{"id":2239,"date":"2024-10-10T10:04:25","date_gmt":"2024-10-10T17:04:25","guid":{"rendered":"\/wp-site\/?p=2239"},"modified":"2025-01-28T14:38:30","modified_gmt":"2025-01-28T22:38:30","slug":"car-insurance-down-payment","status":"publish","type":"car-insurance","link":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/car-insurance\/car-insurance-down-payment\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Buy No Down Payment Car Insurance?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You always have to make a payment to start a new <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/\">car insurance<\/a> policy, so in that sense, there\u2019s no such thing as \u201cno down payment car insurance.\u201d But the amount you have to put down can vary \u2014 some insurance companies require you to pay a percent of your total premium up front, while others only require the first of your monthly premium payments to activate the policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"car-insurance-companies-require-a-payment-to-start-a-policy\">What is no down payment car insurance?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>All reputable car insurance providers require payment to start your policy, so \u201cno down payment car insurance\u201d doesn\u2019t technically exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some auto insurance companies advertise \u201cno down payment\u201d or \u201clow down payment\u201d policies. Usually, this means the insurer doesn\u2019t charge additional onboarding fees, but you still have to make a payment (your first monthly installment or the full policy cost) to activate coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-much-is-a-car-insurance-down-payment\">Why car insurers require payment to start a policy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The primary reason insurers require a down payment is to help offset some of the company\u2019s risk in covering month-to-month customers. This ensures that there\u2019s at least some revenue coming in if customers <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/car-insurance-claim\/\">file a claim<\/a> shortly after beginning a new policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"car-insurance-down-payments-cost\">How much do car insurance down payments cost?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The cost of your car insurance down payment depends on the total cost of your car insurance policy and whether you\u2019re paying your premium in installments or all at once at the start of your policy. An insurer may also consider information like your credit or driving history to determine your deposit amount.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jerry-cta\"><div class=\"flex flex-col items-start gap-4 rounded-xl border border-zinc-200 px-12 py-8 md:flex-row md:items-center md:gap-14\"><div class=\"flex-1\"><span class=\"text-xl font-black text-gray-900\">SIMPLIFY YOUR CAR INSURANCE IN MINUTES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"flex-1\"><a href=\"\/signup\" class=\"bg-primary block w-full rounded-full px-14 py-2 text-center font-black text-white hover:no-underline\">Find savings now<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"paying-your-premium-up-front-vs.-monthly\">How paying your premium up front vs. monthly affects the down payment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you choose to pay your premium in monthly installments, your down payment will be the cost of the first installment, plus any additional onboarding fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you pay your car insurance premium in full, the \u201cdown payment\u201d will be the total premium for that policy term. Insurers usually charge lower rates to drivers who pay in full than those who pay monthly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two reasons that paying your premium in a lump sum can help you save over the life of your policy:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You may get a paid-in-full discount. <\/strong>Many insurance companies offer discounts for paying your six-month or annual premium in full at the start of your policy term.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You could avoid installment fees.<\/strong> An installment fee is an additional charge that an insurer may add to your premium when you split it into multiple payments. If you pay all at once, you won\u2019t be charged installment fees.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tips-to-lower-your-car-insurance-premium\">Tips to lower your car insurance premium \u2014 and down payment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Because the down payment is a portion of the total premium, the key to a low down payment is a low premium. Here are some tips to find a low-cost policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Shop around.<\/strong> No two insurers calculate premiums the same way, meaning it pays to get quotes from multiple providers as you search for an affordable rate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Look for discounts.<\/strong> Many car insurance companies offer <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/car-insurance-discounts\/\">discounts<\/a>, and these offerings can change over time. For instance, you could save by bundling your homeowners and auto insurance or being a safe driver. Ask an agent if you\u2019re missing out on any opportunities to reduce your rate.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keep a clean driving history.<\/strong> &#8220;High risk&#8221; drivers pay higher rates than drivers with clean records. The longer you go without an accident, traffic violation or insurance claim, the more likely you are to find savings.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Consider a higher deductible. <\/strong>Drivers who choose higher deductibles get lower premiums, but tread carefully with this option. If you\u2019re in an accident, you may have to come up with the cost of the deductible quickly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jerry-cta\"><div class=\"flex flex-col items-start gap-4 rounded-xl border border-zinc-200 px-12 py-8 md:flex-row md:items-center md:gap-14\"><div class=\"flex-1\"><span class=\"text-xl font-black text-gray-900\">SIMPLIFY YOUR CAR INSURANCE IN MINUTES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"flex-1\"><a href=\"\/signup\" class=\"bg-primary block w-full rounded-full px-14 py-2 text-center font-black text-white hover:no-underline\">Find savings now<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jerry-meet-experts\" data-wp-interactive=\"jerry\/meet-experts\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;modalVisible&quot;:false}\">\n  <div class=\"font-circular text-2xl font-extrabold text-slate-900\">Expert-driven. Built for you.<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-3\">\n    <div class=\"flex justify-between items-center py-3 border-b border-neutral-200 cursor-pointer font-semibold text-gray-900\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.toggleModal\">\n  <button class=\"text-left text-base\" type=\"button\">\n    Why you can count on Jerry&#8217;s articles  <\/button>\n\n  <div class=\"transition data-[visible=true]:md:rotate-180 text-xs iconify i--chevron-down text-gray-500\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"modal-backdrop fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-50 overflow-hidden overscroll-contain bg-black\/70 font-body transition-transform delay-100 duration-0 md:relative md:z-auto [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:bg-black\/0 [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onModalInit\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n  <div class=\"modal-view fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 flex max-h-[75%] w-full flex-col rounded-t-3xl bg-white pb-7 pl-7 pt-3.5 transition md:relative md:rounded-none md:pl-0 md:transition-none [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n    <div class=\"modal-header md:hidden flex justify-between items-center pb-1 mb-1 border-b border-zinc-200\">\n      <div class=\"modal-title text-base font-semibold\">Summary<\/div>\n\n      <div\n        class=\"modal-close-btn wp-block-group w-11 h-11 mr-2.5 content-center text-center\"\n        data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"iconify i--close text-gray-500 cursor-pointer\"><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"modal-body pr-7 overflow-y-auto\"><div class=\"wp-block-template-part\"><div class=\"flex flex-row items-center gap-2.5 rounded-lg bg-gray-pink px-4 py-5\">\n  <span class=\"iconify mt-0.5 shrink-0 self-start text-xs text-primary i--shield-check\"><\/span>\n\n  <div>\n    <div class=\"font-body text-xs font-bold text-primary\">Our goal is clear, trustworthy information.<\/div>\n    <div class=\"mt-1 font-body text-xs text-gray-600\">\n      Our content is created, edited and fact checked by a team of licensed insurance agents, automotive pros and\n      experienced journalists who know the industry inside and out. Facts are thoroughly researched, verified and kept\n      current, and our editorial team is separate from our business partners, so our opinions &#038; tips are unbiased. All\n      insights drawn from Jerry\u2019s proprietary, aggregated customer auto insurance quotes data provide unique, real-world\n      guidance.\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"text-base font-semibold text-gray-900\">Our experts<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-8 flex flex-col gap-8 items-center justify-center\">\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Megan-Lee.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Megan-Lee.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Megan-Lee-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Megan-Lee-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Megan-Lee-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Megan Lee            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Megan Lee is an editor, writer, and SEO expert who specializes in insurance, personal finance, travel, and healthcare. She has been published in U.S. News &amp; World Report, USA Today and elsewhere, and has spoken at conferences like that of NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Megan has built and directed remote content teams and editorial strategies for several websites, including NerdWallet. When she`s not crafting her next piece of content, Megan adventures around her Midwest home base where she likes to drink cortados, attend theme parties, ride her bike and cook Asian food.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Annie-Millerbernd.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Annie-Millerbernd.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Annie-Millerbernd-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Annie-Millerbernd-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Annie-Millerbernd-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Annie Millerbernd            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Annie is a writer and editor at Jerry with more than a decade of experience writing and editing digital content. Before joining Jerry, she was an assistant assigning editor at NerdWallet. Her past work has appeared in the Associated Press, USA Today and The Washington Post. Her work has been cited by <a href=\"https:\/\/scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu\/cgi\/viewcontent.cgi?article=1455&amp;context=nulr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Northwestern University<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hks.harvard.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/centers\/mrcbg\/214_AWP_final_2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Harvard Kennedy School<\/a>. Annie served as a spokesperson for NerdWallet during her time at NerdWallet and has been featured in New York Magazine, MarketWatch and on local television and radio stations.<\/p>\n<p>Previously, she worked at USAA and newspapers in Minnesota, North Dakota, California and Texas. She has a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in journalism from the University of Minnesota.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>All reputable insurers require payment to activate your policy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":64479,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"single-advice","meta":{"jerry_authors":"[{\"id\":\"366\",\"type\":\"main-author\"},{\"id\":\"370\",\"type\":\"editor\"}]","jerry_author_ids":[366],"jerry_idx_page_label":"","jerry_meta_desc":"You always have to make a payment to start a new insurance policy, but some insurers use your first month\u2019s premium payment as your deposit or down payment.","jerry_related_posts":"[27176,6079,22587,6968,48149]","jerry_summary":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[31,619],"class_list":["post-2239","car-insurance","type-car-insurance","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-car-insurance","tag-resource_car_insurance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-insurance\/2239","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-insurance"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/car-insurance"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2239"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-insurance\/2239\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64478,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-insurance\/2239\/revisions\/64478"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64479"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2239"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2239"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2239"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}