Do You Need Two Auto Policies When You Live Between States?

I move back and forth between Maine and New York throughout the year. Do I need need to have a car insurance policy in both states?

Car insurance requirements can vary from state to state. You may need a certain amount of coverage in Louisiana and a very different amount in Georgia. No matter which state you will be driving in, one thing is for certain, you will be required to have car insurance. Complying with your states insurance coverage policy is very important. Many states take their car insurance laws very seriously. If you are caught without the proper insurance for your car, you could face very costly penalties. In some states you could even risk having your car impounded, your license suspended and even jail time.

Therefore, it is best to find out the insurance requirements of the state in which you will be driving. Getting the proper insurance coverage can even protect you in the case of a car accident or car theft. It is the financial protection that will keep you from coming out of pocket if your car is damaged or stolen. It can be very easy to find out the minimum insurance requirements of your state. You can ask a car insurance company representative or you can contact your states Department of Motor Vehicles to find out the exact details. This is simple enough, however what happens when you will be living in between two states?

There are many people that are faced with this dilemma. College students that live in one state and go to college in another state often times will have their car shipped to college. Business people who are bi-coastal or have two homes each in different states are faced with the same dilemma. This dilemma could be a little confusing.

Therefore, it is always best to get the advice of the car insurance company representatives that supply car insurance for each state of your concern, because this also depends on the two states you will be driving. In some states, you only have to have a car insurance policy in the state that the car is registered. In other states it doesn’t matter the state your car is registered in, you have to have a car insurance policy for the state you are driving in at the time.

However, if your car is registered in New York but you purchased Georgia car insurance because you were driving your car there and then you and your car returned to New York, you would then have to purchase New York car insurance. This is because in New York if your car is registered there you have to have a car insurance policy through a New York insurance company otherwise you will be fined. This is where the complication comes in. Every state has different laws regarding persons who reside and drive in two different states.

It is important that you tell your car insurance company representative your specific situation so that they can provide you with the car insurance policy that will work best for you. You shouldn’t try to figure it out on your own and have to suffer the consequences later.