I'm about to get my first car in my own name and with that comes my own insurance plan, after driving "my" car with my parents insurance for a few years. I started to fill out the online quote form for Geico, planning to do a couple different companies to get an idea of cost, and got overwhelmed when the online quote form started to ask questions about insurance history where my answer wasn't an option to choose. Things like, requiring me to list where I had insurance previously when I never had my own plan and there wasn't space for me to indicate. This made me nervous and I couldn't move forward in the form without submitting an answer even though none were accurate. Since this is my first time doing this, now I've started questioning if I've done something wrong or how I should approach getting my own insurance policy. I'm 27, never been pulled over or in any accidents. I live on my own, I've been driving "my" car from my parents since 2020, before that I was at college and didn't have a car. In high school I drove whichever car was not being used by the family that day. I feel like this situation can't be so unusual but hoping that I can still get my own coverage.
How do I start this process if online systems won't work for my situation? Was it just Geico's website that was being restrictive? Is this because my parents and I were actually doing something wrong by having me drive a car on their insurance plan that wasn't in my name? Thank you for any advice you have.
Getting my own auto insurance for the first time, feeling overwhelmed
byu/coldsnaps inInsurance
Posted by coldsnaps
4 Comments
I mean this in the nicest way
if an easy question like that frazzles you, then trying to do the entire rest of the application by yourself will go even worse because it’s full of questions like that. it will be super easy to make a financially ruinous mistake because you misunderstand a term or concept
until you understand the industry and concepts more, you’re the perfect customer to work with an insurance agent. pick a company you want to get a quote from, call them or set a meeting to visit their office in person, and you’ll be working through the application process with them. you can explain to a real person what is going on so they can enter it correctly
Talk with an independent agent and they will run quotes for you. 5-10. Trustedchoice.com
If you injure or kill others with your car, your BI (Bodily Injury) limit is all that your insurance is contractually obligated to pay on your behalf. No more.
Quote: 250/500 or 500 CSL ( Combined Single Limit) with an optional 1 or 2M Umbrella with UMBI/PD ( Un/ Underinsured Motorist/ Property Damage) if you have assets or risks.
Increase PIP (if applicable) to 250K. 250 deduct. (Protects YOU)
Older cars. Lower rates.
Would you like a basic guide for how car insurance works?
If you know nothing about insurance, take the 30 mins and sit down with an agent to go over how it works. You don’t have to do this regularly but you should do it at least once. You’re not paying them to explain how coverages work. An independent agent can then shop your quote around to different carriers and find the best price for you.
You can call GEICO directly. They are very friendly and helpful. A representative will walk you through the whole process.