120+ more){kind=small}
7+ years in personal finance writing
Certified Financial Education Instructor
Jessica is a freelance writer, professional researcher, and mother of two rambunctious little boys. Her work has appeared in Time’s Stamped personal finance marketplace, Consumer Affairs, Forbes Advisor, Money Under 30 and more.
Jessica specializes in personal finance, women and money, and financial literacy. Jessica is fascinated by the psychology of money and what drives people to make important financial decisions. As an Insurify contributor since July 2023, she’s written hundreds of articles aimed at helping readers make informed decisions about insurance.
She holds a Masters of Science degree in Cognitive Research Psychology, and is a National Financial Educators Council Certified Financial Education Instructor.
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Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 21630969
MacKenzie Korris is an insurance copy editor with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in Missouri.
){kind=small}
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
Updated
Some insurance companies offer a grace period when you add a new car to an existing policy. In Oregon, drivers typically have 14 days to tell their insurer about a new vehicle. If you don’t have physical damage coverage on another car, then the grace period drops to four days.[1] Physical damage coverage generally includes collision and comprehensive coverage.
But not all insurers offer a grace period, so speak to your agent for details.
Liability policies average $91/mo.
Drivers typically have 14 days to add a new car to an existing insurance policy that includes physical damage coverage. If your current policy doesn’t include physical damage coverage, this drops to four days.
Ideally, you should notify your car insurance company as soon as possible when you buy a new car. It’s illegal to drive without car insurance in Oregon, and you can face traffic violations, potential license suspension, and SR-22 financial responsibility requirements.[2]
If you purchase a new car and don’t have an existing car insurance policy, the grace period doesn’t apply. In this case, you need to purchase car insurance immediately if you buy a new vehicle and don’t have an existing policy.
The following table shows the typical grace period in Oregon for different situations.
Situation | Typical Grace Period in Oregon |
|---|---|
| Adding/replacing a new car | 4–14 days |
| No existing policy | No grace period |
Whether you automatically have coverage when you buy a new-to-you car depends on your existing policy and the type of car insurance coverage you have.
In Oregon, you may have automatic coverage for 14 days after purchasing a vehicle, but only if you have a full-coverage policy, which includes collision and comprehensive insurance.
Collision coverage protects your vehicle if you’re in a crash, regardless of who’s at fault. Comprehensive coverage protects your vehicle from non-collision damage, such as fire, animal collisions, and vandalism.
If you have only minimum liability coverage, an insurer will limit the grace period to four days. Again, grace periods can vary by insurer, so make sure to confirm this with your agent.
If you buy a new car and don’t have an existing auto insurance policy, you don’t have any automatic car insurance coverage. You need to purchase a policy before driving off the lot. In some cases, the dealership might require proof of coverage before you’re able to leave with the vehicle.
To ensure you have the proper coverage after acquiring a new vehicle, ask your insurer if it offers a grace period and what type of protection it provides.
During the grace period, your new vehicle may receive coverage under your existing policy. If you carry minimum car insurance in Oregon, this includes bodily injury liability and property damage liability insurance, personal injury protection (PIP), and uninsured motorist coverage. With minimum coverage, the grace period can be as short as four days. You might also have different deductibles or policy limits during the grace period.
If your policy includes full-coverage insurance, your coverage may extend for up to 14 days. Since coverage varies between policies, the Oregon Division of Financial Regulation recommends contacting your insurer as soon as possible after purchasing a car.
To add a new car to your Oregon insurance policy, follow these steps:
Contact your insurance company. Ideally, you want to contact your insurance company and arrange coverage before you drive your new car off the lot. This way, you don’t have to worry about the details of the grace period.
Provide your information. Your insurer will likely ask for the vehicle identification number (VIN), your license plate number, and the make and model of your new vehicle.
Confirm when coverage begins. Ask your insurer when coverage begins. You can also confirm whether a grace period is available and, if so, how long it lasts and what it covers.
Review your coverage options. If you only have a minimum car insurance policy, you might want to add full coverage when you buy a new car. If you lease or finance your vehicle, your lender might require collision and comprehensive coverage. You can also consider optional coverage, such as roadside assistance or a rental car.
Review your policy limits. You should also review your policy limits and deductibles. You may want to increase your coverage limits to provide more protection.
Failing to add your new car to your insurance policy within the grace period can result in driving without coverage. It’s illegal to drive without minimum coverage, and doing so could result in traffic violations and possible license suspension.
If you’re in an at-fault accident and don’t have coverage, you risk having to pay out of pocket for any injuries or damages. If a court judge convicts you of driving without coverage, you may have to file an SR-22 certificate to show proof of insurance coverage.
A lapse in coverage can show up on your driving record and can result in higher insurance premiums when you go to get a policy in the future because insurers will view you as a high-risk driver. Maintaining continuous coverage can help you avoid penalties for driving without insurance and higher rates.
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Below are some tips to help you avoid a lapse in coverage and its consequences:
Talk to your insurer before buying a car. If you’re planning to purchase a car, contact your insurer ahead of time. Ask how the process works and if your policy provides temporary coverage.
Understand the grace period. Ask if your insurer offers a grace period. If so, ask how long it is and what it covers.
Set your coverage start date in advance. If you know when you plan to purchase a car, you can set a future start date for your policy. You don’t have to rely on the grace period.
Meet minimum insurance requirements. Make sure you meet Oregon’s minimum insurance requirements. Consider adding extra coverage to protect your new vehicle.
Get proof of coverage. Once you’ve added the vehicle to your policy, get an updated insurance card and store it where you can easily access it.
Below, you’ll find more information about grace periods and how to find the best car insurance in the Beaver State.
No. It’s illegal to drive a car in Oregon without minimum insurance coverage. Minimum liability coverage is 25/50/20. It also includes $15,000 per person in personal injury protection (PIP), which helps cover your medical expenses after a crash, plus $25,000 per injured person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist coverage.[3]
Yes. You can typically file a claim with your car insurance company if it occurs during the active grace period. This is typically 14 days if your active policy includes physical damage coverage, and four days if it doesn’t.
No. In Oregon, drivers typically have a 14-day grace period. If their current policy doesn’t include physical damage coverage, insurers limit the grace period to four days. Grace periods can vary between insurers, so make sure you contact your insurance agent to understand your policy.
Yes. If your insurer offers a grace period, you can generally drive your new car during this time. Again, it’s best to confirm the details of your grace period with your insurer before you drive your new vehicle.
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 250 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
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7+ years in personal finance writing
Certified Financial Education Instructor
Jessica is a freelance writer, professional researcher, and mother of two rambunctious little boys. Her work has appeared in Time’s Stamped personal finance marketplace, Consumer Affairs, Forbes Advisor, Money Under 30 and more.
Jessica specializes in personal finance, women and money, and financial literacy. Jessica is fascinated by the psychology of money and what drives people to make important financial decisions. As an Insurify contributor since July 2023, she’s written hundreds of articles aimed at helping readers make informed decisions about insurance.
She holds a Masters of Science degree in Cognitive Research Psychology, and is a National Financial Educators Council Certified Financial Education Instructor.
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
10+ years editing experience
NPN: 21630969
MacKenzie Korris is an insurance copy editor with a producer’s license for property and casualty insurance in Missouri.
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
4+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.
