How to go about getting car insurance

I live in California and I am moving to Texas in June. I’m 23 and I don’t have a car currently but I will buy one when I move to Texas. I don’t know how to go about getting car insurance, though. What is the process of getting car insurance? When should I get it? Before I buy the car? How do I get it (or where do I go)? Do I need to give the insurance companies any documents to get the car insurance? What do you recommend that I do right now?

Thanks.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

You'll have to have insurance in order to buy a car from a dealer. Whenever I moved to Maryland, I shopped around a bit online to compare prices, and then when I went to Carmax to buy the car, I called up Geico to sign up as a new client while I was sitting there doing the paperwork, and they were able to provide the dealer with what was needed. I'm sure you could call an insurance company beforehand and find out how to do it; they'll be happy to help you if if means getting your business.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

What nutty said. Always get your insurance before going to the lot. Dealerships can't legally let you drive the car off the lot without insurance and will try to get you to go with their specific insurance 'partner' if you don't have any, which is usually more expensive than if you had just done it yourself.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

There are different insurance companies to choose from, check the yellow pages. It's important to shop around though, some companies offer different rates, just call each one and ask what their rate is for the car that you want to buy.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?