The best way to find car insurance is to shop around and compare quotes from multiple top companies before you pick a policy. But, to get an accurate quote, you’ll need to have a significant amount of information on hand about yourself and your car. Here’s what information you need to get car insurance quotes and buy a policy.
What documents do I need to get car insurance?
While you don’t need to provide any actual documentation to get a car insurance quote, you’ll need to share some info, and you will likely need to provide copies of some documents when you decide to actually buy a policy.
However, because so much information is now available electronically, your insurance company may be able to access the necessary documentation without a physical copy.
Personal information
Because car insurance rates are based on your profile as a driver, you can’t get a quote without giving at least some personal information. Here’s the information you’ll need to have on hand to get car insurance:
Full name
Date of birth
Address
Social Security Number
Driver’s license number
Driving history (including any recent accidents)
You may be asked to provide a copy of your driver’s license, but most insurance companies will be able to get your information electronically.
There are other things your car insurance company may or may not need to know about you, including your credit score and marital status.
If you live in a state where insurance companies can use your credit score to set your rates, the insurance company will run your credit report (they’ll do what’s called a “soft pull,” meaning it won’t affect your score). You may even be asked to provide a copy of your marriage certificate to prove you’re married and qualify for slightly lower rates.
Vehicle information
Your insurance company will need to know a significant amount of information about your car, including:
How many miles are on the vehicle
Address where the car is garaged (usually the same as your address)
And security or safety features, like anti-lock brakes or lane departure warning system
Vehicle modifications, like a mod exhaust or adjusted suspension
Name of the registered owner or owners
Current or previous insurance information
A copy of your car’s title and any other documentation from when you bought your car will likely have all the information you need to provide to your insurance company. Remember, you’ll need this info for all the vehicles you want to include on the policy.
Financial information
When you buy a car insurance policy, you’ll need to make your first payment up front. This means you’ll need to provide a credit card number or your banking information when you buy car insurance.
In some cases, your insurance company may ask for a voided check if you plan to have payments taken out of your checking account every month.
➞ Learn more about how to pay your car insurance payments
Discount information
Most car insurance companies offer a wide variety of discounts. If you want to get a discount to help lower your rate, you may need to provide documentation for it.
Good student discount: Have a copy of your most recent report card available to take advantage of the good student discount.
Military discount: Have a copy of your military I.D. and your enrollment paperwork to use your insurance company’s military discount.
Safe driving discount: If your company requires it, submit a copy of your certificate of completion from a safe driving or defensive driving course to get a safe driving discount.
Membership discount: Many insurance companies offer discounts for people affiliated with certain employers, organizations, or other groups, so providing a copy of your pay stub, membership card, or enrollment paperwork might help you get a membership discount.
➞ Learn more about car insurance discounts
What else do I need to get car insurance?
In addition to specific documents and information, you’ll need to know what types of coverage you are required to have when you get car insurance. Each state is different, so you may or may not be required to have personal injury protection, uninsured motorist coverage, or MedPay, depending on where you live.
And drivers who have a loan or lease may be required to purchase comprehensive and collision coverage in addition to the liability insurance required by law.
The chart below shows the required levels of coverage and the average cost for minimum car insurance requirements by state:
State | Required car insurance coverage | Average annual cost of minimum coverage |
25/50/25 | $611 | |
50/100/25 | $433 | |
25/50/15 | $640 | |
25/50/25 | $524 | |
15/30/5 | $601 | |
25/50/15 | $544 | |
25/50/25, UM 25/50 | $949 | |
25/50/10, PIP 15/30 | $988 | |
2550/10, UM25/50/5 | $678 | |
PIP 10, PD 10 | $1,253 | |
25/50/25 | $817 | |
20/40/10, PIP 10 | $424 | |
25/50/15 | $400 | |
25/50/20, UM 25/50 | $558 | |
25/50/25, UM 25/50 | $453 | |
20/40/15 | $317 | |
25/50/25, PIP 4.5, UM 25/50 | $493 | |
25/50/10, PIP 10, UM 25/50 | $931 | |
15/30/25 | $993 | |
50/100/25, UM50/100, MedPay 2 | $448 | |
30/60/15, UM 30/60/15 | $898 | |
20/40/5, PIP 8, UM 20/40 | $612 | |
*50/100/10, PIP | $888 | |
30/60/10, PIP 20/20, UM 25/50 | $547 | |
25/50/25 | $543 | |
25/50/10, UM 25/50 | $564 | |
25/50/10 | $497 | |
25/50/25, UM 25/50 | $424 | |
25/50/20, UM 25/50 | $958 | |
**25/50/25, PIP 1 | $462 | |
15/30/5, PIP 15/250 | $1,154 | |
25/50/10 | $459 | |
25/50/10, PIP 50, UM 25/50 | $974 | |
30/60/25, UM 60 | $423 | |
25/50/25, PIP 30, UM 25/50 | $406 | |
25/50/25 | $386 | |
25/50/25 | $496 | |
25/50/20, PIP 15, UM 25/50 | $769 | |
15/30/5, PIP 5 | $501 | |
25/50/25, UM 25/50 | $868 | |
25/50/25, UM 25/50 | $779 | |
25/50/25, UM 25/50 | $339 | |
25/50/15 | $460 | |
30/60/25 | $643 | |
25/65/15, PIP 3 | $672 | |
25/50/10, UM 50/100/10 | $380 | |
*** 25/50/20, UM 25/50 | $570 | |
25/50/10 | $619 | |
25/50/25, UM 25/50 | $626 | |
25/50/10, UM 25/50 | $348 | |
25/50/20 | $321 |
*PIP levels are determined based on your health insurance
**Coverage in New Hampshire is legally optional
***Coverage in Virginia is legally optional for a fee of $500
But just getting the minimum amount of car insurance required in your state can leave you seriously unprotected in case of an accident.
→ Learn more about recommended amounts of car insurance
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a title to get car insurance?
You need to own your vehicle to be able to insure it, but most car insurance companies can get your title information electronically with nothing more than the VIN. You likely won't need to have your physical title in hand when buying an insurance policy.
What is recommended for car insurance coverage?
The best case scenario is drivers having a minimum of 100/300/100 in liability coverage in addition to comprehensive and collision coverage for their own vehicle. This is enough to cover all expenses in the vast majority of accidents. Realistically, drivers should buy as much car insurance as they can reasonably afford.
Do you have to have car insurance?
If you own a car, you are required by law to have car insurance in all but two states. Beyond the legal requirements, you are responsible for paying for any damage you cause in an at-fault accident in every single state, which means not having insurance (or not having enough of it) could leave you responsible for paying tens (or even hundreds) of dollars out-of-pocket after an accident.
How do I get car insurance for the first time?
First time drivers who are teenagers are best served by being added to their parent’s auto insurance policy. Adults and teens who need to purchase a policy on their own should determine exactly how much car insurance they need, gather their documents, and work with an insurance expert to compare quotes from multiple companies.
Methodology
Policygenius has analyzed car insurance rates provided by Quadrant Information Services for every ZIP code in all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
For full coverage policies, the following coverage limits were used:
Bodily injury liability: 50/100
Property damage liability: $50,000
Uninsured/underinsured motorist: 50/100
Comprehensive: $500 deductible
Collision: $500 deductible
In some cases, additional coverages were added where required by the state or insurer.
Rates for overall average rate, rates by ZIP code, and cheapest companies determined using averages for single drivers age 30, 35, and 45. Our sample vehicle was a 2017 Toyota Camry LE driven 10,000 miles per year.
Rates for driving violations and “poor” credit were determined using average rates for a single male 30-year-old driver with a credit score under 578.
Some carriers may be represented by affiliates or subsidiaries. Rates provided are a sample of insurance costs. Your actual quotes may differ.
