Quick Facts About Adding Car Insurance on the Weekend
- Your current insurance policy may automatically cover newly purchased vehicles with a grace period of several days.
- Add the car to your policy before purchasing by providing details like the VIN and setting an effective date.
- Insurance companies often have 24/7 hotlines and self-serve online portals to establish new policies over the weekend.
Even if you’re sure you’ve considered everything when buying a car, it’s easy to forget about a few things. One example is insurance. Sure, you probably know which insurance company you’re going with, but how do you add a vehicle to your policy if you buy the car over the weekend?
Since most dealers don’t let drivers take home new cars without proof of insurance, this minor inconvenience may prevent you from driving home in your brand-new car. Fortunately, we have a few tips to ensure that doesn’t happen.
- How to Add Car Insurance Over the Weekend
- Add It Before You Buy
- Buy Insurance Online or Over the Phone
- Bottom Line on Getting Insurance on the Weekend
How to Add Car Insurance Over the Weekend
Unless you live in New Hampshire, you are legally required to have auto insurance coverage to drive your car. A few ways exist to establish the policy before driving off the lot over the weekend. You can call your insurance company’s hotline, use its online portal, or add the car to the policy before purchase. Before starting the process, ensure your current policy doesn’t automatically cover new vehicle purchases. Also, remember to consider the expense of insurance premiums for the new vehicle when deciding if you and your budget can afford the car. Certain vehicles, such as safe and moderately priced cars, usually have lower insurance premiums compared to luxury or high-performance models.
Check Your Insurance Policy Before Buying a New Car
Before you start thinking about how to add your new car to your insurance policy, we suggest checking the terms of your current policy. For many drivers, a newly purchased vehicle is automatically covered for a certain number of days before you add it to your policy, precisely to account for situations like this.
Ahead of a visit to a car dealer, we suggest you ask your insurance agent if your policy has such a clause. If they say it’s OK to buy a new car and add it to the policy later, ask for documentation, such as a temporary policy card, you can show the dealer so you can drive off the lot. If you choose to go this route, however, we strongly suggest that you call your agent as soon as they open their office on the next business day since many drivers—and even law enforcement officers—can be unfamiliar with this rule.
It’s also important to note that the dealer may not let you leave with your new car just because your insurance company offers a grace period for adding a new vehicle to your policy. This is especially true if the dealer helped you secure financing because it’s likely that the dealer or the dealer’s bank will want to verify insurance rather than trust that you’ll add it when your agent’s office opens on Monday.
Add Car Insurance Before Buying the Car
You can add a new car to your insurance policy before you sign the papers if you know the exact vehicle you’re buying. Here’s how: Call your insurance agent the Friday before you buy the car and provide all the details. Necessary information includes the vehicle identification number (VIN), the purchase price, and other important items. Set the policy’s effective date for the date you buy the car, and you’ll be ready to go.
Of course, you’ll need to know all these details to add the car to your policy, meaning you’ll have to be completely set on the exact vehicle you’re buying before you call your agent. As a result, we don’t recommend using this strategy if you haven’t reached an agreement with the dealership, as you don’t want to be locked into a particular vehicle before completing negotiations. Autotrader’s new and used car listings typically include the VIN within the vehicle’s description.
Does Car Insurance Cover Test Drives?
Your insurance policy typically only covers your personal property. Most car dealers have their own insurance that covers test-drive vehicles.
Buy Insurance Online or Over the Phone
Most major car insurance companies have a toll-free number available for customers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The hotline availability lets you add a car to your policy over the weekend. Additionally, its online systems are often self-serve, meaning you can enter your information and establish a new policy in just a few clicks.
Do You Need Insurance Before Buying a Car?
The letter of the law may vary from state to state. Generally, you must have a valid insurance policy covering the car when you buy it, even if you purchase it on the weekend.
What Documents You Need to Purchase Insurance
Here’s what you’ll usually need to purchase a new car insurance policy:
- Driver’s license or personal identification: This is required to verify your identity.
- Additional driver information: If you intend to add multiple drivers to the policy, you’ll need their identification.
- VIN: An insurance policy covers a specific vehicle. The vehicle identification number is a unique code that helps ensure you’re insuring your new car.
- Purchase agreement or proof of ownership: This is to confirm you own the vehicle being added to the policy.
- Current policy information: If you already have a policy with a different insurance company, the new company will need some details from your current agreement.
- Payment details: When it’s time to pay, have your credit card or bank information readily available.
Bottom Line on Getting New Car Insurance on the Weekend
When buying a new car over the weekend, try to arrange auto insurance in advance to ensure you can drive it home without delay. Most states require insurance before you can legally drive, and dealerships often need proof of coverage before finalizing the deal. You can add the new vehicle to your existing policy by contacting your insurance agent or using the carrier’s 24/7 hotline or online portal. You’ll need details, including the VIN, purchase price, and the effective date. Check if your current policy offers automatic coverage for new vehicles, which can serve as a temporary solution, but confirm with your agent to secure the necessary documentation.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since its initial publication.
