UPDATED: APRIL 27, 2023 | 1 MIN READ
Are you buying a brand-new car today? Or are you in need of a more affordable auto insurance policy? No matter the reason, you can take comfort in knowing that shopping for and buying car insurance can be successfully done in just a single day. Look below at how you can get instant car insurance in just one day.
First Things First, Gather Those Documents
The very first step when getting new car insurance is essential. You will need this first step before moving forward. Gather all pertinent documents that will need to be on hand when making your new insurance purchase. Let’s take a look at the requirements any automobile insurance company will need to move forward with your new policy:
- Provide the active Social Security number and driver’s license number for every driver on your policy.
- Provide all dates of birth for every driver on the policy.
- Provide the vehicle essentials for each car on the policy, such as the vehicle identification numbers (VIN), years, makes, and models.
- Provide the driving history for each driver on the policy. This includes any traffic infractions and vehicle accidents.
- Address where the vehicle will remain parked (in most cases, this is your home address).
- If you have a current insurance policy, you’ll need to provide your coverage limits and the current insurance company.
Time To Choose Your Coverage Requirements
Deciding how much coverage you’ll need on your auto policy is a big step. For those with current policies, now is the time to determine whether your coverage meets your needs. Suppose this is a brand new policy, and you don’t have current insurance. In that case, you’ll need to ensure you have enough coverage not to be underinsured. Below we’ll take a look at the primary types of automobile insurance.
Liability Insurance Coverage
Liability insurance is in place to cover any medical or repair bills to other drivers if you cause an accident. Should the other driver attempt to sue you because of the accident, this liability insurance helps pay for the legal costs.
Most states within the United States require this minimum coverage by law. Virginia and New Hampshire are the only states that don’t require liability coverage. Although not required, it’s always a best practice to buy move coverage more than your state’s minimum.
Why? Because if you cause an accident and the medical and damage costs exceed your liability coverages, you’d be personally responsible for the excess amounts of your coverage limits.
Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage
While most states require liability insurance, it doesn’t necessarily mean that every driver will carry it. Let’s face it: some drivers won’t abide by the law. Other drivers may not have enough liability coverage to cover what’s necessary for incurred expenses following an accident.
Uninsured motorist insurance helps cover bills like lost wages and medical expenses if someone crashes into you and your vehicle. In some states, uninsured motorist coverage is optional coverage. Other states may even require this coverage. But either way, this coverage is worth its weight in gold.
Personal Injury Protection Coverage
Personal injury protection (PIP) kicks in when you or a passenger in your vehicle is injured during a car accident. This coverage covers funeral expenses, lost wages due to injuries, and medical expenses.
PIP will cover these bills, no matter which party caused the accident. Again, some states require this insurance, while others deem it optional.
Compressive and Collision Insurance Coverage
Comprehensive and collision coverage is generally sold together as a pair, although each covers different things. Comprehensive insurance will cover the expense of repairing or replacing your vehicle in the event of theft, hail, flooding, animal collisions (like hitting a deer), fire, or vandalism.
Collision coverage covers repairing or replacing your vehicle after an accident with other cars or if your car crashes into a freestanding object like a telephone pole or tree. In most cases, if you are financing a vehicle or leasing a car, your lender or leasing company will require you to carry comprehensive and collision insurance.
When you file a claim with this insurance, you’ll need to be aware that both of these critical insurance coverages have a deductible, which is the cost you’ll be responsible for. The most common deductibles for comprehensive and collision are $250, $500, or $1,000.
The higher the deductible amount, the less money you’ll end up paying for your policy, whether you pay monthly or lump sum.
Additional Insurance Coverage Options are Available
Gap insurance is designed to provide a gap between what you owe on your automobile and the depreciated value of your car.
Medical Payment Insurance
You may see that this coverage is also referred to as Medpay. Medpay is usually a smaller policy and is only an option for drivers in some states within the United States. This insurance covers incurred medical costs between you and any passengers that may have been injured in your vehicle.
Roadside Assistance Coverage
When your vehicle breaks down on the side of the road, it can be incredibly stressful. Roadside assistance insurance covers expenses like tow trucks and jumpstarts of your battery or locksmith charges if you are locked out of your car.
Rental Reimbursement Insurance Coverage
This vital coverage helps cover the cost of a vehicle for you at a rental car company. It’s specifically for when your vehicle is in the mechanic’s shop, or you’re in between replacing cars following an accident,
Time To Shop And Compare Those Quotes
After gathering all pertinent documents and reviewing the types of insurance coverage you need, the next step is to shop! With so many different insurance carriers, you’ll want to do your homework here.
Rather than just checking into one insurance company, you’ll want to compare several other companies and gather multiple quotes. As crazy as it seems, rates can dramatically change between carriers, even for the same amount of coverage.
In the day and age of technology at our fingertips, it makes gathering quotes a simple task. You can obtain free auto insurance quotes online in just a few minutes. Another effective route in comparing other companies and policies at once is by going through an independent insurance agent.
Get Same Day Insurance
After you find the best rate and policy for your budget, you’ll be ready to obtain one-day car insurance. You will apply with your insurance agent or online, which usually takes just a few minutes. Once you receive approval, you are ready to make your first payment.
Many times, if you pay your entire auto insurance premium upfront, you’ll receive a discount. Typically these discounts are about 10% in savings. But fret not if you can’t or don’t want to pay your premium upfront.
You can opt into making monthly installments instead. And, if you’re in it for discounts, you may score deals with your insurance company when setting up automatic bank drafts, if applicable. You can pay your first installment online or on the phone.
Once your payment goes through, your new insurance company will provide proof of auto insurance. Usually, this comes via email, mail, fax, or even an app, depending on your company. If you’re buying a new vehicle, the insurance company sends proof of insurance directly to your dealership so that they can sell you your new car.
All states within the country, except New Mexico, accept auto insurance on a digital scale, such as a mobile app.
Got Old Insurance Coverage? Now’s The Time To Cancel It
People often have active old insurance policies when they decide to change policies and companies. It would be best to keep your car insurance from lapsing between policies.
A lapse in insurance can lead to your driver’s license becoming suspended, which is expensive and can lead to further legal issues. So, once you buy your new policy and it becomes effective, you can cancel the other policy.
How Much Will It Cost To Buy Car Insurance In A Day?
Of course, many factors can affect how much you’ll pay for car insurance coverage. Some of these factors include:
- Driving record
- Zip code in which you reside
- Vehicle use (such as a work vehicle or personal vehicle)
Let’s take a look at an idea of what you may expect to pay with some of the more popular insurance providers.
Single drivers with cleaner driving records can find rates starting at $95 a month or $1,141 annually with USAA. GEICO may be slightly more expensive, with an average monthly premium cost of around $99 for an individual driver with a clean driving record or $1,182 per year.
State Farm costs around $117 per month and $1,402 annually. Travelers insurance can cost you around $120 each month or $1,435 annually. Ultimately, the most expensive insurance is Farmer’s insurance, at approximately $177 monthly with a clean driving record, or $2,124 yearly.
What Affects My Car Insurance Rate?
As we pointed out earlier, what you pay in car insurance rates can stem from various factors. Here’s a more in-depth view of what to expect insurance companies to weigh when deciding to provide you with insurance coverage:
- Any prior driving experience
- Complete driving history
- The driving history of other drivers who will also be on policy
- Your residential address
- The make and model of your vehicle
- Occupation
- Ange and gender
- What is your vehicle used for (family vehicle or work vehicle)?
- Depending on which state you reside in, your credit score
Does The State You Live In Affect Your Rates?
Believe it or not, the state you live in could also severely impact your car insurance rates. Population, natural disasters, and city versus rural living affect your insurance rates. For example, a customer who lives in Idaho only pays an average of $585 for their policy within a year with the cheapest insurance company and a clean driving record.
A customer in the state of California may pay, on average, around $1,668 annually with a clean driving record. To get a clear picture of what you may pay, it’s best to call an insurance agent and have them check rates to get a far more accurate price.
Is Everyone Eligible For Same Day Auto Insurance?
While most people are eligible to purchase same-day car insurance, it doesn’t mean everyone will be. Those who may have had recent accidents where they’re at fault may not qualify for same-day insurance because they may be deemed a high-risk driver.
While you can still get car insurance, the underwriting may take quite a bit longer. You may only qualify for same-day car insurance if your insurance company can verify your residence with a credit report. Many high-end luxury vehicles or classic cars take longer to write insurance for because the insurance company needs time to assess the value of your vehicle properly.
And another thing to keep in mind when buying insurance is to always be honest and open about your driving record. Your insurance company will always pull your driving records. If you inform them about traffic infractions or things of that sort, it can speed up the processing time for your application.
FAQs
How Quickly Can I Get A New Insurance Policy?
The process of buying new car insurance can occur in a reasonably quick timeframe. It can take, on average, anywhere from around 20 minutes to several hours. Most quotes can be done online in just a few minutes! Make sure to have all essential documents to speed up your insurance purchase time.
How Soon Will New Car Insurance Kick In?
Your new auto insurance coverage becomes effective whenever you need it to. So, if you need your insurance policy to become effective the same day as the purchase of your new car, it can be ready immediately.
Most insurance companies allow you to have immediate coverage should you need it. If you want to wait until the following month, you’ll choose the day you’re ready for the policy to go into effect.
Will Same-Day Car Insurance Be More Expensive?
Just because you purchase a car insurance policy the same day you want it to become effective doesn’t mean it’ll cost you more. So, if you decide to make an insurance policy effective for one week out, it’ll cost the same as if you scheduled it to begin today.
Is Same Day Car Insurance Retroactive?
Same-day car insurance isn’t retroactive. So, if you were to get into a car accident and then decide to buy an insurance policy, your new auto insurance company won’t cover the claim. This is why it’s so important to never be without automobile insurance.
Call Us Today For Your Same Day Car Insurance Quotes
Shopping for car insurance should be a quick, smooth process. Once you have everything you need, an idea of the coverages you want, and a budget in mind, you’re ready to shop. Let our team of experienced insurance agents find you the most comprehensive coverage for the lowest premiums available among many car insurance companies.
Don’t have time to call us? Complete our online rate form to get your instant quote and various insurance options in minutes!
