What to Do About Car Insurance When You’re Moving Out of State
Moving out of state can be exciting, even though it’s always bittersweet to leave Bay Harbor Islands. But what about car insurance? If you own your own vehicle, you have insurance — it’s required by law. But what happens when you move away from Florida? Will you need new insurance? The answer is usually “yes.”
What to Do After Your Out of State Move
If you’re moving away from Florida permanently, you’ll need to do a few things about your license plate, your insurance, and other things related to your car.
First, you’ll need to hand in your Florida plates so they can be cancelled. You can do this by taking them to a county tax office near Bay Harbor Islands. If you’ve already left Florida, you can mail your plates, along with a letter requesting their cancellation.
You’ll have around 30 to 90 days to register your vehicle in the new state. You should use this time to figure out your car insurance situation. But, there’s a major caveat here: do not cancel your old insurance policy before instating your new one. You should never, ever drive without an insurance policy, especially across state lines. This is actually illegal, and if you were in a car accident or pulled over for speeding, your license could be in jeopardy. Plus, accidents are very, very costly without car insurance.
If you choose to stay with the same provider, your policy may still change after your interstate move. Every state differs in its laws and policies, which could increase or decrease your insurance rates. It’s also possible that you’ll be commuting a greater or lesser distance, which might also affect your rates.
In some cases, you may find that your old Florida car insurance provider doesn’t operate in your new state. In that case, you’ll need to shop around for a new auto insurance company.
To register your vehicle in the new state, you’ll need to show proof of insurance, and the policy must be in your new state, not Florida. This is why that 30-90 day period is important for figuring out your new insurance. You won’t be able to register your car after the grace period unless you’ve already changed or updated your insurance policy.
For more information, the DMV.org website has “New to Your State” sections for each of the 50 US states, which will give you more information about what you need to do about your registration and insurance in each particular state. Every state is different, so it’s important to look into what your particular state needs. The DMV offers information about state vehicle inspections, driver’s licenses, insurance, registration, and where to find a DMV near your new home.
Moving Out of State? We’re Here to Help
At Orange Movers, we help Bay Harbor Islands residents successfully manage a smooth, problem-free out-of-state move. To find out more, call us any time, or fill out our online contact form to get in touch with a helpful representative.
