Running on Instagram placements doesn't require owning an Instagram account
When ads run on Instagram placements without a linked Instagram account, Meta generally shows the Facebook Page's name and profile picture as the identity. If you are launching new creative, the Page is enough to present your brand. So the first question isn't whether the seller has an Instagram account, but whether any part of your plan depends on it. If nothing does, skipping it saves cost and avoids inheriting extra account risk. Exact options and interface wording depend on the platform page at the time.
Four needs that justify taking the Instagram account
First, you want to turn existing posts into ads and keep their likes and comments. Second, you need Instagram engagement audiences, such as people who visited the profile or interacted with posts, for retargeting or lookalike seeds, and that data comes from this account. Third, the campaign objective is Instagram messaging, so conversations must land in this account. Fourth, the handle and content history carry real brand value and rebuilding would cost you. If any one applies, put the account in scope. If none do, treat it as out of scope.
Check the account type and who it is tied to
Three things need checking. Is it a professional (business or creator) account or a personal one? Personal accounts have limited use in business tools. Which Facebook Page is it linked to, and is it registered as its own asset in Business settings or only connected indirectly through the Page? Finally, does Accounts Center link it to the seller's personal Facebook profile or other accounts? If it does, the two sides stay entangled after the handover, and that is not a detail to wave away.
What you need is asset access and recovery control, not a password
Whether an Instagram handover is safe depends on who controls the login email, the phone number and two-factor authentication. If the seller hands over only a username and password while keeping the recovery email and phone, you hold a usage right the other party can revoke or trigger security checks on. A sound transfer moves recovery details to channels you control, assigns the account as an asset in your business portfolio, and confirms that two-factor is active on your side. Do not accept any method that asks you to bypass platform verification or hide account links, because the problem will surface after you take over.
Pre-order checklist and when to stop
Confirm item by item: whether you need the account, its type, the linked Page, whether it is registered as a business asset, whether recovery email and phone can be changed, whether it has had restrictions or content violations, and whether it is priced as a separate item. Fees and scope should be agreed in writing, and platform rules and interfaces change, so don't rely on old screenshots. Stop if the seller can't show how the account is linked to the assets, if it is bound to a personal profile they won't separate, or if it has a restriction history and you don't actually need it. In those cases, take the ad account alone and connect your own professional account to the Page later.