Driver Situation Guides

Situation guides

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Situation guide

After an accident

What actually changes on your policy after an accident, when it changes, and how long the accident can matter.

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Situation guide

After a DUI

What happens to insurance after a DUI: when insurers learn, renewal vs cancellation vs nonrenewal, whether SR-22 or FR-44 is required, state-specific filing durations, license reinstatement interaction, shopping after a DUI, and what happens if coverage lapses during a required filing period.

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Situation guide

Adding a teen driver

What actually changes when you add a newly licensed teen to your household policy: when to disclose, permit vs licensed treatment, whether the teen needs their own policy, vehicle assignment, coverage-limit implications, discounts, telematics, what changes at college, and how to compare the updated household premium.

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Situation guide

First-time buyer

What is different about buying car insurance for the first time: information insurers ask for, prior-insurance history and continuous coverage, household disclosure on your own policy, choosing coverage for a first policy, financed and leased vehicle requirements, deductibles, discounts, telematics, proof of insurance and effective date, how to compare first-policy quotes, and common first-time-buyer mistakes.

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Situation guide

After a lapse in coverage

What happens after a car insurance lapse: what counts as a lapse, cancellation vs nonrenewal vs expiration, missed-payment lapses, reinstatement, how a lapse can affect underwriting, what happens if the vehicle was driven uninsured, registration and license consequences where they apply, when SR-22 becomes relevant, financed and leased vehicle implications, force-placed insurance, and how to get insured again without opening another gap.

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Situation guide

Moving to another state

What actually changes when you move to another state: whether the existing policy can continue, when the insurer needs the new garaging address, whether a rewrite in the new state is required, how state coverage rules can change, registration and insurance sequencing, what to do if your insurer does not write in the new state, avoiding a coverage gap, financed and leased vehicle mechanics, moving multiple household vehicles, and temporary vs permanent moves.

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Situation guide

Buying a car

The insurance transition triggered by acquiring a vehicle: when to arrange coverage relative to purchase, replacement vs additional vehicle, newly-acquired-vehicle policy provisions, VIN timing, lienholder handling, collision and comprehensive at purchase, gap vs new car replacement at the moment of purchase, proof of insurance for delivery, trading in the old vehicle, and how to add the new vehicle without accidentally removing the wrong one.

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Situation guide

Leasing a car

What actually changes about car insurance because the vehicle is leased: state minimums vs lease-contract requirements, lessor-imposed liability limits, collision and comprehensive obligations, deductible caps, lessor as loss payee, whether GAP is included in the lease, proof of insurance before delivery, force-placed insurance if coverage lapses, what happens when the lease ends, and early termination or total loss at a high level.

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Situation guide

When your car is totaled

What happens after an insurer determines a vehicle is a total loss: what total loss means, who decides, ACV valuation at a high level, deductible interaction, reviewing and disputing the insurer’s valuation, financed vs leased vehicle payoff paths, GAP vs New Car Replacement, salvage retention as a state-specific mechanic, rental-car transition, and replacing the vehicle.

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Situation guide

Accident that wasn’t your fault

The routing decision when you believe another party caused the accident: first-party vs third-party claim, how fault is investigated, deductible interaction and subrogation, the uninsured or underinsured driver path, hit-and-run handling, rental and loss-of-use, injury claim routing, what happens when insurers disagree, and comparative or contributory negligence as state-variable concepts.

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Situation guide

When your car is stolen

The insurance journey after a vehicle theft: reporting to police and insurer, why comprehensive is the theft coverage, the policy-defined waiting period, the recovered vs not-recovered branch, ACV settlement at a high level, financed and leased vehicle mechanics, GAP vs New Car Replacement, rental reimbursement only where carried, personal belongings scope, and what happens if the vehicle is recovered after settlement.

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Situation guide

After a speeding ticket

A single speeding ticket raises premiums by about 24 percent on average. What to do in the first 30 days, how traffic school keeps a citation off your MVR, and the three severity brackets.

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Situation guide

Hit-and-run victim

UM-BI pays your medical bills; UM-PD pays your car repair in some states; collision pays regardless of fault with your deductible. The 5-step playbook and state UM-PD rules.

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Situation guide

Getting married

Married drivers pay 6 to 15 percent less than single drivers of the same age and record. Combining to a household policy stacks a 10 to 25 percent multi-car discount. When to combine vs keep separate.

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Situation guide

At-fault accident

Who pays what when you caused the crash: liability covers the other party, collision covers your car (less deductible), average surcharge is 44 percent for 3 to 5 years. How fault is determined.

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Situation guide

Divorce or separation

Each spouse should hold their own policy before the address change. 5 timing steps; community-property state notes; keeping household rates while assets separate.

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Situation guide

Parked car was hit

Note-left vs hit-and-run paths. UM-PD cap considerations in CA (hard $3,500 cap on uninsured property damage). Specific sub-case distinct from the general hit-and-run guide.

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Situation guide

Business use and delivery

The 3-tier structure: occasional business use (built-in), delivery/rideshare endorsement, or commercial auto. When each tier applies and the premium math.

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Situation guide

Vehicle in long-term storage

Drop liability and collision, keep comprehensive, and verify your lender permits it. State lapse rules (CA PNO, IL SR-7, NY plate surrender) and when specialty classic-car policies win.

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Situation guide

Selling your car

The seller carries risk until the title transfer is recorded. Keep coverage through recordation, file Notice of Sale same day, request pro-rata refund. Plate handling by state model.

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Situation guide

After a license suspension

Two-stage problem: coverage during suspension (vehicle registered requires liability or non-op filing), then SR-22 or FR-44 filing before reinstatement. Rate impact 15 to 150 percent by underlying offense.

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Situation categories

What we cover in this family

Situation guides fall into a handful of categories. Each category page is published as it clears our evidence standards.

• Accidents and claims
• Traffic violations
• Coverage lapses
• New and young drivers
• Senior drivers
• Household changes
• Driving-use changes

How we cover it

What every situation guide answers

• What changes. A concrete list of policy, record, and eligibility effects of the event.
• Why it depends. The factors that decide the exact answer for you.
• Scenarios. Realistic reader situations and the typical outcome for each.
• Important exceptions. Cases where the general answer changes materially.
• What to do. Actionable steps a driver can take now.