After a gap in coverage, you will find that it is more difficult to get car insurance than before. Rest assured, you will be able to find it, though there will be less choice than there would be for someone without a gap in coverage, and the premiums will be higher.
If you are in the market for car insurance following a gap in coverage, be sure to shop around thoroughly in order to find the best options possible. Be upfront and honest about the gap in coverage. Expect to encounter higher rates.
To find the very cheapest car insurance then just enter your zip code in at the top of this page so that you can compare rates from many different car insurance companies!
Why Rates are Higher Following a Gap in Coverage
If you happen to have a gap in your car insurance coverage most insurance companies will raise the rates they charge you for a period of time following that gap. Depending on how long you have been without coverage, you may even get deemed high risk which means even higher premiums than a simple rate increase would entail. Insurance companies see any lapse in your coverage as a sign of a lack of responsibility. To them, this means, the chances are higher that they will need to pay out a claim. Therefore they increase your rates.
Many insurance companies have a built-in discount for continuous coverage. If you break that continuity, you lose the discount and have to deal with higher premiums. Insurance companies attempt to keep the ratio of lapsed coverage down, so they create penalties for a lapse in coverage. In addition, the DMV in many states requires continuous insurance coverage on your vehicle, as a condition of the registration. If you do have continuous coverage, it may lead to a fine being imposed on you, or even a revocation of your car registration.
How to Avoid Gaps in Insurance Coverage
By avoiding gaps in your insurance coverage, you can avoid the pain of looking for car insurance following a gap in coverage. Realistically many people forget to pay a bill on occasion. However, forgetting to pay your insurance bill can cost you dearly. Therefore you need to take the steps ahead of time to make sure this does not happen to you.
By putting your car insurance payments on automatic withdrawal from your bank account, you can be sure that your payments are always made and always on time. Even if your account goes into overdraft, bank fees will not exceed the penalties imposed by insurance companies for a policy that is not paid and consequently canceled. Often if you opt for automatic payments or a lump sum payment for your car insurance, you will be eligible for an additional discount.
Another way to deal with a gap in your insurance is to deal directly with the insurance company that cut off your latest policy. If you explain the situation to them and have had a good track record to date otherwise, you may get the situation rectified. By asking for forgiveness, you may be able to avoid the damage to your insurance rates.
Finding Affordable Car Insurance Coverage
Following a gap in car insurance coverage, it is a given that fewer companies will want to offer you insurance. In fact it is one of the first questions asked by every insurance company when you look for a price quote. Expect the gap question and always answer it honestly. If you attempt to deceive your insurer, they will find out and your policy will likely be canceled. You may even be charged with fraud.
To find affordable car insurance coverage, it pays to shop around. Get as many car insurance quotes as possible and carefully compare what is offered. Be familiar with the types of discounts available and ask for them where appropriate. You should be able to save money for using your vehicle less than a set number of miles annually, for having certain safety devices, for specific payment methods and for having completed driver training courses, in addition to a variety of other reasons.
When you shop around for a car insurance quote, the absolute best way to do so is with an online quote tool. You simply input your zip code to start and the quote tool will prompt you for the rest of your information. It then submits your information to companies serving your state and the resulting quotes are delivered straight to you. It takes a fraction of the time it would take to contact a variety of companies for quotes.
Get started now by using our free online quote tool to find car insurance after a gap in coverage. Enter your zip to start!
