Does Your Car Insurance Cover Your New Car When You Drive It Off the Lot?

Know what to do if the dealership wants you to buy insurance.

After weeks of searching for just the right used vehicle, you get online on a Saturday morning and discover a great deal on exactly the car you’ve been looking for. A few hours later, exhausted by the financing process, and exhilarated at the thought of driving off the lot in your new-to-you 2019 Camaro, you are told by the dealership finance coordinator that you’ll have to purchase insurance from them since your insurance agency is not open until Monday. You hesitate, eager to get this over with but not feeling great about switching your auto insurance. But now you’re a little unnerved; is the dealership finance coordinator right? Does your current auto insurance cover a car that your agent has no idea that you have?

Yes. Most insurance companies provide automatic coverage for new purchases equal to the broadest coverage you have on your current vehicle(s). In other words, if you already have a car insurance policy in effect and you purchase a new vehicle, that policy will cover you for up to 4 days.

For Example: Let’s use the situation outlined above and say that you currently own a 2008 Honda Civic and you trade it in for the 2018 Camaro.

• If the Civic is the only car listed on your policy, the Camaro will automatically have the same coverage as the Civic for up to 4 days.

o Beware: If you do not have comprehensive and/or collision coverage on the car you are replacing, you will not have this coverage on your new vehicle. The automatic coverage is only as good as the coverage you had before.

• If you have multiple cars listed on your policy, your new vehicle will automatically have the greatest level of coverage of any car listed on your policy. Remember, this is for only 4 days with most companies. You do need to call your Wheat State Insurance Group agent promptly and provide the year, make, model and VIN plus contact information for any lender or leasing company.

If you are purchasing your first car or a new car and you don’t have insurance yet, you will need to get insurance well in advance of driving the car off the lot. Remember, auto insurance is required in Kansas.

Will the dealership notify my insurance company when I buy a new car? No, this is also your responsibility. Do not rely on the dealership to do this for you, even if they say they will!

How much time do I have to add a new car to my existing car insurance policy?

Again, you typically have 4 days to notify your agent of your new vehicle purchase. This is not true of all insurance companies so be sure to contact your agent to know how your insurance works. Whenever possible, it’s best to contact your agent when you begin looking for a vehicle to verify the details of your existing policy.

Have a question you'd like us to answer? Let us know!

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