I’ve been with the same company almost five years. My car insurance is renewed every six months, after I make the required renewal deposit. Like clockwork, I receive the new payment coupons, and temporary insurance card. However, I don’t get the permanent insurance card and new policy stating the value of my vehicle, until almost a month later. Sometimes longer. Is this legal? If so, why does it take so long for the agent to issue the new policy, and how will this effect me if I ever disagree with what’s in the policy?
P.S. I’m not referring to how soon the new insurance is "effective", I’m referring to how soon the new policy is "received". To my knowledge, the policy is renewed immediately for six months after I make the deposit, even though I don’t have the new policy, and just the "temporary" insurance card.
There has to be some type of law that gives insurance companies a certain amount of time to send out the new policy. If anyone knows please post.
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Well for one your first payment is not a deposit. It’s a down payment or first payment, a deposit would imply that the money is being put up only to hold something or until further approval and that you have some right to a refund. With regards to insurance you have no right to any monies back from your first payment unless the policy is flat canceled, and then you would be entitled to any unearned premium less any fees from that payment.
Depending on the State in which your policy is written a carrier can have up to 90 days to send you a Policy Declaration Page and Policy but this is not normal practice with most carriers. Most will try and get those to you with-in a few days of issuance of the policy or as quickly as they can. Your situation is unusual unless like someone said, the policy might be going to your agent first and the agent then has to mail it to you, but again that’s a highly unusual practice. Check with your agent. It may just be that the carrier is slow to issue policies?
Take care!