at a minimum. If you’re driving a low-value beater import, you might consider minimum coverage auto insurance (typically liability-only) to keep costs down.

If you’re leasing or financing the vehicle, lenders usually require “full coverage.” In practical terms, that generally means liability coverage plus comprehensive and collision. If you’re in that situation, review what lenders typically expect here: do you need full coverage on a financed car?

For many Japanese imports—especially rare trims, right-hand-drive models, or cars with expensive parts—full coverage is often a smart move even if you own the car outright.

Coverage Add-Ons That Often Matter More for Imports

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage: Helpful if you’re hit by someone with little (or no) insurance.
• Custom parts and equipment coverage: If your car has aftermarket wheels, suspension, engine work, aero, or audio upgrades, ask how those parts are covered.
• Comprehensive coverage: Often worth it for theft, vandalism, weather, and glass claims—especially if the vehicle is hard to replace.
• Towing/roadside: Useful if you rely on specialty shops or have a vehicle that sits and gets driven occasionally.

Where to Get Japanese Import Car Insurance

If your Japanese import is titled, registerable, and you can provide the correct vehicle details, start by shopping the same places you’d shop for any vehicle—especially if you can bundle with an existing policy.

These well-known insurers are common starting points for many drivers:

• GEICO
• USAA (eligibility required)
• State Farm
• Progressive

If the car is rare, high-value, heavily modified, or you’re running into VIN/chassis-number issues with online quoting tools, a specialty policy may be a better fit.

Collector-focused insurers commonly used for unique imports include Grundy and Hagerty. These types of companies are built for unusual vehicles—and they’re often more comfortable with agreed value coverage, specialty parts sourcing, and limited-use driving patterns.

If you’re new to collector policies, start here: how to insure a classic or collector vehicle.

Common Problems Insuring a JDM Car (and How to Fix Them)

Most Japanese imports can be insured—but these are the issues that trip people up most often:

Short VIN / chassis number issues: Many Japan-market cars use a chassis number that doesn’t match the 17-digit U.S. VIN format. Some online quote systems can’t handle that. If you get blocked, call an agent and ask if they can manually enter the vehicle or escalate it to underwriting. If the insurer still can’t write it, collector/specialty insurers are often more flexible.

Undisclosed modifications: Import cars are frequently modified—and that can create claim disputes if the insurer doesn’t know what’s on the vehicle. If you have aftermarket upgrades, disclose them and ask what documentation they want. Here’s a deeper guide: insurance for modified cars.

OEM parts vs. aftermarket parts coverage: Replacement parts can be expensive, backordered, or hard to source—especially for low-production trims. Ask whether the policy uses aftermarket parts by default and whether OEM parts coverage is available. More on that here: will my insurance company pay for OEM parts after an accident?

Valuation problems after a total loss: Standard policies usually pay actual cash value (ACV), which can underpay on rare imports with unusual market pricing. For collectible vehicles, many owners prefer an agreed value or stated value setup so the payout isn’t a guessing game. Start here: agreed value vs stated value car insurance policies.

High-demand theft targets: Some iconic imports are theft magnets. If you’re insuring something like a Nissan Skyline GT-R, ask about anti-theft discounts and consider secure garaging.

Right-hand-drive concerns: Right-hand-drive isn’t automatically uninsurable. But it may require a phone quote, added documentation, or a specialty policy depending on the insurer and state.

How Much Does Japanese Import Car Insurance Cost?

There’s no universal price for insuring a Japanese import. Costs vary based on your driving record, location, annual mileage, coverage levels, and how hard the vehicle is to repair or replace.

For context, national “average” auto insurance costs in late 2025 were often cited in the range of roughly $193–$225 per month for full coverage (depending on the data source and methodology). You can see examples from Experian and Bankrate.

Your import could land below or above that range. Some collectible policies can be surprisingly affordable because the car is garaged, driven less, and not used as a commuter. On the other hand, rare parts, performance modifications, and higher theft risk can push premiums up.

Ways to Keep Premiums Reasonable

• Be honest about usage: Don’t insure a daily driver as a “collector” car.
• Garage the vehicle: Secure storage can help with eligibility and pricing.
• Document the vehicle: Photos, receipts, and an appraisal can prevent valuation headaches later.
• Raise deductibles (if you can afford it): This can reduce your premium.
• Bundle policies: If your insurer can cover the import, bundling can unlock meaningful discounts.

FAQs on Japanese Import Car Insurance

Final Word

You don’t need a special type of “Japanese import car insurance” to protect a JDM vehicle in the U.S. If the car is eligible for title and registration in your state, you can often insure it like any other vehicle.

Start with standard insurers if the car is a daily driver. If it’s rare, high-value, heavily modified, or limited-use, compare collector and specialty policies—especially if you want agreed value protection and better support for hard-to-find parts.

Shop multiple quotes, confirm how the vehicle is valued, and make sure your policy matches how you actually drive the car. That’s the fastest path to solid coverage—and fewer surprises if you ever need to file a claim.