After buying a used car, could I drive it right away without auto insurance?

After buying a used car, could I drive it right away without auto insurance? Do I have to have auto insurance in CA? Thank you!

Public Comments

1. DUH yes
2. A reputable dealer--and I assume there are plenty who are, and plenty who aren't--will not let you drive away without proof of registration and insurance. We accompanied a friend who bought a car from a dinky, hard-to-find dealer that seemed semi-shady to us, and they demanded proof of insurance.
3. Did you buy it from a dealer/ used car lot, etc... They usually have coverage on all of their vehicles for test drives, etc... You'd have a day or 2 after you bought the car to get insurance on it.
4. If you already have insurance it will auto, change to that car ,But you need to contact your insurance co. and advise them of new car, hope this helps.
5. Yes you have to have liability insurance in all states to legally drive a car on the public roads. Depending on your state, it's possible to drive a car off the lot without insurance but it's not very smart. You could be liable for a very large amount of money in an accident. Also, if you get stopped by a cop, some states have some pretty hefty fines for driving without insurance.
6. Sure and without license plates... No insurance no plates... Buy the insurance today and then you will have liability to drive the car. If you are getting a loan the lien holder will demand that you have collision insurance...
7. Get the insurance BEFORE you drive the car away. If you have a current policy, call your agent & add the used vehicle. If you do not have a current policy, get the year, make, model & VIN of the vehicle, call around, get quotes & buy the policy BEFORE you sign the paperwork. You have NO coverage until you get coverage. If you wait to get the coverage and have an accident on the way home with the car, you will be on here again asking the question: "I got in an accident with a car before I got the insurance, what do I do now?". What you would do is pay all the damages & bodily injury out of your own pocket - is it worth it????
8. You have to have the minimum liability insurance in California. Some dealers will include 30 days of insurance in the sale price, but this is usually only for new cars, and only if they tell you so.
9. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.