Milvionne Chery Copeland, Writer
@milvionne_copeland
You can only buy car insurance in another state than where your permanent residence is if your car is registered in that state. Most states want your car to be registered where you have your permanent home address, but you may be eligible to register and insure a car in a different state if you are a part-time resident.
Part-time residents can include college students, military families, and people with homes in more than one state. That said, if you own a vehicle that stays at your secondary home year-round, you are required to insure it in that state. In addition, some states — including Nebraska, Georgia and Missouri — require you to register your car if you're in the state for at least 30 continuous days.
Who Can Have Car Insurance in Another State?
College students
College students who attend school in a different state from their parents’ residence (which is generally considered a student’s permanent residence) may or may not need to buy a new policy. It depends on the laws of the state in which their school is located.
For example, people going to college in Nevada are allowed to maintain their out-of-state registration and insurance, while states like Massachusetts allow out-of-state students to maintain their primary home-state registration and insurance but require them to register the vehicle with local police. On the other hand, a full-time student in Virginia who is also employed in the state is considered a resident of Virginia and required to register their car in Virginia and apply for a Virginia license.
Military members
Most states allow members of the military to keep their car registration and insurance in the state in which they maintain legal residence. However, states’ residency laws vary, and you should verify your particular situation with your insurance company whenever you are re-deployed.
People with homes in multiple states
People who split their time between homes should generally register and insure their vehicles in whichever place they spend the most time.
For example, if you live in New York for eight months of the year but spend four months in Florida, you need to buy insurance in New York. That policy will cover you even while you're at your Florida home, assuming you bring the car down with you. Be aware, however, that if you are in Florida for more than 90 days, your insurance policy — no matter where you buy it — must also satisfy Florida’s minimum insurance requirements.
States That Allow You to Get Car Insurance Across State Lines
There are several states where you can register your car and then buy an insurance policy, even if your permanent residence isn’t there and your license is from another state. You still need to have an address in one of these states, however. If you don’t have an in-state address where your vehicle will be stored, you won’t be able to get an insurance policy.
- California
- Colorado
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
It’s important to note that your car insurance policy will cover you in all 50 states if you are driving through a state on a road trip or vacationing for a couple of days.
For more information, check out WalletHub’s guide on how car insurance works.
People also ask
Does changing address affect car insurance?
Yes, changing your address affects insurance because ZIP code is one of several personal characteristics that insurers take into account when determining premiums. Insurance companies consider factors like the driver's age, driving record, location, and average mileage to estimate how much risk they present. Specifically, certain ZIP codes have less traffic, lower crime rates, and fewer crashes, meaning they present less risk for insurers.
Even though you won't change your home address just for...
read full answer by Lilah Butler, Car Insurance WriterCan I register a car in a different state than my license?
You may be able to register your car in one of 13 states even if your driver’s license is from out of state. States such as California, Florida and New York may allow out-of-state vehicle registration if you're a part-time resident or a military member. Other states, like North Dakota, also let you to register a car if you're employed there or you own a local business, even with a different state on your license.
... read full answer by John S Kiernan, Managing EditorDid we answer your question?
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