How to Get Car Insurance for Any Vehicle

The process of how to get car insurance is a lot easier than you may think (or remember). You just need a few details, and you’ll be done in no time. Whichever way you choose to secure a policy, Clovered is here for you with its easy-to-use online quoting form.

The process of purchasing a car and an auto insurance policy to protect it go hand in hand. You’ll need relatively similar information to purchase both — but you’ll need way less info for insurance. The good thing is that you’ll likely already know the year, make, model and value of the vehicle at the time of purchase, so you’ll have a headstart on buying insurance.

While this may seem daunting at first, there’s a good chance you’ll have a great idea about the vehicle you’re going to purchase and how much you’ll have to pay for it. What you pay for it is reflected in the value an insurer will pay you if you’re involved in an accident and your new vehicle is considered totaled.

However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Every state except New Hampshire and Virginia requires drivers to maintain state-mandated minimum coverage amounts on both bodily injury and property damage liability coverage. Those two coverages help to pay for damages to other people, vehicles and property if you’re at fault in an accident.

But just because the state minimums are in place, that doesn’t mean they’ll be sufficient. Those numbers reflect the minimum amount you must have, and oftentimes fall vastly short of the actual auto coverage amounts you’ll need.

Additionally, if you took out a loan to purchase your vehicle, your lender would require you to purchase full coverage auto insurance. More in-depth than liability coverage, full coverage auto insurance includes protection for your vehicle if you’re involved in an accident — whether it was your fault or not.

That policy includes comprehensive coverage — which protects against things out of your control like natural disasters, floods and hurricanes — and collision coverage to repair or replace your vehicle after an accident.

After you’ve established what types of coverage and how much of each you’ll need, it’s time to jump on the wagon and start getting quotes. While this may seem daunting, the auto insurance process has vastly changed over the years. Now, you can get quotes online from many insurers, including us here at Clovered.

All you’ll need is some information about yourself, your vehicle and your driving history. Insurers will want to know if you’ve had any speeding tickets or been involved in any accidents in the past five years. Each factor can have a substantial impact on the price you’ll pay for auto insurance.

Just like shopping for groceries, you’re probably not going to pay extra for oat milk when regular milk does the trick just fine. As with auto insurance. You wouldn’t pay one company more than another for the same coverage. But the devil is in the details.

Oat milk has more substantial benefits than regular milk, setting itself up for a higher price. As with auto insurance, small coverages that provide big benefits may be hiding in plain sight. For instance, you’ll pay substantially less for liability coverage than full coverage. And a full coverage policy that includes towing and labor coverage may be more costly than one without.

It goes back to deciding which coverages and how much of each you’ll need. But with Clovered, we make that easy by utilizing real people to pair you with a policy that fits your needs and your budget. We’re at the intersection of technology and real people, allowing you to get multiple quotes from the convenience of your computer (or phone) and having our agents on hand to walk you through any step of the process.

After you’ve successfully purchased your policy with all the right coverages and coverage amounts, it’s time to hit the road and drive into the sunset in your new or used vehicle. Now you’re good to go and you can enjoy the finer (and more fun) things in life.

Yes, you need insurance before buying a car. If you’re buying a car from a new or used car dealership, you’ll be able to purchase a temporary auto insurance policy on the spot so your vehicle is protected before you even drive off the lot.

Purchasing a vehicle from a private party may not have the same luxuries. You’ll likely need to purchase a temporary or standard policy at the time of purchase. If you buy the vehicle and drive it home without having insurance, you’re actually breaking the law and your car won’t be protected if something happens on the way home.

If you currently have an auto insurance policy on another vehicle, your insurer will likely give you a grace period of seven to 30 days to update your policy with your new vehicle’s details. If you don’t already have a policy at the time of purchasing a vehicle, there is no grace period and you’ll have to purchase a policy before you’re legally allowed to drive the vehicle off the lot.

Dealerships won’t allow you to buy a car without showing proof of insurance. If you have a policy in your name on another vehicle, that policy will suffice and your insurer will likely give you a grace period to update your coverage with the new vehicle’s details.