How to Get Same-Day Car Insurance
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Car insurance companies will usually let you start your policy immediately on the same day you buy it, and most drivers are approved immediately.
Lots of larger, affordable companies, like State Farm, American Family and Geico offer same-day insurance. On the other hand, smaller insurance companies are more likely to ask you to call one of their agents or go into an office to secure a policy.
Can you buy insurance online immediately?
You can get a quote and buy car insurance online immediately from many of the largest and most affordable insurance companies. And you can often buy coverage on your phone, so you don't even need a computer to do it.
The only downsides to same-day insurance are that you won't have much time to shop around and you might miss out on a small buy-in-advance discount.
Companies that sell same-day car insurance online
Company | Same day available? | Monthly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Farm | Yes | $99 |
| American Family | Yes | $140 |
| Geico | Yes | $140 |
| Progressive | Yes | $156 |
| Nationwide | Yes | $164 |
Monthly full-coverage rates are national averages for a good driver. USAA is only available to military members, veterans and their families.
Find Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes in Your Area
What do I need to get insurance online in one day?
To get a car insurance quote fast, you'll need some information about yourself, your household and your car.
The insurance company will use the info you provide, plus info from third parties, like your credit score, to set your rates and provide you with a car insurance quote.
Info you'll need to get a same-day insurance policy
- Full name, driver's license and Social Security number of all drivers you want to add to the policy
- Your legal and mailing address
- Current auto insurance policy details, if you have one
- Details of each car you're insuring, including make, model and vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Date you bought your car and current mileage
- Credit or debit card number
How long does it take to get car insurance?
Most car insurance companies can sell you a car insurance policy and have it go into effect immediately.
If everything goes smoothly, you can fill out a quote and get coverage in under half an hour.
But in some circumstances, an insurance company won't be able to provide you with insurance coverage right away. This might be because the company is missing key info about you that it needs to set your rates.
For example, car insurance companies consider where you live when they are setting rates. If you recently moved and the insurer can't verify your address, it may not sell you a policy right away.
There could also be something about your current situation that means the insurance company needs more time to set your rate or approve your coverage. You may be looking for coverage for a rare or high-value car that isn't in the insurance company's price database. Or a poor driving history may mean an insurance company doesn't offer you a quote at all.
Reasons it might take longer to get an insurance quote
- You're missing any of the info required to apply for insurance, even if it's listed as "optional" in the application
- You recently moved
- You don't currently have car insurance
- You have multiple recent at-fault accidents or tickets
- You own a rare or specialty car
If an insurance company isn't able to sell you insurance online immediately, try calling the company to determine what's causing the issue and to solve the problem. If you're not able to take care of it quickly, you may just need to move on to another insurance company.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get same-day insurance?
You can buy a policy online on your phone from anywhere, and you will be covered immediately. But keep in mind that the best way to find the lowest price is to compare quotes from multiple insurers, and that may be hard to do if you're buying a policy at the last minute.
Is same-day insurance legitimate?
Yes, major insurers including Geico, Progressive and State Farm allow you to buy a policy and have it go into effect immediately.
Is same-day insurance more expensive?
Not necessarily. Car insurers don't charge extra just to activate your policy immediately. However, some insurers, like Travelers, do offer an advance-shopping discount for buying a policy that starts more than a few days after you buy, so you could be missing out on a possible discount by buying a policy the day you need it.
What do I need to get same-day insurance?
You'll need the same info you need for any car insurance policy: Your driver's license, your car's make, model and VIN, and info about your current or previous insurer, if you have one.
Is same-day car insurance retroactive?
No. If you get in a crash and then buy a policy on the same day and try to make a claim, you will almost certainly be caught. Not only will you likely have your policy dropped immediately, but also you will have committed insurance fraud — a crime.
Methodology
ValuePenguin collected quotes across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quotes are for a 30-year-old man with good credit who drives a 2015 Honda Civic EX.
Rates are for a full-coverage policy, with limits above any one state's minimum requirements.
Full-coverage policy
Coverage | Limit |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury (BI) liability | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
| Property damage (PD) liability | $25,000 per accident |
| Uninsured and underinsured motorist BI | $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident |
| Comprehensive and collision | $500 deductible |
| Personal injury protection | Minimum when required by state |
ValuePenguin's analysis used insurance rate data from Quadrant Information Services. These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes may be different.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.