Can you get car insurance without a license?

Why you can buy car insurance without a license

You can buy car insurance without a license because state law attaches insurance to the vehicle and its registration. New York requires New York liability insurance to register a car, and the insurance and registration must show exactly the same name.^[1] Florida requires proof of personal injury protection before you register a vehicle with four or more wheels.^[2] California suspends a registration when the DMV has no proof of insurance for the vehicle.^[3] None of these rules ask whether the owner drives.

Washington is an example of the other approach: there the duty falls on the person operating the vehicle, who must be insured.^[4] Either way, someone licensed has to be insured to drive the car.

Excluded drivers and named driver exclusions

A named driver exclusion is a written agreement that the policy will not cover a specific person while they drive. California's Insurance Code allows it for a natural person designated by name.^[5] Unlicensed owners often exclude themselves so the insurer prices the policy on the licensed driver. If an excluded person drives anyway, the insurer can deny the claim, so the exclusion only works if they truly do not drive.

Car insurance without a license for permit holders and teens

Learner's permit holders are usually covered as household members rather than buying their own policy. The Texas Department of Insurance tells families to tell their insurer when someone starts driving or turns 16, and some companies require every driving-age household member on the policy.^[6] In California the adult who signs a minor's license application takes on liability for that minor's driving,^[7] which is why parents put teen drivers on their policy. Expect a big increase: teen drivers cost roughly 2.60 times an adult in regulators' price surveys; the car insurance calculator shows what that means in your state.

Steps to get car insurance without a license

1. Decide who will drive the car and make sure they are licensed.
2. Call insurers or agents directly; online forms often require a license number. Explain the situation up front.
3. List the licensed driver as primary, and ask whether you should be listed or excluded.
4. Register the car in the name on the policy; the names must match in many states.
5. If your license was suspended, ask whether your state requires an SR-22 filing to reinstate it.

If you do not own a car but need insurance to drive borrowed cars or reinstate a license, read how to get car insurance without a car. Typical premiums by state are on average cost of auto insurance.