Jessica Sautter

Content Writer

Jessica Sautter has a Bachelor’s Degree from Eastern Michigan University in Elementary Education with a Major in Reading and a Minor in Mathematics.

Content Writer

Natasha McLachlan

Content Writer

Natasha McLachlan is a writer who currently lives in Southern California. She is an alumna of California College of the Arts, where she obtained her B.A. in Writing and Literature. Her current work revolves around auto insurance guides and informational articles. She truly enjoys helping others learn more about everyday, practical matters through her work.

Content Writer

UPDATED: Oct 1, 2020

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It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about car insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything car insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by car insurance experts.

UPDATED: Oct 1, 2020

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

Most of the time Car Dealers will Have Special Cover in Place!

If you test drive a vehicle from a licensed car dealership, you will not have to be concerned in terms of insurance coverage. If you do get into an accident, the dealership’s coverage will ensure that their vehicle is properly repaired and depending on the circumstances will cover other vehicles that are involved as well even if the accident was your fault. However, this should not be seen as some type of permission to drive recklessly or with abandon.

A solution for individuals..

You will need test drive car insurance if you are driving a vehicle that is owned by an individual whose insurance does not cover you. A named operator policy may be the answer as the insurance will cover you when operating someone else’s vehicle if their insurance does not apply. If you are purchasing from an individual, you may need to obtain some type of insurance in order to be properly covered. This means that you should not simply believe the person that you are test driving the vehicle.

For first-time car buyers, it may be best to purchase from a licensed car dealership for the peace of mind in being covered just in case the worst should happen during a test drive.

How old do you have to be in order to go for a test drive?

Many states and dealerships have their laws and practices involving their age for allowing drivers to test drive their vehicles. In most situations, you will need to be at least 18 years old to test drive a vehicle. However, some dealerships might allow people 16 to test drive a car if they are accompanied by a parent or other adult.

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What happens if you get into a vehicle wreck during a test drive?

Practices for handling an auto accident when test driving is the same as they would be if you wreck your vehicle. You will need to exchange information with the other driver and take pictures of the incident to prove liability. From there, insurance companies will kick in and go through the rest of the process.

What happens from an insurance standpoint?

All dealerships have a test drive insurance policy that is intended to cover anyone who takes one of the vehicles off the lot. If you are at fault, you may be required to use your auto insurance in order to pay for the damages or injuries caused. This will typically be a matter of proving fault, which is why you should always be willing and able to prove your case.

Consider these points as you look to test drive a vehicle.

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Jessica Sautter

Content Writer

Jessica Sautter has a Bachelor’s Degree from Eastern Michigan University in Elementary Education with a Major in Reading and a Minor in Mathematics.

Content Writer

Natasha McLachlan

Content Writer

Natasha McLachlan is a writer who currently lives in Southern California. She is an alumna of California College of the Arts, where she obtained her B.A. in Writing and Literature. Her current work revolves around auto insurance guides and informational articles. She truly enjoys helping others learn more about everyday, practical matters through her work.

Content Writer

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about car insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything car insurance-related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by car insurance experts.