Buying a new car can be a very exciting time, but it can also come with some very important tasks as well. One of those is important things that need to be done is securing auto insurance. It is mandatory that you have auto insurance if you plan to operate and register an automobile in New York State. If you do not keep your insurance up to date and valid, the state can suspend your registration.

Liability Insurance Minimums

There are multiple types of insurance available but the minimum coverage needed to operate a vehicle in New York is auto liability insurance.

-$10,000 for property damage for a single accident

-$25,000 for bodily injury and $50,000 for death for a person involved in an accident

-$50,000 for bodily injury and $100,000 for death for two or more people in an accident 

Things To Consider 

There are some important things to remember when it comes to insurance in the state of New York. Your insurance must remain active even if you’re not using your vehicle. The company issuing your insurance coverage must also be licensed in the state of New York, and be issued in the name of the person that is responsible for the vehicle registration.

Although you can choose to opt for other other types of insurance, you must at least have liability insurance to register a vehicle. Your insurance company will provide proof of insurance by providing you an insurance card, either a hard copy or digital version. Or it will send a notice of coverage to the DMV.

It is imperative that you register your vehicle with the DMV within 180 days of your insurance start date. You’ll need to bring a copy of your insurance card to register your vehicle and keep one copy in your vehicle at all times. It is important that you have this in your vehicle as anyone driving your car will need to provide proof of insurance while they are diving.

In New York, out-of-state vehicle insurance coverage of any type is not accepted. If your vehicle is registered in New York, it must have New York State auto liability insurance coverage. This goes for any type of vehicle being operated in the state including motorcycles.

Contact Us Today! 

Whether you are a brand new licensed drive or are relocating from a different state, it’s important to know the rules and regulations of driving in New York as well as have the proper insurance coverage to do so.  We want to make sure you are safe and covered, so reach out to Willoughby Insurance in Buffalo, NY today!