17 Mistakes First-Time Car Owners Make When Buying Insurance

10. Not Reading the Policy Document at All

Many first-time buyers sign up for a policy based purely on a verbal summary from an agent or a quick online quote, without ever reading the actual policy document. This means important exclusions, conditions, and details about coverage limits often go completely unnoticed until a claim reveals them.

This is especially risky for a first policy, since a first-time buyer has no prior experience to compare the terms against and may not even recognize when something in the document seems unusual or restrictive.

Quick tip: Set aside just twenty minutes to read through your declarations page and policy summary at least once, highlighting anything you do not understand so you can ask your agent directly.