What Documents Do You Need for Car Insurance? (2024) (2024)

Most providers make it easy to buy a car insurance policy. You can visit a carrier’s website, fill out the forms and even buy your coverage online. To gather free car insurance quotes online, you’ll need to supply information about you and your vehicle so insurance carriers can accurately determine your costs.

We at the MarketWatch Guides team will outline the information you need to get auto insurance and explain factors that impact your coverage costs. We’ll also include recommendations of the best car insurance companies to help you on your search.

Learn more about our methodology and editorial guidelines.

Documents You Need To Get Car Insurance

It’s best to have all of the information and documents prepared when you’re looking for a new car insurance provider. Let’s start with the personal information many auto insurance companies require.

Personal Information

When you sign up for an insurance policy, the carrier needs to know some personal information from you. This typically includes:

• Driver’s license: You’ll need each driver’s valid driver’s license on hand. Some carriers may also ask for a picture of your ID, which you can usually send electronically.
• Date of birth: Since age can impact car insurance costs in most states, especially for teen drivers, insurance providers need to know your birth date.
• Address: You’ll need to disclose where you park or garage your vehicle because providers use this information when calculating your premiums.
• Social Security number (SSN): Carriers can use your SSN to verify the information you submitted. Providers in some states might also use it to check your credit. If you have a lower credit score, it can lead to higher rates. That said, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan prohibit insurance carriers from checking customers’ credit.

Vehicle Information

You’ll also need to supply the information on the vehicle you want insured. That includes the make, model and year. Carriers also require the vehicle identification number (VIN). You’ll find this on your registration card, etched near the windshield or on the driver’s side door. Some manufacturers have stickers with this information in those spots instead.

You should also note your vehicle’s mileage reading on the odometer. Your potential provider will want to know how many miles your vehicle has on it and an estimate of how many miles you drive every year.

Driving History

Providers will also request information about your driving record. Often, it’ll be in the form of how many accidents, moving violations (speeding) or serious violations (DUI, reckless operation) you’ve had in the past three years. The more violations you’ve had, the risker you are to the insurance company.

Information About Your Current Insurance

If you already have car insurance, details about your current coverage could reduce your costs with a new provider. Some carriers give you a discount based on how long you’ve had continuous coverage with another provider. You may also receive discounts for bundling auto coverage with another type of insurance, such as homeowners or renters, with one provider.

Financial Information

After receiving your auto insurance quote, you’ll have the option to buy the policy. Some providers allow you to do this online, while others might require you to call an agent. To finalize the process, you’ll need to supply your bank information (including routing and account numbers) to pay for the policy. If you plan to make monthly payments, you can set up automatic payments to deduct from your bank account or debit or credit card on the due date each month.

What Documents Do You Need To Change Your Insurance Coverage?

If you have a life event such as moving or adding a new driver, you’ll need to update your auto insurance information. Here are the steps to inform your insurance provider of a change:

Adding a New Driver

Adding a new driver is similar to when you signed up for your policy. Give your carrier the personal information of the driver you want to add, including their name and address, the vehicle they plan to drive and information about their driving history.

Adding a New Vehicle

When you buy a new vehicle or trade your existing one in, you’ll need to notify your insurance company. Provide the new vehicle’s VIN, make, model, year and mileage. If you buy at a dealership, you may be asked for a copy of your insurance card before completing the sale. They may contact the carrier or have you do it before letting you drive the vehicle off the lot.

Factors That Affect Car Insurance Costs

Many factors impact your insurance rates. Your insurance provider needs your personal and vehicle information to assess how much of a risk you are to insure and to determine how much to charge you for a policy.

Some of the factors that may affect your insurance premiums are:

• Location: If you live in an area prone to vehicle break-ins or where there’s a high rate of uninsured motorists, you could pay more for your policy.
• Age: Teen drivers tend to pay more for car insurance in most states because of their inexperience behind the wheel. However, as they approach the age of 25, they’ll usually see lower rates with safe driving behaviors.
• Driving record: Many providers offer discounts to drivers who haven’t been in accidents or received moving violations for the past three to five years.
• Credit history: The higher your credit score, the lower your insurance rates will typically be. However, some states don’t allow providers to check your credit.
• Gender: Women tend to receive lower insurance rates than male drivers, but six states don’t allow gender to be a factor in setting premiums.
• Marital status: Married drivers often pay less for car insurance than single drivers do, but basing rates on marital status isn’t allowed in some states.
• Vehicle: Your motor vehicle’s make, model and year affect how much you pay for insurance. Brands that have higher rates of theft may have more expensive car insurance policies.

Other things can impact car insurance costs, such as your coverage options. If you only want to meet your state’s minimum insurance requirements, you’ll pay a lower insurance rate. However, liability insurance doesn’t pay for property damage done to your vehicle or for your and your passengers’ medical bills like full coverage could.

How To Shop for Car Insurance

Whether you’re updating your policy or trying to find lower rates, it’s best to compare car insurance companies so you can get the best coverage and rate. Here’s an effective way to find the best car insurance rates for you:

Gather Quotes From Multiple Providers

Ideally, include at least three or four carriers in your research. This lets you see if any carriers are substantially cheaper or if they all ballpark your quote at around the same cost.

Look for Discounts

Some carriers offer car insurance discounts if you’re a member of the military, a veteran or an eligible family member. Geico offers discounts if you belong to certain professional organizations. If you don’t drive often, ask the insurance agent for a lower-mileage option. And don’t forget about bundling multiple policies with one carrier.

Consider Your Needs

If you drive for a ride share or use your vehicle for other business purposes, it might require special insurance. Many providers allow you to enter this information when filling a quote form out.

Once you determine the right provider at the best price for you, you can buy online, call an agent or visit a local branch to complete the paperwork.

What Documents Do You Need for Insurance?: The Bottom Line

When shopping for car insurance, you need to provide personal information including your name, address, Social Security number and driver’s license number. You also need your vehicle’s VIN, make, model, year and mileage and the type of coverage you need. Additionally, you need information about your driving history, such as if you’ve had speeding tickets or accidents.

Once you supply this information, you can receive quotes from providers. If you plan to buy your policy, supply your bank account information for payment and you’ll receive your insurance documents.

Top Auto Insurance Recommendations

When shopping for the best auto insurance coverage, compare quotes from at least three providers. We recommend starting with State Farm and Geico.

State Farm: Best Customer Experience

As the largest insurer in the U.S., State Farm has wide availability and coverage options to fit your needs. It also offers plenty of discounts, including the good student discount for full-time students earning at least a B average. State Farm’s telematics insurance program, , is another option for savings if you practice safe driving habits.

Read more: State Farm insurance review

Geico: Best for Budget-Conscious Drivers

Geico is the third largest insurer in the nation and offers some of the lowest rates across different driver profiles. It also has plenty of discounts for bundling, safe driving, military service and being a member of a professional association. The insurer’s DriveEasy program is also a great way to save on premiums if you’re a good driver. On Geico’s app, you can access ID cards, make a payment or file a claim quickly.

Read more: Geico insurance review

FAQ: What Documents Do You Need for Insurance?

Below are frequently asked questions about what documents you need for insurance.

Our Methodology

Because consumers rely on us to provide objective and accurate information, we created a comprehensive rating system to formulate our rankings of the best car insurance companies. We collected data on dozens of auto insurance providers to grade the companies on a wide range of ranking factors. The end result was an overall rating for each provider, with the insurers that scored the most points topping the list.

Here are the factors our ratings take into account:

• Cost: Auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities were both taken into consideration.
• Coverage: Companies that offer a variety of choices for insurance coverage are more likely to meet consumer needs.
• Reputation and experience: Our research team considered market share, ratings from industry experts and years in business when giving this score.
• Availability: Auto insurance companies with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements scored highest in this category.
• Customer experience: This score is based on volume of complaints reported by the NAIC and customer satisfaction ratings reported by J.D. Power. We also considered the responsiveness, friendliness and helpfulness of each insurance company’s customer service team based on our own shopper analysis.

Our credentials:

• 800 hours researched
• 45 companies reviewed
• 8,500+ consumers surveyed

*Data accurate at time of publication.