1 Day Insurance on a Vehicle in BC

In North America, all vehicles are required by law to have valid insurance on them before they can be driven on roadways. In America, they tend to have a more lenient stand point on the topic. However, in Canada, it is an absolute must have, even if you’re only driving a short distance.

Most people get insurance the same day as they get a vehicle. But when your vehicle has been sitting for a while, has just been brought in from another province, or only gets driven periodically, having 1 day insurance can be handy. Because realistically, who wants to pay for an entire month, several months, or even a year for a vehicle that doesn’t spend much time on the road?

Pretty well nobody. Especially when the cost of living continues to go up every other month in Metro Vancouver, and vehicles and their insurance rates are subject to inflation too. Today’s blog post is about how you can get a single day’s insurance, and what’s required before you do so.

Can I Get Only 1 Day of Insurance in British Columbia?

Yes, you absolutely can purchase a single day of car insurance in British Columbia. As a professional used car buying company that has been in the industry since 1998, Cash For Cars BC is all too familiar with a 1-day permit available from any insurance broker that offers car insurance and Autoplan.

However, there are certain stipulations on 1-day permits, depending on what you’re insuring, why you’re insuring it, and what you plan on using it for. Knowing which section your vehicle falls under is important to know before visiting any Autoplan agency or insurance brokers in Metro Vancouver.

Can I Put Temporary Insurance on a Non-Registered Vehicle in BC?

Cash For Cars BC has been in the car buying business since 1998. We’ve seen it all, heard it all, and know quite a bit about vehicles in general as a result. And when it comes to insuring vehicles, we have a lot of experience there too.

This is a very commonly asked question, and one that is somewhat double sided. You can and you can’t put temporary insurance on a non-registered vehicle. The thing that differentiates your ability to do so is what you will be using the vehicle for when you have insurance on it.

If your vehicle comes from out of province, you can purchase a 1-day permit but only for the purposes of having the vehicle inspected. In fact, you can only use the permit for driving the vehicle from its current location, to the inspection facility, and back.

How Do I Register a Vehicle in BC?

This is another commonly asked question that we get here at Cash For Cars BC. Especially because the Lower Mainland has many people moving in and out of the province and country on a regular basis.

Sometimes they bring their vehicles with them. Other times, they purchase a vehicle from another province to save some money. Either way, knowing how to get a vehicle registered is essential before being able to insure it and drive it on BC roadways.

1. If You’re Buying a Vehicle That Was Already Registered in BC

If the vehicle that you want to register has already been registered in BC, just to another resident, then the process is very simple. Just head to your local Autoplan agency or insurance broker and they can update the registration, then issue you insurance for it if you require.

2. If You’re Bringing a Vehicle into BC from Another Province

If you are bringing a vehicle from another province into British Columbia, there are a few things you’ll need to acquire before you can register it or insure it.

• You need the vehicles current registration papers
• A passed vehicle inspection report from a designated inspection facility (a list of such facilities can be found HERE.
  Valid photo identification
• If the vehicle is not currently registered in your name, you’ll need a bill of sale that is both signed and dated
• If the vehicle is not registered to you, you may also need to provide a letter from the previous owner or a vehicle registration document proving that the vehicle was sold to you directly

3. When Bringing a Vehicle from Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba into BC

The process is slightly different for people who are bring vehicles into the province from the above specified provinces. That’s because there is an existing trade agreement that allows certain vehicles to come in and out of the province without needing to pass a BC vehicle inspection.

If the vehicle that you want to register was previously registered in British Columbia and is not switching owners, you are typically exempt from a vehicle inspection. Also, the only way around the vehicle inspection is if you registered the vehicle in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba immediately after leaving the province.

There are other stipulations to this as well, including the vehicle’s weight, whether or not it was owned or leased, and its age. For all the specifics on what prerequisites must be met to circumvent a vehicle inspection, visit ICBC’s website HERE.

4. When Bringing a Vehicle into BC From Another Country

The vehicle must be formally imported into the country before registration can be done. There is a specific and very involved process of importation of a vehicle into Canada. You can check out all the details on our blog page where we discuss the steps required to import a vehicle from the US into Canada.

Because the paperwork and effort involved with registering an out of province vehicle is so involved, many newcomers in BC sell their vehicle to Cash For Cars BC instead. We buy vehicles from other provinces, other countries, and vehicles that have failed the BC vehicle inspection.

How Many Days of Temporary Car Insurance Can You Get in BC?

Temporary permits, regardless of one day or three days, are intended to be exactly what they sound like; temporary. Which is why you are limited to how many days (or months) you can purchase at a time. And while a temporary permit is only temporary, that are other options for people wanting a little bit longer than the standard allowance with a temporary permit.

In British Columbia, the longest duration of temporary insurance that you can purchase is 15 days. However, if you intend to use your vehicle longer than 2 weeks, you can purchase a short term Autoplan policy, which will cover use of your vehicle anywhere from 3 up to and including 11 months.

The Different Types of Car Insurance Permits Are:

• Temporary Operating Permit (TOP): Which covers 1-15 Days
• Short Term Autoplan Policy: Which covers 3 months to 11 months
• A One Year Policy: Which covers an entire 12 months, and is available to be paid in monthly installments

Knowing what you need depends entirely on your own specific use of the vehicle. Some people purchase temporary insurance to move a vehicle from one residence to another. Other’s buy it so that they can drive their classic car all summer, but store it in the winter. And others insurance vehicles temporarily because they have sold it and are driving it to their buyer.

This is where the car buying services of Cash For Cars BC can be extremely helpful. When you sell a vehicle to us, you’ll never have to bring the car to us, because we always come to you. Which saves you the added expense of buying a 1-day car insurance permit in British Columbia.

Do I Need to Change My Insurance If I Modify My Vehicle?

It mostly depends on the type of modifications done to the vehicle. However, in BC, yes, you do need to update your vehicle on your registration and insurance. This can also be done at any Auotplan insurance broker.

Vehicles modifications that need to be updated on your vehicle’s registration and insurance include:

• Changes to the vehicle’s colour
• Chassis alterations
• Suspension changes
• Changes to fuel type
• Changes to the type of vehicle it is

There are several other conditions where you should report it to your insurance broker. Failure to do so can void any and all coverage that you have on your vehicle. So, if you’re unsure about what needs to be reported, visit your insurance broker and get as much information as you can.

Cash For Cars that Failed the BC Vehicle Inspection

As mentioned above, you can purchase a 1-day permit to operate for out of province vehicles, but only for the purpose of having them inspected. That’s because vehicles that come from other provinces or countries typically need to pass a BC vehicle inspection to ensure that they comply with our safety standards.

At Cash For Cars BC, we purchase vehicles of any make, model, and year. We also purchase vehicles from other provinces and other countries, as well as vehicles that may have failed the BC vehicle inspection. This is one of the things that sets our car buying services apart from new car dealerships, a private sale, and online car buying companies in Canada.

If you tried to bring your vehicle into BC from another province or country and were unsuccessful due to a failed vehicle inspection, give us a call. We buy vehicles from $100 – $100,000+, regardless of age or condition.

How Much Cash Can I Get for My Car?

Every vehicle is different for a variety of reasons. If you’re interested in knowing what your vehicle might be worth, give Cash For Cars BC a quick call and we’ll get some details from you about your vehicle.

Provide us with the make, model, year, condition, mileage, and location of your vehicle. Then, we’ll book an in-person appointment. This can be done 7 days a week, from 8:00 AM-10:00 PM. We also work on most statutory holidays to better accommodate our customers.

Once we see your car in person, we’ll make you an instant cash offer on it. If you accept the offer, we’ll fill out the paperwork, hand over your payment, then leave with your vehicle. It’s that simple!

Call Cash For Cars BC & Sell Your Car Today!

No matter what condition your vehicle is in, no matter where it’s from, and regardless of whether or not it’s still under financing or within a lease, you can sell it for the MOST cash to Cash For Cars BC.

We offer a quick and easy way to sell ANY vehicle for the MOST cash in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and Vancouver Island. No hassle, no runaround, just a quick sale of your car, truck, SUV, van, or motorcycle for the MOST cash. Plus, we handle all the paperwork, we come to you, and NOBODY Pays More!