How to Get Car Insurance Before You Move to Another State

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1Assessing Your New Insurance Needs

2Discussing Options With Your Current Insurer

3Shopping for a New Insurer

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You are required to have car insurance in order to drive legally. If you are moving to a new state, that state may have different minimum insurance requirements than the state you live in now. Additionally, in order to register your car in your new state, you will have to show some proof of insurance in the new state. Therefore, it is important to get updated insurance coverage before you move to a new state, or soon thereafter. Once you determine what type of coverage you need, you can get new insurance through your current insurer or a different one.

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Assessing Your New Insurance Needs

1. 
   1
   Start the process early. Getting new car insurance can take time so you want to make sure you give yourself at least a couple of months to go through the process. Some insurance companies recommend starting the process at least two months before you make your move. This will give you time to assess your needs, discuss options with your current insurer, and change insurers if you need to.
2. 
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   Determine minimum coverage requirements in your new state. Every state requires you to have a certain level of car insurance in order to be in compliance with the law. Therefore, it is important that you know what those limits are so you can make sure your policy meets them. While you should know these limits, the insurance agent you work with will make sure your policy meets these requirements as well.

   • For example, in Nevada, the minimum liability insurance requirement is $15,000/$30,000/$10,000.
   • In California, the limits are $15,000/$30,000/$5,000.
   • In each of these examples, the first number relates to the minimum coverage needed for bodily injury or death to one person. The second number is for bodily injury or death to more than one person. Finally, the third number relates to property damage.
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3. 
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   Think about how much you will be driving after you move. The more you are in your car, the more you will have to pay to insure it. When you move to a different state, you should consider how your driving habits may change. For example, if you are moving from an urban to a rural area, you may need to start driving more. In general, with all other things being equal, this means your insurance rate would go up. In reality, however, the amount of driving you do is not the only thing that affects your premium.

   • On the other hand, if you are moving to a more urban area, you may not need to drive as much, which means you could save some money. Look into public transportation options and how you may be able to cut back on how much you drive.
   • Make sure you think about this before you sit down to discuss insurance needs.
4. 
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   Consider vehicle transportation options. If you are moving long distances, you may be considering shipping your vehicle to your new home. If this is the case, you want to make sure the company you are shipping your vehicle with will insure the move. For example, you want to make sure your car is covered in case the transit vehicle gets in an accident. Additionally, a lot of car insurance policies will provide extra coverage for this type of move if you have a strong comprehensive plan.

   • If you are driving the vehicle to your new home, you need to make sure you have valid insurance throughout the trip.
5. 
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   Find applicable deadlines for switching insurance. Most states will allow you to keep your out-of-state policy for a certain period of time after the move, usually around 90 days. After that 90 days, you will need to have registered your vehicle in your new state and switched insurance policies.

   • However, instead of worrying about keeping your old policy, make the switch before you move. When you do this, make sure your new policy is effective as soon as your old policy is canceled. Do not allow yourself to go any amount of time with no car insurance at all.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Discussing Options With Your Current Insurer

1. 
   1
   Contact your current car insurance agent. After you assess your new insurance needs, you should contact you current insurance agent so you can ask questions. If your agent has a brick and mortar location, consider visiting in person. This will allow you to discuss options face-to-face and look at policies with your agent. However, a lot of car insurance policies are handled these days by online insurance companies. If this is the case, you may have to call or set up an online appointment in order to talk to someone who can help.
2. 
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   Ask about their company's ability to insure drivers in other states. As soon as you meet with your agent, let them know that you are moving and you need to discuss insurance options for your new state. If you purchase insurance through a national agency (e.g., State Farm), your current company should be able to insure you in your new state. However, while you will be able to stay with the same insurance carrier, you will still need to get a new insurance agent and policy.

   • If your current insurance carrier does not offer policies in the state you are moving to, you will need to find a new insurance carrier.
3. 
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   Get the names of agents in the state where you are moving. Once you know your insurance carrier can insure you in the state you are moving to, you need to find a trusted agent in your new location. Ask your current agent to provide you with some recommendations. Your new agent will make a few calls and find a few options they trust.
4. 
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   Contact one or more agents on your new list. Call or email each recommended agent and let them know your situation. Ask them if they sell car insurance, and, if so, whether they have time to discuss options with you. Set up a time to talk when both you and the agent have at least 30 minutes to discuss plans.
5. 
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   Ask for insurance quotes. When you talk with each agent, ask for an accurate insurance quote, which will tell you how much a new plan will cost and what kind of coverage you will have. Before you get a quote, each agent will ask you a few questions about your driving habits and background. Because you will be staying with the same insurance company, your old agent should be able to forward information along to each new one. This will make the process a lot easier.

   • By sticking with the same insurance company, you will most likely be able to keep all of the discounts you are used to getting with your old policy (e.g., good driver discounts, accident free discounts, bundle discounts).
   • Make sure you tell each new agent about your updated driving habits that you expect when you move. Also, let them know if you will need extra coverage for the move itself. The agent will also want to know about your assets (if they have changed) and whether any additional drivers will be using your car.
   • In addition to discussing your driving, you will also want to discuss what type of coverage you want. While getting the minimum coverage may be cheaper, it could leave you exposed if you ever get into a bad accident. Talk with each agent and find out what sort of coverage they recommend.
6. 
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   Make a final decision. If you are staying with the same insurance company, each recommended agent you talk to should give you a relatively similar price. Therefore, you might just choose to go with the cheapest quote for the coverage you want. However, if you like one agent more than another, you might choose to buy a policy from that person.

   • Importantly, when you purchase a new policy through your new agent, make sure your current (old) policy remains active until your new policy goes into effect. Confirm when you want your old policy to end and your new one to start. Additionally, make sure you have access to some proof of insurance so you have it while you are driving to your new state.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Shopping for a New Insurer

1. 
   1
   Ask for recommendations. If your current insurance carrier does not offer insurance in the state you are moving to, you will have to switch companies. Instead of blindly picking and choosing a new insurance carrier, ask your trusted agent if they have any recommendations. They should be able to find out who the best agents are in the area you are moving to.

   • If you want to do a little extra checking, look at a local phone book, search online, or ask friends who live in the state you are moving to. All of these resources will help you get in touch with the right insurance provider.
2. 
   2
   Call different companies and compare rates. when you find a few companies you would like to check out, give them each a call and ask about policies. To get a good comparison, ask each new company to give you a quote for the same coverage you currently have, so long as that coverage meets the minimum requirements in your new state. If your current coverage does not meet the minimum requirements, choose a set of policy limits you think will meet your needs and compare those policies.

   • The most important thing to consider when comparing rates is that you are comparing similar plans. If the coverage from each company is drastically different, the rates will be hard to compare.
   • Use this time to feel out each agent as well. Buying car insurance isn't as simple as just getting the cheapest plan. You need an agent you can trust. If you get in an accident or need to start a claim, you want to make sure the insurance agent will go to bat for you.
3. 
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   Choose a policy that best fits your needs. When you find the agent you want to purchase insurance with, give them a call to discuss different plans. While you will have a quote for one policy, ask if they would recommend something different. Work with your new agent to find the plan that best fits your needs.
4. 
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   Ensure your new and old insurers have your new address. About a week before you move, contact your new and old insurance companies and inform them of your new address. It is important that you do not do this too early because you do not want to miss receiving important mailings. If you do it about a week before you move, you will ensure that you get every important piece of mail in a timely manner.
5. 
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   Make sure you do not have a break in coverage. When you switch companies, the transition will not be as seamless as it would be if you could stay with the same carrier. Therefore, you need to work with each company to ensure you do not have any breaks in coverage. Let your old insurer know the exact date you would like your old policy to end. Next, make sure your new company starts your coverage on that same day.

   • Make sure your new insurance carrier gives you some proof of insurance on or before the day your new coverage starts. This ensures you will have that proof in case you need it during your drive to your new state.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  How do you get a quote before moving? Sites require my new address, but I need the quote to decide if I'm moving.

  

  Community Answer

  Rates vary depending on the neighborhood. If you move to Michigan, rates in inner cities are much higher than rates in rural areas. If you have a friend in the state where you may move, check with the friend, then use the friend's address to get a quote. When you actually move, you'll quote based on your actual address.

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