When do i insure a used car

Purchasing a used car can be exciting, especially if you got a great deal. But before you can drive off the lot, you need to have car insurance. Almost every state requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of car insurance, whether they drive a new or used vehicle. If you live in a state that mandates insurance, you must insure your registered car. Depending on your state, you might need to get insurance for your car before registering it with the DMV. You might be wondering how long until you have to get insurance after buying a used car.

The short answer is, it depends. Unless the dealership or the seller is delivering the used car to your home and has its own insurance policy, you must have insurance before purchasing the car. If you already have car insurance, your insurer might offer a grace period, where your existing insurance policy will cover the used car for a short period of time. The best bet would be to talk to an insurance company or agent before going to purchase your car to get insurance quotes for the different cars you're interested in buying and which types of coverage you'll require.

The dealer can fax them your newly purchased car information after the purchase in order to get you coverage. Whenever you buy a car new or used you won't be able to register it without insurance, and you only have a grace period of around 20 days, depending on the state, to register your car.

Shopping for car insurance can be overwhelming, and it can be difficult to know which auto insurance provider is the best for the type of coverage you need.

Thanks to more than , reviews, Clearsurance has customer ratings for car insurance companies that help you make a smarter insurance decision whether you are looking to change policies for your current car or if you are making a new purchase. See what insurers other drivers like you rank as the best car insurance companies. The content on this site is offered only as a public service to the web community and does not constitute solicitation or provision of legal advice.

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About agencies or agents Agencies or agents near me. A comprehensive insurance policy provides third party property cover, as well as cover for your car for any accidental damage. When a used car changes hands, the registration has to be transferred from the seller to the buyer. It's the buyer's responsibility to transfer the registration. The printed form is found on the reverse of the vehicle registration certificate.

You must pay a transfer fee as well as stamp duty on the sale price or market value on the price you paid for it, whichever is higher. Use the Office of State Revenue's stamp duty calculator. The seller will complete the disposal notice on the reverse of the registration certificate and submit it to the RMS, also done online - within 14 days. Wondering how soon you have to get insurance after buying a car?

Learn more about the timeline for getting insurance, then take a look at some of the best car insurance companies in the country.

We always talking to insurance agents and getting at least three quotes so you can compare coverage and price. Use our quote comparison tool below to get started. Or, for an even easier process, call our team at to get free, personalized quotes seven days a week. If you currently have auto insurance on a car, you typically have a grace period of seven to thirty days before you have to report your new car to your insurance company. Your current policy should extend to your new car automatically during this period of time, but check with your provider to confirm this.

And how long do you have to get insurance after buying a used car? The process is the same for new and used cars. You need full coverage to take possession of the vehicle. Some states require car insurance companies to provide a written letter with the intent to cancel your plan before doing so. In short, it all comes down to your policy and your state laws. When reading through state laws on car insurance policies, look for grace period and cancellation regulations.

Some states require companies to give you 10 to 20 days to get back on track with payments. In other cases, such as in Wisconsin, car insurance companies can cancel your plan the moment you miss your due date.

As we mentioned, grace periods vary between 24 hours to a month — quite a large range. State car insurance laws also come into play if your plan lapses.