Changing To A New Car Insurance Policy

By Marty Allen

Auto insurance policies can be terminated for any number of reasons. Getting rid of an old car, moving to a different state, or just changing to a different insurance company are all legitimate reasons. The important thing is to do it properly.

For most insurance companies, the standard practice is to allow you to cancel your policy at any time during by sending written notice with the date you want cancellation to be. Insurance policies don't necessarily end at the end of the policy term, so you don't want to assume that you are cancelling by simply failing to pay your next bill.

You should also check your policy carefully, as it may not be entirely clear. Insurance companies will generally be very quick to tell you that your coverage stops at the end of the policy period if you don't pay your premium, but they may not be so quick to let you know of the penalties you can incur for not providing formal notice of your policy termination.

You should also keep in mind is that your chances of obtaining auto coverage in the future may be impacted is your car insurance policy is canceled. A policy cancellation in your insurance history may end up getting you labeled as a high-risk applicant. Usually though you can avoid this trap by officially terminating your policy properly and in a timely manner.

If you're planning to switch coverage to a different insurer, and you want to continue to drive your car throughout the process, you'll have to make sure you don't allow a lapse in your car insurance coverage. Be careful to coordinate your new policy's start date on or before the termination date of your old policy.

As long as you notify your old insurance company in writing when you want to cancel their policy, and follow whatever their termination guidelines and time frame is, you shouldn't have to worry about any potential negative repercussions or penalties. - 21396

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