Just bought a used car from a private party. Which do I do first? Get it insured or registered? (Illinois)
Here, you register before you insure. Insurance always needs a copy of the registration.
Nope, you insure before you register. You have to present valid insurance when you register your car, I remember when I got my first car I got the insurance to fax me the form showing it was insured so I could go get my plate. Offical site.
Looks like for Illinois you don’t have to show proof of insurance when you register.
In Michigan you have to show proof of insurance when registering a car.
You won’t be able to drive it on the road until you’ve done both.
So which is it?
yep. Most insurance companies I’ve dealt with are pretty easy, too, you call them, give them the VIN and the coverage you need, and they’ll fax a “binder” to you or the dealer which is a temporary proof of insurance certificate. You get the “real” one in the mail later.
If you already have a car insured, it will probably automatically cover your new car for a limited period of time, but can possibly suffice as proof of insurance. There are probably restrictions, such as the coverage is only for 30 days, and you must add the new car to your policy within that time, but the coverage is retroactive to the purchase date. Read your insurance documentation.
I had to use this clause when a brand new vehicle was vandalized within a few days of buying it. “Hello insurance agent, I’d like to add a new vehicle to my policy, and make a claim on it.” They didn’t give me any trouble, though.
I’ve only ever bought vehicles from dealers (new and used), and in Colorado, so it might be different elsewhere, and with a private sale. The first motorcycle I bought I arranged insurance through my agent ahead of time, and then filled them in on the details once I’d made the purchase, but I had proof of insurance before owning the bike. The subsequent motorcycle and car purchases, my existing insurance was adequate. In Colorado the vehicle is registered through the dealer when bought from a dealer. Six weeks later or so a license plate arrives, but the taxes and fees are paid at the time of the sale.
Private sales the seller keeps the plates, so the new owner has to have insurance before they can register the vehicle, and they have to register it before they can drive it (the law allows for weekend sales when registration is impossible).
All done. I went to the insurance agency first. I’ve been doing business with them for 20+ years so it didn’t take long to set up a policy. Went straight to the Ill. Secretary of State and completed the registration and plate transfer. They didn’t ask me about insurance. I am now street legal and mobile!