Same-day Car Insurance

You can get same-day insurance from almost any large national car insurance company on the market today. Once you call or go online to receive a free car insurance quote, most companies let you purchase a plan that begins on the same day. You also might be able to get same-day insurance from smaller regional providers.

You don’t need to do anything special to get same-day car insurance. You can talk to an insurance agent in person or over the phone. But the easiest way is generally to sign up for a policy online. Most major providers offer tools to help you get an online quote quickly and easily.

What You Need To Get Cheap Car Insurance Online

Your insurance rates depend on a number of different variables about you and your vehicle. To get an accurate car insurance quote, you should prepare the following information before you apply:

• Vehicle ownership information
• Vehicle year, make, model and mileage
• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• Address where you garage or park the vehicle
• Name, birthdate and driver’s license number for every driver on the policy
• Information on your current insurance policy, coverage limits and expiration
• Information on any tickets and accidents in your driving history

You should also have an electronic payment method ready in case you need to put a deposit down or make an initial payment to start coverage. Most often, this can be done with your banking information or debit card.

How To Buy Car Insurance Fast

You can find car insurance for instant purchase whether you go online or call a local agent. You’ll need the same information outlined above in either case. Using an insurance broker may take slightly longer because the broker will take your information and compare quotes from multiple companies. That said, you should still be able to get auto insurance coverage on the same day if you are prepared.

Instant Car Insurance Quote

The easiest way to get quick car insurance is to use an instant car insurance quote form online. You can find instant quote forms on provider websites or you can use comparison quote forms like the one on this page.

According to our rate estimates, the average good driver pays $2,008 per year for full coverage car insurance and $627 per year for minimum coverage. Starting insurance immediately doesn’t cost extra, which means you’ll still have access to cheap car insurance. You’ll still be eligible for car insurance discounts too, such as one for bundling your home insurance, life insurance or renters insurance with your auto policy.

Average Online Auto Insurance Rate Estimates by Company

We’ve included average monthly and annual car insurance rate estimates for a number of companies that offer same-day coverage below. These rates apply to full coverage insurance policies for 35-year-old drivers with good driving records and credit scores.

Same-day Auto Insurance Coverage

Your same-day car insurance coverage options are no different from the standard coverage options. In other words, you can get everything from bodily injury and property damage liability insurance to collision insurance and comprehensive coverage almost immediately.

When you need to buy car insurance now, you’ll have access to the following options:

• Bodily injury liability coverage: This covers the cost of medical bills and lost wages for other parties in an accident you are found at fault for.
• Property damage liability coverage: This pays for damages to other people’s vehicles and personal property in an accident you cause.
• Personal injury protection (PIP): PIP covers your and your passengers’ medical expenses and lost wages regardless of who is found at fault for an accident
• Medical payments (MedPay): This coverage is similar to PIP, but MedPay does not cover lost wages.
• Uninsured motorist/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM): If the at-fault driver does not have sufficient insurance, UM coverage will take care of your medical expenses and property damage.
• Collision insurance: This takes care of damages to your vehicle regardless of who is found at-fault for an accident.
• Comprehensive insurance: This insurance specializes in covering damages to your vehicle that are not related to an accident, such as from fire, flooding or vandalism.

Your rates will almost certainly vary, as insurers base their rates on a number of variables about you and your vehicle. 

• Age: Younger drivers pay substantially higher rates on average than drivers in other age groups because they are statistically more likely to get into an accident. Teen drivers typically pay the most.
• Location: Rates vary not only between states but also within states based on your ZIP code.
• Coverage options: The cheapest insurance policies are those that only satisfy your state’s minimum coverage requirements. You can pay more for additional coverage types.
• Driving history: Those with a clean driving record have access to the lowest rates. At-fault accidents or traffic violations will increase your premiums.
• Deductible: You can get a lower premium by opting for a higher deductible, but you’ll need to pay more out of pocket for repairs.
• Add-ons: Policy add-ons like accident forgiveness, roadside assistance and rental car reimbursement can offer additional protection for drivers at an additional cost.
• Vehicle: The more expensive a car is, the pricier it tends to be to insure. Providers may also charge more to cover cars that are statistically more likely to be stolen.

Getting same-day car insurance is easier than ever before. But while you will have access to the same rates and policies as you would if you bought coverage ahead of time, there are some disadvantages to buying immediate car insurance.

Instant Auto Insurance Quotes Can Leave Out Discounts

If you need to buy car insurance now, you might miss out on a few discount opportunities. For example, Allstate offers an Early Signing Discount® if you buy an auto insurance policy at least one week before you need to use it. A same-day plan from Allstate wouldn’t include this policy discount. The same goes for other providers.

A Fast Car Insurance Quote Might Not Be the Cheapest

While typically same-day car insurance won’t cost you more than a normal insurance policy, you don’t have as much time to compare car insurance options. That means you could miss out on finding the provider that offers the best rates for you. If you just get one quote, it may or may not be the most affordable insurance premium available. Using an online quote tool or looking for sample quotes like the ones found in this article can help you save time on quote comparisons.

Not Everyone Can Buy Auto Insurance Online Instantly

In some cases, you might not be able to get same-day insurance. For example, most car insurance providers will ask for your Social Security number to verify information in your application and calculate a risk score based on your credit history. If you don’t have a Social Security number or can’t provide one at the time, the insurance company will need more time to process your application, or it can deny coverage.

Buying Insurance Online Requires Address Verification

One piece of information that needs to be verified is your home address. Insurers can use your credit record to verify this. If you recently moved, the insurance company might not be able to verify your address as quickly, which could lead to delays in approval. Or, if you’re living in one location but your permanent address is listed as another, that can slow things down too.

Online Car Insurance Companies Require Complete Information

Auto insurers will pull your full driving record based on your driver’s license number. It’s important to be completely honest when reporting car accidents, tickets and other traffic convictions. If you leave anything out, the company will be able to see that discrepancy, and it will need to spend more time reviewing your application.

Be aware that it’s possible for a company to sell you car insurance and then cancel your policy within the first 30 to 90 days for providing incomplete or incorrect information, also called material misrepresentation. Cancellations for material misrepresentation or nonpayment go on your record, and this can make it harder to get same-day coverage (or any auto insurance) in the future.

Unique Vehicles May Not Qualify for Immediate Car Insurance

Finally, if you’re buying an especially expensive car, an underwriting officer may need to review your insurance application, as some quote tools are not able to accurately assess rare or exotic cars and specialty vehicles. You wouldn’t be able to get same-day insurance coverage in this case.

If you need car insurance now, you can get it by comparing quotes online, calling an agent or even using a broker. Your new insurance will take effect the same day you make your first payment, so you can enjoy your car without worrying about a lapse in coverage.

Best Same-day Car Insurance Providers

Just because you need car insurance today doesn’t mean you have to settle for the first provider that pops up online. You should take as much time as you can to compare coverage and quotes from different providers, then get same-day insurance from the company with the best deal.

We recommend starting your search with State Farm and Geico, both of which have strong reputations and affordable coverage.

Travelers: Best for Most Drivers

We named Travelers our Best for Most Drivers because it provides extensive coverage with great service and offers cheap auto insurance for many drivers. Travelers can cover a wide range of drivers and vehicles with same-day insurance. The company offers plenty of auto insurance add-ons, keeping each driver satisfied with their policy.

The company also offers a good range of discounts that many drivers qualify for. Travelers has an A rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and an A++ financial strength rating from AM Best, which shows the insurer works to resolve customer issues and has a superior ability to pay out claims.

Keep reading: Travelers insurance review

State Farm: Best Customer Experience

State Farm is the largest auto insurance company in the U.S. and holds the highest score for customer experience in our research, which is part of why we gave it our Best Customer Experience award. It offers a generous student discount of up to 25% for maintaining good grades. Drivers under 25 can also take advantage of the Steer Clear® educational program to save another 20%. Because of this, State Farm can be a good option for families with students.

State Farm has a reliable insurance claims service according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study. The company also has a strong reputation, with an A+ rating from the BBB and an A++ financial strength rating from AM Best.

Keep reading: State Farm insurance review

Below are some common frequently asked questions about same-day car insurance:

• Homeowners Insurance
• Renters Insurance
• Travel Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• Boat Insurance
• Home Appliance Insurance
• Dental Insurance

Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.

Here are the factors our ratings take into account:

• Cost: Auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities were both taken into consideration.
• Coverage: Companies that offer a variety of choices for insurance coverage are more likely to meet consumer needs.
• Reputation and experience: Our research team considered market share, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
• Availability: Auto insurance companies with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements scored highest in this category.
• Customer experience: This score is based on volume of complaints reported by the NAIC and customer satisfaction ratings reported by J.D. Power. We also considered the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each insurance company’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.

Our credentials:

• 800 hours researched
• 45 companies reviewed
• 8,500+ consumers surveyed

*Data accurate at time of publication.