Can You Get Car Insurance Without a Permanent Address?
You must provide your primary address information when getting car insurance quotes and signing up for coverage.
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In general, insurance companies require drivers to give an address when applying for car insurance. Your location helps determine car insurance rates and minimum coverage amounts since some states require more coverage than others. Where you plan to drive your car also affects risk factors that apply to your rate, like traffic, weather, and vehicle theft.1
You must provide an address that’s the same as your primary residence. To protect against fraud, car insurance companies can ask for address verification, including a recent pay stub, driver’s license, W-2 form, or utility bill, to confirm the ZIP code.
Why an address is important for car insurance
Auto insurance companies use your ZIP code to determine rates, except in states like California and Michigan that ban the practice. Your location affects different aspects of your insurance policy, including state laws about how much coverage you need and how likely you are to file a claim. That’s partly because auto insurance rates can vary widely within the same state.2
For example, imagine you live in a city with high crime rates and difficult street parking. You might pay more for insurance coverage than someone who lives a few hours away on a safe residential street with private garage parking.
The table below shows rates for different cities in Florida to illustrate how widely costs can vary by location.
How to get car insurance without a permanent address
Sometimes, your situation determines whether you can get car insurance without a permanent residence. Regardless of the circumstances, updating your insurer throughout the process is essential, especially if you’re:
Moving to a new home: If you’re in the middle of a move, give your insurance company your new address as soon as you have it. If you’re moving to a different state, you might have to get a new auto insurance policy or insurer. Moving might increase or decrease your premium. Check with your agent or car insurance company for details.
Living with friends or family: If you live with a family member or friend, you can typically use their address for car insurance. Confirm that it’s okay with the person you live with before applying.
A college student away from home: If you have a child in college, you must provide the college’s ZIP code. But you can still use your home address as the garaging address for your car.
Car insurance when living in a hotel
When applying for car insurance, you must provide an address that matches your pay stubs, utility bills, and tax returns. Because of that, you can’t get car insurance while living in a hotel. Suppose you’re living in a hotel temporarily while waiting to move into a new home or apartment within the next 30 days. In that case, you might be able to use your new address when you apply. If you can’t, you can use the new address once you sign the lease.
Car insurance when living in an Airbnb
If you live in an Airbnb, you can’t use it as your permanent address since you’ll have to provide an address that’s the same one you use for utility bills, tax returns, and government-issued licenses.
If you’re waiting to move into a new home or apartment, check with the landlord about when you can sign the lease. For example, let’s say you want to move in within 60 days, and the leasing company only requires you to sign the lease 30 days before moving in. Ask if you can sign earlier and use the address for insurance applications before moving in.
How to register a vehicle without a permanent address
Registering your car without a permanent address can take time and effort. Here are some steps to consider if you’re in that situation.
Live with friends or family. You may be able to find someone to live with while you search for a new home or apartment. Ask friends or family if you can live with them. Once you’re living with them, you have a physical address where you reside. You can likely use the address for government documents, paychecks, and car registration.
Call 211. Most states have a 211 information and referral hotline that operates 24 hours a day. The hotline can connect you with relevant free resources, including ways to find housing.
Use local resources. Many states offer community resources for people who need help with housing, food, or health. Check with your local Community Action Council.
Car insurance without permanent address FAQs
Here’s some additional information about why car insurance companies require permanent addresses and what to do if you don’t have one.
Why does a car insurance company need my address?
Car insurance companies require addresses because location is a risk factor when determining rates. Your ZIP code affects how likely you are to file a claim, get in an accident, or experience car theft.
Can you get a car insurance quote without providing an address?
Some insurers offer the option of getting an anonymous car insurance quote without providing an address. But even if you can get a quote, it won’t be as accurate as a customized quote with your exact address. Consider using a car insurance calculator or looking at the average quotes for your location.
Can you insure someone with a different address?
When applying for car insurance, you must provide the garaging address where you park your car. If your insurance company suspects that you used a different address, your insurer might ask you to provide proof of your address with a recent pay stub or utility bill.
How do you register and insure your car in a new state if you don’t have your new address yet?
Drivers typically have 30 to 90 days to switch insurance and registration when moving states, which might give you extra time to find a place to live. You can also provide your new address once you sign a lease or close on a home, even if you haven’t moved in yet. Check with your insurance company about car insurance policy options.
Can you get car insurance if you live out of your vehicle?
Car insurance companies use location to determine risk. If you don’t have a permanent address because you’re living out of your vehicle, the insurance company’s risk assessment might not be accurate.
This can be a frustrating cycle if you’re looking for housing, since you can’t register your car without insurance. You may be able to use the address of a friend or relative to obtain insurance. But if your insurer finds out you don’t actually live at the address, they can cancel your coverage.
It may be a good idea to discuss your situation with a licensed insurance agent.
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