# Changing Vehicles on Auto Insurance **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 27, 2008, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930 "2008-03-27T16:54:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/1 "2008-03-27T16:54:37Z")
I sold my car. I probably won’t get another car for 2 maybe 3 weeks. Is the usual procedure to not bother cancelling the insurance policy, but instead add the new car when I get it and at that point remove the old car? ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/2 "2008-03-27T16:57:30Z")
In most states, when you buy a new car you need to provide proof of insurance (on a different vehicle) before you can license the new one. I think most would recommend doing as you have suggested. Keep the insurance in force, and then notify your agent when you get the new car. If it is going to be more than a month or so between cars, then you would probably want to cancel the insurance until you get a new car. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/3 "2008-03-27T17:29:29Z")
Call your insurance agent or company **now**. It’s vital that they know that you no longer own the car - what happens if the new owner wrecks it and injures or kills someone while it’s on your policy? Trust me, it would be difficult to unravel. You might even get a rebate on however many weeks you’re not needing comprehensive/collision coverage on the car you’ve sold while keeping your liability coverage in force. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/4 "2008-03-27T17:30:07Z")
[QUOTE=Folly] I sold my car. I probably won’t get another car for 2 maybe 3 weeks. Is the usual procedure to not bother cancelling the insurance policy, but instead add the new car when I get it and at that point remove the old car? [/QUOTE] That’s what I did when I traded in my car and got a new one. Call your insurance agent- procedures may vary in different states and with different companies. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/5 "2008-03-27T18:03:48Z")
I know that here in Georgia my insurance company will let me “suspend” my auto policy. I remove the sold car from my policy, but the policy itself remains in force. When I get the next vehicle I call my agent, add the vehicle, and the policy picks back up at that point. Very handy. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/6 "2008-03-27T18:05:17Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] Call your insurance agent or company **now**. It’s vital that they know that you no longer own the car - what happens if the new owner wrecks it and injures or kills someone while it’s on your policy? Trust me, it would be difficult to unravel. You might even get a rebate on however many weeks you’re not needing comprehensive/collision coverage on the car you’ve sold while keeping your liability coverage in force. [/QUOTE] I agree with this. There is absolutely no reason to pay for insurance on a car you do not own. Your insurance company will know exactly what to do, call them. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/7 "2008-03-27T18:08:32Z")
[QUOTE=gotpasswords] what happens if the new owner wrecks it and injures or kills someone while it’s on your policy? [/QUOTE] I suspect that most policies specify that coverage depends on the policyholder owning - or at least having “insurable interest” - in the vehicle (I know mine does). But it certainly makes sense to notify the IC when a vehicle is sold - avoids complications and possibly some cost (may result in a pro-rata refund). ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/8 "2008-03-27T18:15:44Z")
[QUOTE=CookingWithGas] I agree with this. There is absolutely no reason to pay for insurance on a car you do not own. Your insurance company will know exactly what to do, call them. [/QUOTE] Ditto. This is what your agent gets his money for. (Not handling accidents, which go someplace else.) I’ve never had a problem whenever I called about any change in how the car was used, for instance when my daughter went across the country to college. If an agent is obnoxious about something like this, you can take your business elsewhere, but like I said I’ve never had a bad experience. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/9 "2008-03-27T18:28:16Z")
Thanks for the responses. I went ahead and called (Progressive by the way). Hopefully, they did the right thing because the person who I talked to seemed a little confused about the whole situation. My policy has been switched to a ‘Named Operator Policy’. I guess this allows me to continue the coverage with no lapse even though I don’t own a car right this moment. Interestingly, this apparently raises my rate by 21 dollars. Doesn’t matter that much I guess, because the rate will change again as soon as I add the next car I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![hekk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hekk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hekk)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/10 "2008-03-27T23:45:51Z")
[QUOTE=Folly] Thanks for the responses. I went ahead and called (Progressive by the way). Hopefully, they did the right thing because the person who I talked to seemed a little confused about the whole situation. My policy has been switched to a ‘Named Operator Policy’. I guess this allows me to continue the coverage with no lapse even though I don’t own a car right this moment. Interestingly, this apparently raises my rate by 21 dollars. Doesn’t matter that much I guess, because the rate will change again as soon as I add the next car I’m sure. [/QUOTE] …why pay insurance for a car you don’t own?? Unless you are going to be driving someone else’s car (the situation where a “Named Operator Policy” is called for) cancel that puppy! ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/11 "2008-03-28T01:28:58Z")
Why not call your insurance agent instead of posting on the SDMB? Most insurance agents are not ogres. They make money by acting in your interest and cultivating you as a customer (unless you are continually filing claims that hurt their standing with the underwriter). They facilitate the process and can be very helpful. They’ve probably seen it all so just ask. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/12 "2008-03-28T01:40:59Z")
[QUOTE=Folly] My policy has been switched to a ‘Named Operator Policy’. I guess this allows me to continue the coverage with no lapse even though I don’t own a car right this moment. Interestingly, this apparently raises my rate by 21 dollars. [/QUOTE] This doesn’t make sense. I am not familiar with a “named operator policy” but if you drive someone else’s car, with their permission, you are generally covered by their insurance. If you don’t have a car you don’t need any insurance and should get a refund for anything you paid in advance for that policy. If you don’t have a specific agent assigned, and the person you talked to was just the guy whose turn it was to answer the phone, call again. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/13 "2008-03-28T02:21:31Z")
[QUOTE=hekk] …why pay insurance for a car you don’t own?? Unless you are going to be driving someone else’s car (the situation where a “Named Operator Policy” is called for) cancel that puppy! [/QUOTE] Well, I get a ridiculously cheap rate, partially because I’ve been a customer for so many years. If I cancel the policy and get a new one in two weeks, don’t I risk resetting the clock? That’s an actual question, because I don’t know. That two weeks is going to cost me $11.54 at my current rate. [QUOTE=Spartydog] Why not call your insurance agent instead of posting on the SDMB? [/QUOTE] I did. Can’t I do both? Gotta use my 0.26 posts a day for something. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/14 "2008-03-28T19:54:42Z")
[QUOTE=Folly] Well, I get a ridiculously cheap rate, partially because I’ve been a customer for so many years. If I cancel the policy and get a new one in two weeks, don’t I risk resetting the clock? That’s an actual question, because I don’t know. That two weeks is going to cost me $11.54 at my current rate. [/QUOTE] That is exactly the reason I suggested that route. My insurance agent introduced me to the concept when I was in a similar situation and it worked out well. There are very good reasons to carry auto insurance for a short time when you don’t have a car. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2008, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-vehicles-on-auto-insurance/442930/15 "2008-03-30T15:37:29Z")
Ahh, but most of us don’t buy insurance through agents. That’s so 1950s. We deal only with faceless 800 numbers & web sites. You know, “save a buck or two.” So the challenge is learning what’s the right technique for your carrier when it’s almost certain that there’s nobody who’s any damn good answering the phone, and certainly nobody who’s looking out for your interests even a little bit. Hence the need / desire for SDMB advice. Make no mistake, your “independent agent” has split loyaties. As between screwing you and causing trouble with a carrier he’s got a hundred commission streams from, you’re gonna lose every time. The good news is that in most cases your interests aren’t so diametrically opposed to the carrier’s that (s)he _really_ has to choose. And in that case the agent can be a source of expert, if not 100% unbiased, advice.