Car Insurance With No Prior Insurance in Jonesboro, Riverdale & Morrow

Yes, you can get car insurance in Clayton County even if you've never been insured or your last policy lapsed. Many companies will quote you. You may pay more for the first policy than someone with years of continuous coverage, but the price usually gets better once you build a track record. The bigger risk is waiting, because Georgia charges fees and can suspend your registration when a car goes uninsured.

Here's what drivers in Jonesboro, Riverdale, Morrow, Forest Park and the rest of Clayton County should know.

How Georgia finds out about a lapse

Georgia doesn't rely on you showing an insurance card at the tag office. Insurance companies report coverage electronically to the Georgia Department of Revenue, and insurers have 30 days to send new policy information. When a registered vehicle goes without Georgia liability coverage for more than 10 days, the state treats it as a lapse and mails a notice to the owner.

There is no lapse if your new policy starts on the same day the old one ended. That's why it pays to line up the new policy before the old one cancels.

The fees if your coverage lapsed

According to the Georgia Department of Revenue:

• A lapse comes with a $25 lapse fee, due within 30 days of the letter's date.
• If it isn't paid in time, your registration is suspended.
• To reinstate it after a first or second suspension within five years, you pay the $25 lapse fee plus a $60 reinstatement fee, along with any registration fees or taxes due.
• A third suspension within five years raises the reinstatement fee to $160.

You pay these at the county tag office where you live, which for Clayton County residents is the Clayton County Tax Commissioner's tag office. Driving with a suspended registration is a criminal offense in Georgia, so don't drive the car until it's insured and reinstated.

If a car isn't being driven at all, for example it was sold or totaled, you can cancel the registration to avoid future lapse fees. The Department of Revenue explains how on its site.

Why "no prior insurance" raises the price

Most insurers give a discount for continuous coverage, because to them a driver with a long insurance history is a safer bet. When you don't have that history, some companies charge more and a few won't quote at all. Common situations we hear about:

• First-time drivers and adults buying their first car
• People new to the U.S. with no American insurance history
• Drivers who let a policy go during a job change or a tight month
• People who were listed on a family member's policy and now need their own

None of these are dealbreakers. They just narrow the list of companies that will offer a good price.

Steps to get covered quickly

1. Get quotes before you need to drive. If you're buying a car, have a policy ready to start the same day.
2. Bring any proof of past coverage, even from another state or country, or a declarations page showing you were on a relative's policy. Some insurers give credit for it.
3. Start with what Georgia requires. That's at least 25/50/25 liability. If the car is financed, the lender will also require comprehensive and collision.
4. Deal with the lapse letter. Pay the lapse fee on time so a small problem doesn't turn into a suspended registration.
5. Set up autopay so a missed payment doesn't create a new lapse.
6. Re-shop after six to twelve months of continuous coverage. More companies compete for you once you have a history.

What to have ready for a quote

• A valid driver's license (Georgia, another state or international)
• The vehicle's year, make, model or VIN
• Your home address in Clayton County
• Any tickets or accidents from the last few years
• Any proof of prior coverage you have

Where to get help near Clayton County

An agency that shops several insurance companies can save you a lot of calls, because each company has its own rules about prior insurance. For many Clayton County residents, the Velox Insurance Stockbridge office on North Henry Boulevard is a short drive, and the team works with drivers who have no prior insurance or a lapse. You can read our full review of Velox Insurance McDonough & Stockbridge to see if it's a fit.

For more on this topic, see our statewide guide to car insurance with no prior insurance in Georgia.

The bottom line

No prior insurance is common, and it's fixable. Get covered before you drive, pay any lapse fee before it turns into a suspension, and keep your coverage continuous from here on. Every month without a gap helps your future rates.