How soon do you need to get new car insurance? Unfortunately for your checkbook, you’ll need to get new car insurance before you take possession of the keys. And unless you paid cash for your new ride, whoever is lending you the money for the car will probably require you to provide proof of your insurance before they finalize your loan.

But getting new car insurance doesn’t have to be difficult. If you are simply trading in an old car for a new one, then all you need to do is let your current insurance company know what you are doing. They will just recalculate your premiums (and don’t be surprised to find they probably will go up) and charge you for the difference.

If you are buying a new car and keeping your old one, then start with a conversation with your existing insurance company. But don’t be afraid to shop around a little, and test out different scenarios. What if you kept your current car with the same coverage, and covered the new car with a different company? Or if you switched to a new company? Many companies gave discounts if you insure multiple vehicles with them, so usually you save money by having the cars all on the same policy. But sometimes this is not true, so taking a few minutes to get some online quotes might end up saving you some money.

In any case, make sure your current company knows what you are doing. While some will automatically insure a new car for a limited amount of time (usually less than a month), don’t assume this is true for you. Better to ask questions first then have to pay later.

But what about the person trying to get car insurance for a new car who doesn’t have car insurance now? You are probably tired of shopping around to get the best deal on your car and the last thing you want to do is more comparison shopping. Don’t give up now! Car insurance companies charge more to insure new cars, and some will charge still more if you haven’t had car insurance for awhile. (It will do you no good to explain you didn’t have car insurance because you didn’t have a car. Since you don’t have an insurance track record, they consider you a bit more of a risk.)

So it’s more important for you than for others to put in the effort to get some quotes from different companies, and find the cheapest coverage that at least meets your state minimum. As with any insurance, when you are thinking about new car insurance, make sure you get enough to meet your needs, not just the least expensive.