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The Daily Insight

Is insurance cheaper on a financed car?

Author

Rachel Newton

Updated on February 25, 2026

Is insurance cheaper on a financed car?

Strictly speaking, there is no additional cost for auto insurance if you have a loan on a car—as long as the coverage is the same in both cases. And that can cause your auto insurance premiums to be considerably higher.

Is car insurance included in a car loan?

Yes, everyone who finances a vehicle must maintain full coverage auto insurance for the life of their loan. The lender still, technically, owns any vehicle that still has a balance left on the loan. Lenders require clients to maintain full coverage auto insurance to protect their investment.

Can I buy a car with an insurance quote?

However, any auto insurance quotes you’ll get will be much more specific to you. Can you get an auto insurance quote before buying a car? You can — and should — get a free car insurance quote before purchasing a vehicle.

What is full coverage on a financed car?

Full coverage insurance is an insurance policy that protects your vehicle from accident-related and non-accident-related damage, ensuring you are covered regardless of fault. Full coverage insurance often consists of collision insurance, comprehensive insurance, and at least the minimum coverage required by state law.

Does paying off your car lower your credit score?

The best scores go to people who have a long history of on-time payments on installment loans and credit cards. So paying off your car loan — or paying it off early — could actually result in your score dropping a bit.

Do dealerships require full coverage insurance?

Auto lenders impose the full coverage requirement because they want the vehicles they finance, which are technically still their assets, to be protected with the most insurance coverage possible so they can collect the vehicle’s value in case of an accident or theft of the car.

What happens when you total a financed car without insurance?

If You Don’t Have Insurance If you do total your financed car in an accident while you don’t have car insurance, you will have to continue to make loan payments until your loan is paid off. You will also have to pay for all accident-related expenses (medical bills, property damage) out of pocket.

Do I have to buy insurance before buying a car?

If you’re shopping for a new car and you don’t have an existing car insurance policy, you need to make sure you have insurance coverage before you drive your new ride home. Yes, even if you’ve just bought a brand new vehicle, you must have car insurance before you can drive it off the lot.

Do I need gap insurance if I have full coverage?

Yes, you need gap insurance if you have full coverage and still owe money on a car loan or lease. Gap insurance is needed even if you have full coverage because full coverage does not cover the difference between what you owe on a loan/lease and the car’s actual cash value, like gap insurance does.

Is it smart to pay off your car early?

Paying off your loan sooner means it will eventually free up your monthly cash for other expenses when the loan is paid off. It also lowers your car insurance payments, so you can use the savings to stash away for a rainy day, pay off other debt or invest.

Is it bad to pay off a car loan early?

Paying off the loan early can reduce the total interest you pay. (If you have a precomputed interest loan, the total amount of interest you’ll pay was calculated and fixed at the start of the loan, so even if you pay off the loan early, you still have to pay that precomputed interest.)