You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life ’ s fiscal travel. Bankrate ’ s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reviewer. Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make bright personal finance decisions. We follow hard-and-fast guidelines to ensure that our column content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team receives no mastermind compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. indeed, whether you ’ re reading an article or a reappraisal, you can trust that you ’ re getting credible and dependable data. We rate your reliance. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and indifferent information, and we have column standards in target to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters thoroughly fact-check editorial contented to ensure the information you ’ rhenium read is accurate. We maintain a firewall between our advertisers and our column team. Our column team does not receive conduct recompense from our advertisers. Bankrate follows a nonindulgent editorial policy, so you can trust that we ’ rhenium putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate subject to help you make the right fiscal decisions. All providers discussed on our site are vetted based on the value they provide. And we constantly review our criteria to ensure we ’ re putting accuracy first. Our insurance team is composed of agents, data analysts, and customers like you. They focus on the points consumers care about most — price, customer service, policy features and savings opportunities — so you can feel confident about which provider is properly for you. Bankrate follows a rigid column policy, so you can trust that we ’ re putting your interests first. All of our content is authored by highly qualify professionals and reviewed by subject matter experts, who ensure everything we publish is aim, accurate and worthy of your faith. Founded in 1976, Bankrate has a hanker track record of helping people make smart fiscal choices. We ’ ve maintained this repute for over four decades by demystifying the fiscal decision-making process and giving people assurance in which actions to take future. While we adhere to strict editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. here ‘s an explanation for how we make money. This subject is powered by HomeInsurance.com ( NPN : 8781838 ). For more information, please see our Insurance disclosure. Buying a car insurance policy when you do not have a valid driver ’ s license may seem otiose. After all, many drivers may think the only reason a driver needs car policy is if they have a valid license. however, that is not constantly the lawsuit. You can, and possibly may need to have car indemnity if you do not have a valid driver ’ sulfur license, although in many cases, finding an insurance carrier to cover you with no license indemnity will be a short harder than normal. One of the first things an indemnity company will typically request when you are inquiring about purchasing an car policy is your driver ’ mho license number, and if you do not have one, it can make the site more challenging for the carrier and for you. however, purchasing car indemnity without a license is possible, and evening necessity, in certain situations .
Reasons to buy car insurance without a license
We know it sounds leftover to suggest person who is not getting behind the wheel of a vehicle would need car insurance, but there are scenarios where having a policy without a license may be in your best interests. You may want to consider buying a no license car indemnity policy if the pursue situations apply to you :
Health reasons prevent you from driving
If you have a health condition that prevents you from driving, you may still want to consider protective covering, flush if you will not be driving your fomite for the time being. If you are putting your car in repositing for a while and your license expires while you recover, you may still want cable car policy to protect you and your vehicle in the lawsuit that anything were to happen to your car while in storage. You may besides want to keep an car policy policy if you think you may drive again in the future to avoid a backsliding in coverage, which could make your rate higher when you need insurance again. Keeping cheap car insurance rates may be much more unmanageable if your car policy lapses.
You are being driven to and from appointments, work or anywhere else
If you are a senior who has lost your license or is not comfortable drive, you might have a younger proportional or caregiver take over as your chauffeur. even if you are not the main driver for your cable car, you still need car indemnity to cover your vehicle. Because the average car indemnity cost increases with old age, it may be cheaper to let person else be the primary coil driver on a vehicle in your name. however, listing another person as the vehicle ’ s primary coil driver will not always be an option unless the person who drives you is a part of your family .
You are a student driver or only hold a provisional license
adolescent drivers with a apprentice ’ mho allow need to have car indemnity, even though they are not technically licensed. scholar drivers normally learn to drive on their parent ’ randomness vehicle, which hopefully is already insure. however, parents should consider adding their scholar driver to their car indemnity policy as a probationary driver .
You do not drive, but your student driver does
Say you purchase a cable car for your adolescent ’ s 16th birthday when they get a driver ’ mho license. even if you aren ’ t driving the fomite, the car will placid need to be insured. In about every state, you will not be able to register the car with the department of motor vehicles unless you can show validation of policy first. And if your adolescent is not previous enough to be on their own policy, they would need to be listed as a driver on the policy of person age 18 or older. Adding a adolescent to your policy can increase your rates significantly, so you may want to shop around and compare car policy quotes to see which ship’s company offers you the lowest rate .
You own a vintage vehicle that you do not drive
If you purchase a vintage car that sits in your garage, you still need to have policy on it if you want to be financially protected against damage or larceny. even if you have no intention of getting behind the wheel, you may want to purchase a policy that includes optional comprehensive examination car to cover non-collision situations, including larceny and vandalism. If you don ’ triiodothyronine drive this vehicle, it may make more smell to cover likely losses on the vehicle, like a corner falling on the garage and smashing the windshield, rather than purchasing collision policy for accidents .
Your license is suspended
If you get charged with a DUI, or have a messy drive record, it is possible that your license could get suspended. If that is the shell, you will not be able to get it back until you have shown proof of fiscal province with an SR-22 security. An SR-22 is not actually policy but is a certificate that proves to the court that you have the minimum amount of indebtedness policy required by your state .
How to buy car insurance without a license
It is possible to buy car indemnity as an unaccredited driver. however, note that many insurance companies do not offer insurance for unaccredited drivers or require extra steps if they do. hera are some tips to help you get started, although your best stake is to speak with a accredited indemnity agent .
Ask about an SR-22 certificate
If your license is suspended, you may need to file an SR-22 shape or the equivalent in your state. An SR-22 certificate is validation of indebtedness insurance that is required for drivers labeled “ high-risk. ” Although not every car insurance company offers it, you may want to research which carriers accept SR-22s if you are required to get one. This could be valuable if you are trying to buy car policy when you do not have a license because you would be labeled a bad driver under this category .
Buy a policy with someone else as a listed driver
A chief driver is the person who is the owner of the fomite or a articulation owner of a vehicle who drives the car the most. If you own a car but don ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate drive it, such as in a drive around situation, you may be able to list person else as the chief driver. Some policy companies might require that the driver is separate of your family, but speak with a license agentive role at your company to determine its requirements. You ’ ll need the person ’ s identifying information and driver ’ s license issue, but the car owner must besides be listed on the policy .
List yourself as an excluded driver on the policy
An exclude driver is person that your car insurance will not cover. For example, if you have been listed on the policy policy before but no long wish to be listed, you can be excluded from the policy by asking the insurance company to exclude yourself, although not all indemnity providers allow excluded drivers. If you do not have a valid driver ’ s license, it can be difficult to purchase car indemnity. however, you may be able to get coverage if you include person else as the primary coil driver and list yourself as an exclude driver on the policy. You can add yourself as an eject driver on the policy by informing your car insurance company that you would like to exclude yourself from the policy and add person else as the primary driver .
Parked car coverage
If you plan to park your car somewhere for a period of prison term, you may want to add park cable car coverage. Leaving your fomite for an extended period without supervision can be hazardous, particularly if there isn ’ t a valet or security precaution on-site to watch your cable car. By adding park car coverage or obtaining optional comprehensive examination coverage, you will be protected if your fomite is stolen, catches on burn, flooded or damaged by a cover incidental .
How to buy a car without a license
technically, you can buy a fomite without a driver ’ s license, but it won ’ triiodothyronine be easy. It ’ s a whole fortune less strenuous of a summons to buy a car if you do have a license, but you don ’ t have to have one to do it. The parameters in which this can happen will depend on the car franchise ’ south rules. You may need to show immediate proof of insurance for the deal to be closed. You will not even be allowed to test drive the fomite without proof of a license and policy. There are ways to buy cars without a license, though, and you will have to ask around to find out what they are in your area. however, a license driver must drive the vehicle off the lot.
Read more: Best car insurance companies for 2022
Frequently asked questions
Can you buy car insurance with a suspended license?
Yes, certain car indemnity options will be available to you with a suspend license. You will credibly need to have your insurance company file an SR-22 certificate or equivalent in your state to get your license reinstated. SR-22s are a requirement for bad drivers that proves they carry the minimum command total of indebtedness policy in their submit .
Should I have insurance if I have a car but not a license?
Yes, any vehicle you own that will be driven must be insured, even if you don ’ t have a valid driver ’ south license. That ’ s a legal prerequisite in about every state .
How much car insurance do I need?
about every country has a minimum total of cable car insurance coverage that all drivers are required to carry. Most states require drivers to carry bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage. Some states besides require drivers to have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and/or personal injury auspices ( PIP ). Before you purchase car indemnity, make sure you know what your express requires and what extra coverage you may want to purchase to protect your finances. Regardless of your state ’ s minimum requirements, most policy experts recommend purchasing full coverage car insurance. Although full coverage policy rates are higher, it provides you more fiscal security in the event of a cover personnel casualty .