Can You Get Car Insurance Without a License – Overview
It is possible to obtain car insurance without a license, though it may require additional steps or considerations.
Car insurance is a legal requirement for vehicle owners in most jurisdictions to provide financial protection against physical damage or bodily injury resulting from traffic collisions. A car insurance policy protects you and other drivers on the road against loss from an automobile accident, where your car gets damaged, and even against car theft.
When you apply for car insurance, the provider usually requests your driver’s license. However, you can still get car insurance coverage if you don’t have a driver’s license.
Why Get Car Insurance Even If You Don’t Have a Driver’s License
Car insurance offers financial protection if your vehicle is involved in an auto accident. Even if you don’t have a driver’s license, you should have car insurance for numerous reasons.
For instance, having a car insurance policy despite having no driver’s license helps you:
- If you have a learner’s permit and are planning to get your driver’s license but are not using a parent’s or someone else’s car insurance policy.
- When your spouse or another family member drives your vehicle regularly, and they don’t have insurance coverage.
- When you cannot drive due to health problems, someone else has to drive you in your vehicle when you need to leave the house. This is also applicable when you hire a driver for your car.
- Suppose you don’t drive but own a vintage or collectible car for which you would like insurance coverage. Some insurance companies even specialize in classic car insurance.
You will need an active car insurance policy for the above-given scenarios, where you don’t have a driver’s license but own a car. Without proper auto insurance coverage, you risk paying for the damage out of your pocket if you are involved in an auto accident, especially if the accident causes injuries to you or others.
How to Get Car Insurance with a Driver’s License?
How to Get Car Insurance without a Driver’s License
There are several ways that you can get car insurance without actually having a driver’s license, such as:
1. Find Another Driver
The easiest way to get car insurance without a driver’s license is to select someone as the primary/principal driver on the car insurance policy. The person will need to have a valid driver’s license or at least a learner’s permit. A primary/principal driver is a person who regularly drives your vehicle, which can include:
- Spouse
- Sibling
- Child
- Roommate
- Caretaker
- Parent
- Anybody else who drives your vehicle
By selecting a person as your primary/principal driver, you declare to the insurance company that you will not be driving the vehicle itself. This informs the insurance provider that you will not be driving the vehicle, which mitigates their risk since driving without a valid driver’s license is against the law. This type of car insurance is easier to approve and comes with affordable premium rates.
2. Exclude Yourself as a Driver
If the insurance provider does not agree to provide car insurance for primary/principal drivers, you can ask to be listed as an excluded driver on the insurance policy.
If an excluded driver operates the car and is involved in an accident, the insurance policy typically does not cover the losses or damages incurred during that incident. Suppose you don’t have a driver’s license and list yourself as an excluded driver for a particular vehicle.
In that case, it may persuade the company to agree to provide car insurance based on the primary driver’s record. Remember, this method works successfully if the primary driver’s record is satisfactory. So, select a primary driver with a clean driving record, free of tickets and accidents.
3. Buy a Parked Car Insurance Policy
Another way to get car insurance without a driver’s license is to buy a “storage” or “parked car” policy. This type of policy protects your vehicle against damages that may occur when it is parked and is usually not driven regularly.
A parked car insurance policy helps to protect against liability for theft, vandalism, fire, flooding, and damage from water or falling objects. For such a policy, the car insurance provider does not need to ensure you have a valid driver’s license, as it has less risk. Additionally, buying a parked car insurance policy is significantly less expensive than conventional car insurance policies.
Can You Buy Car Insurance with a Suspended Driver’s License
A suspended driver’s license prohibits you from driving a car but does not eliminate the need for having a valid car insurance policy.
If your driver’s license has been suspended due to a DWI, DUI, or serious auto accident, you must apply for car insurance to reinstate it. You must submit an SR-22 form proving you have insurance coverage to do this. This document must show that you have minimum liability insurance coverage, as state laws require.
You can ask your current insurance provider to help fill out an SR-22 form and attach it to your existing car insurance policy. However, if your insurance provider drops coverage, you must find another auto insurance company ready to write a policy and issue an SR-22 form.
Remember, if your driver’s license has been suspended, you may be classified as a “high-risk driver,” making it more difficult to buy car insurance. Even if you find a car insurance company to provide you with insurance coverage, you may likely have to pay a higher premium than others if your license has been suspended.
Conclusion
Obtaining car insurance without a driver’s license can be challenging but not impossible. It requires specific conditions to be met or alternative arrangements to be made. When you search for car insurance options, you should try offering the name of a primary/principal driver. Besides this, compare different market policy rates, especially if you need an SR-22 attached to your car insurance.
See Also
How to Get Health Insurance Without a Job
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