How soon do you have to get car insurance after buying a new car?
I am planning to buy a new car soon, and I do not yet have car insurance. How long do I have to get my new car covered after buying it?
Rachel Juillerat · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Depending on which state you live in, you typically have a 7- to 30-day grace period to inform your
insurance provider
about your new car
. If you are purchasing the car from a dealership, you must have
proof of car insurance
before driving the car off the lot; if you don’t, you won’t be able to take possession of the vehicle. A private sale is usually when the grace period comes into play. One thing to be aware of is the grace period only extends the existing coverage on your policy to the newly purchased car. It add any new coverage!
Why is this important? Suppose you have a pre-existing insurance policy for a car with
liability-only
coverage, and your new vehicle should have full coverage. In that case, full coverage won’t exist until you add the car to the policy. If you were to get into an accident in this situation with your new car,
collision coverage
would not be available to fix or repair your vehicle.If you don’t have car insurance or you’re looking for a new policy, let
Jerry
help! Whatever your coverage needs are, Jerry can collect quotes from 50 top insurance providers to get you everything you need for a great deal (it’s free!).View full answer
- Gregory R.
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