Facebook Pixel How Soon After Buying a Car Do You Need Insurance?

Blog

We make it easy to compare
rates from multiple top-rated companies

icon phone

Call (800) 641-7488

to speak with a live representative

How Soon After Buying a Car Do You Need Insurance?

How Soon After Buying a Car Do You Need Insurance

Call (800) 641-7488 for more information.

Get Insurance Today

If you’re in the market to purchase a vehicle, one of the questions that you need to also be thinking about is that of car insurance. The law requires that any vehicle that is driven on public roads is insured.

But what does that mean for you? Do you have to purchase car insurance before you even purchase the car? Can you drive the car home, and then purchase insurance?

In this article, we’ll answer the question that you’re mulling in your head right now: “how soon after buying a car do you need insurance?”

How Soon After Buying a Car Do You Need Insurance?

The short answer to this question is that it depends.

It depends on one thing: do you already have car insurance for another vehicle? If you do, then depending on the law in your state then the insurance plan that you’re currently on should extend to any new vehicle you purchase for up to 30 days. Some states only have a seven-day grace period for you to report your new vehicle to your insurance company, so be sure to check the law in your area.

However, if you don’t already have car insurance for another vehicle, then you will need to purchase it before you purchase the car. You can go to a car insurance company and get a quote for insuring yourself with the model of car that you are about to purchase.

Once you actually purchase the car, you can add it to your insurance plan. However, you cannot do this step after purchasing the car and driving it home since it is illegal to drive without insurance.

If you are pulled over, the police officer will ask for your insurance. And if you are unable to produce a valid insurance card, then there’s a good chance that you could receive a hefty fine and you won’t be allowed to drive home.

How to Reduce Your Car Insurance Premiums

Now that you know when to purchase car insurance, let’s take a quick look at how you can reduce your monthly premiums. The first thing to consider is your driving history. The cleaner your history, the more affordable your insurance premiums will be since you are a low-risk driver.

The next thing that you can do is to opt to purchase a cheap economy car instead of an expensive luxury or sports car. The latter options are far more expensive to insure, not only because of their increased value in comparison to an economy car but also because the people who drive such cars tend to do so aggressively (which in turn causes accidents, driving up their risk profile).

Get Insurance Today

Now that you know the answer to the question, “how soon after buying a car do you need insurance”, you know that you need insurance ASAP.

If you’re tired of filling out a hundred different forms to get a quote on insurance, you’re in the right place. Our service does the heavy lifting for you, taking your information one time to search through many different insurance companies to find you the most affordable quotes possible. Be sure to give us a try today!

Save Time. Save Money.

We compare rates to get you the best quote possible.

Need help? Call our team to speak live at