Ya thats probably fine. You're not buying a house, it is just a check to make sure you're OK to rent

It will be more affordable to find a renovated place in an older building than to look for a canadian-style new build. There is very little in Cambridge that looks like the relatively brand new condos you have all over vancouver/toronto/calgary.

There is a small amount of Canada-style new condos in Kendall and Alewife, but be prepared for sticker shock (3-4k/month, as others have said, vs potentially under 3k if you're getting a renovated unit in an older building).

Also be prepared to have no credit score when moving to the US. Credit checks are a big thing here and you will have no credit. Open a credit card as soon as possible when you get your SSN, so that when it comes time to rent a place in month 2, something comes up on your credit score when they run it. TD operates in both countries and will give you credit in the US based on your credit scores in Canada. Amex may do the same.

Also, if you are coming to work in tech or biotech, companies regularly offer a relocation bonus/amount/help, which often includes temporary housing for 4-8 weeks. Worth asking your company about it.

On Geico. I liked not having to meet with someone in person, I could do the whole thing while lying on the sofa.

Only incident I had was a chipped windshield, and that was covered as no fault with no problems and no issue getting it done.