Buying a car can be an exciting time, but it’s important to remember your responsibilities start as soon as you purchase your car.
Do You Have to Insure a Car as Soon as You Buy it?
Yes, you need to insure a car as soon as you buy it. It is illegal to drive a car without insurance at any time, even for that very first journey from the dealership to your home. There are severe penalties for driving uninsured.
Even if this is just a five minute journey, you still need insurance cover. If anything goes wrong on that journey home – even if you just lightly shunt another car while turning in the dealership’s car park – then it will emerge that you have no insurance. And then the scenario we outlined above will happen: Points, fines, and a possible conviction for a car you’ve only just bought!
We can help sort out temporary car insurance to get your new car home, giving you more time to consider options for insurance longer term.
Driving Without Insurance Penalties
If the police catch you driving a car without insurance, they will not care if you’ve just bought the car. You’re still liable to get a fixed £300 penalty and six penalty points. You could even get a court summons, which could land you with an unlimited fine, and a disqualification. And, as if that wasn’t enough, police can seize and destroy any car that’s been driven uninsured.
Admittedly, this is an extreme outcome. But imagine if the police destroyed that lovely new car which you’ve only just bought…
How Do I Get Insurance For a Car I’ve Just Bought?
If you buy your car from a dealership, then the dealership might sort out insurance for you at the point of sale. This way, you’ll be able to safely and legally drive your car home. However, you’ll have no choice but to go with the dealership’s choice of insurer, so there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the right cover at the right price.
If you buy your car from a private seller, then you will have to sort out your insurance yourself before you can legally drive your new car home.
Please note that you’ll also have to sort out insurance cover if you’re test driving a new vehicle.
Temporary Insurance Makes Everything Easier
With temporary car insurance, you can get comprehensive cover for just as long as you need it – even if it’s just for an hour. You only pay for the cover for the duration of your temporary contract. This makes temporary car insurance the most cost-effective choice for a range of scenarios:
- If you’re buying a car from a dealership. Temporary car insurance means you don’t have to settle for the insurance cover the dealership arranges, or you won’t have to switch providers later. Instead, you can get temporary insurance to cover your drive home, and you can take the time to find the best annual policy for you once you get home.
- If you’re buying a car from a private seller. Temporary car insurance can cover you for the drive home, as well as for a test-drive before you commit to buying.
- If you’re buying your car that’s based some distance away. Temporary car insurance means you can split driving duties with another driver, or it means you can get cover for someone else to drive the car back for you.
We Can Help You Get Temporary Car Insurance For Your Drive Home
We can get you comprehensive temporary cover that lasts for as little as an hour, or as long as 28 days.
Get in touch for a free quote today. Call us on 0208 290 9086 or email personal@anthonyjones.com.
