{"id":8452,"date":"2024-11-08T05:29:45","date_gmt":"2024-11-08T13:29:45","guid":{"rendered":"\/wp-site\/?p=8452"},"modified":"2025-02-14T01:42:00","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T09:42:00","slug":"temporary-car-insurance","status":"publish","type":"car-insurance","link":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/car-insurance\/temporary-car-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Temporary Car Insurance: What You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If you aren\u2019t driving often or don\u2019t own a car, you may be considering buying temporary <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/\">car insurance<\/a>. However, this type of coverage isn\u2019t typically sold in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-temp-insurance\">What is temporary car insurance?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Temporary car insurance provides coverage for a month or maybe even only a day. However, most U.S. insurers don\u2019t sell temporary auto coverage. Instead, they offer auto insurance policies in six- and 12-month terms.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you may see ads for short-term coverage, it\u2019s best to use caution since these policies may be a scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"other-options\">Other temporary car insurance options<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although temporary auto insurance isn\u2019t a choice if you need short-term coverage, there are several other policy options you can choose from depending on your situation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Drivers typically consider temporary car insurance when they need insurance for a short period or they are driving a car they don\u2019t own. For instance, drivers may want short-term coverage if they:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rent a vehicle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don\u2019t own a car but drive often<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plan to buy a vehicle and sell it shortly after<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Put their car in storage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To help you decide what makes the most sense for you, we broke down the best options for short-term coverage based on some common scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rental car insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best i<\/strong><strong>f: You\u2019re renting a car<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your rental company will usually offer <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/rental-car-insurance\/\">rental car insurance<\/a> that will cover you for your rental period. The cost for this type of coverage is typically $10-$30 per day, but this rate can differ based on your rental agency.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rental car insurance is usually a lot more expensive than standard or <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/non-owner-car-insurance\/\">non-owner insurance<\/a>, but it\u2019s a good option for drivers who don\u2019t have their own policy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pay-per-mile insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best if: You don\u2019t drive often<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some drivers are on the road for less than 10,000 miles per year and find that a standard policy isn\u2019t worth it. With pay-per-mile insurance, you can save money while maintaining continuous coverage. Pay-per-mile insurance offers the same coverage of a standard policy, such as <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/what-is-liability-car-insurance-and-what-does-it-cover\/\">liability<\/a>, collision and comprehensive insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the name suggests, pay-per-mile insurance involves a low base insurance rate with additional surcharges calculated by the mile. Assuming you drive less than 10,000 miles per year, this type of coverage can be much cheaper than a standard policy\u2014and several providers offer it, including <a href=\"\/reviews\/car-insurance\/allstate\/\">Allstate<\/a>, <a href=\"\/reviews\/car-insurance\/nationwide\/\">Nationwide<\/a> and Mile Auto.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Non-owner car insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best if: <\/strong><strong>You borrow or share cars regularly<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Non-owner car insurance provides auto insurance for drivers who don\u2019t own a vehicle. These policies provide <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/bodily-injury-liability\/\">bodily injury liability<\/a> and property damage liability coverages, which are required in most states. Some non-owner policies offer additional <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/types-of-car-insurance\/\">types of coverage<\/a>, too, such as uninsured\/underinsured motorist coverage (UM\/UIM) or personal injury protection (PIP).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you regularly rent cars, this type of insurance could be a good option. However, it\u2019s important to remember that non-owner car insurance options are secondary policies, meaning they kick in once the vehicle owner\u2019s insurance has paid out to its coverage limit. For rental cars, that means a collision damage waiver (CDW) is still a good idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get added to another driver\u2019s policy&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best if: Y<\/strong><strong>ou regularly borrow a specific car<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/can-you-drive-someone-elses-car\/\">borrowing a family member or friend\u2019s car<\/a> occasionally is covered under permissive use, regular use of another person\u2019s vehicle necessitates changes in their car insurance. You should be added to someone\u2019s policy if you drive their car often (think every week or so), or if you have your driver\u2019s license and live with someone who has a car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing this will ensure you\u2019re covered any time you drive your friend\u2019s car, but it could also raise their insurance rates, especially if you\u2019re considered a <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/affordable-car-insurance-for-high-risk-drivers\/\">high-risk driver<\/a> with a poor driving record.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When adding yourself to another driver\u2019s policy, it\u2019s important to compare quotes among providers to ensure you find the <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/cheap-car-insurance\/\">cheapest car insurance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Depend on another driver\u2019s insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best if<\/strong><strong>: You borrow cars from others occasionally<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you borrow a car from a family member or friend occasionally with their permission, you\u2019ll usually be covered under permissive use. This means that their car insurance policy will extend to you in the event of an accident, covering any damage or injuries.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Drop your collision coverage and keep comprehensive insurance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best if: You own a car but aren\u2019t driving for a long period of time<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there are periods throughout the year when you know you won\u2019t need to drive, you\u2019re best off dropping your <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/collision-insurance\/\">collision insurance<\/a> while keeping your <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/comprehensive-insurance\/\">comprehensive coverage<\/a>. Although comprehensive and collision coverage are typically sold together, you don\u2019t need to keep both on your policy.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By keeping comprehensive insurance, you\u2019ll still have protection against weather-related events or if your car is stolen or vandalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind, if you have a car loan or lease, your lender may require you to keep collision and comprehensive coverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This type of adjustment to your policy could be helpful for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Snowbirds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Parents of college-age students.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Military members.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-jerry-key-takeaway border-primary flex flex-col rounded bg-gray-50 p-6 border-l-4\"><div class=\"flex flex-col md:block md:space-x-1\"><span class=\"has-primary-color text-lg font-semibold\">Jerry insight:<\/span><span class=\"text-gray-900 text-base\"><br>If you\u2019re in the military and only drive between deployments, find a provider that offers a military storage plan like <a href=\"\/reviews\/car-insurance\/usaa\/\">USAA<\/a> or <a href=\"\/reviews\/car-insurance\/geico\/\">Geico<\/a>. With this type of insurance, you\u2019ll pay a lower rate while your vehicle is stored and unused, but you\u2019ll be able to restore your normal coverage when you\u2019re home and use your car.\u00a0<\/span><\/div><div class=\"jerry-block-content\" contentclassname=\"text-gray-900 text-base\">\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Buy a regular policy and cancel early<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Best if: You want to buy a car and sell it quickly<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may want to buy a standard car insurance policy and cancel it early under certain circumstances. For instance, if you are buying a car that you plan to sell again soon. You may also want to do this if you are visiting the United States for a longer period and need to meet insurance requirements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even in these cases, be sure to research potential providers and get multiple <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/car-insurance-quotes\/\">car insurance quotes<\/a> before choosing the right insurance for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>More:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/best-car-insurance-companies\/\">Compare the best car insurance companies<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, canceling your policy comes with risks such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Your policy could lapse:<\/strong> If you cancel your auto policy early and don\u2019t purchase a new one, it\u2019s considered <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/insurance-lapse\/\">a car insurance lapse<\/a>. Being uninsured for any period of time is a huge red flag to car insurance companies and, as a result, your insurance premiums will be higher the next time you buy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You could get charged a fine if you drive without insurance:<\/strong> If you cancel your existing insurance, make sure you have coverage if you decide to get behind the wheel again. Driving without insurance is <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/is-car-insurance-required\/\">illegal in most states.<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You could face cancellation fees:<\/strong> Some insurance companies will charge you cancellation fees for terminating your policy early.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"recapping-temp-insurance\">Recapping temporary car insurance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Temporary car insurance generally isn\u2019t offered in the United States. The shortest term that insurers sell coverage for is six months. If an auto insurance company offers you a policy for less than six months, it\u2019s likely a scam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, you can consider other short-term coverage options such as non-owner car insurance, pay-per-mile insurance or rental car insurance. You may also want to be added to another driver\u2019s policy, depending on your situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jerry-meet-experts\" data-wp-interactive=\"jerry\/meet-experts\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;modalVisible&quot;:false}\">\n  <div class=\"font-circular text-2xl font-extrabold text-slate-900\">Expert-driven. Built for you.<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-3\">\n    <div class=\"flex justify-between items-center py-3 border-b border-neutral-200 cursor-pointer font-semibold text-gray-900\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.toggleModal\">\n  <button class=\"text-left text-base\" type=\"button\">\n    Why you can count on Jerry&#8217;s articles  <\/button>\n\n  <div class=\"transition data-[visible=true]:md:rotate-180 text-xs iconify i--chevron-down text-gray-500\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"modal-backdrop fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-50 overflow-hidden overscroll-contain bg-black\/70 font-body transition-transform delay-100 duration-0 md:relative md:z-auto [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:bg-black\/0 [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onModalInit\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n  <div class=\"modal-view fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 flex max-h-[75%] w-full flex-col rounded-t-3xl bg-white pb-7 pl-7 pt-3.5 transition md:relative md:rounded-none md:pl-0 md:transition-none [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n    <div class=\"modal-header md:hidden flex justify-between items-center pb-1 mb-1 border-b border-zinc-200\">\n      <div class=\"modal-title text-base font-semibold\">Summary<\/div>\n\n      <div\n        class=\"modal-close-btn wp-block-group w-11 h-11 mr-2.5 content-center text-center\"\n        data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"iconify i--close text-gray-500 cursor-pointer\"><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"modal-body pr-7 overflow-y-auto\"><div class=\"wp-block-template-part\"><div class=\"flex flex-row items-center gap-2.5 rounded-lg bg-gray-pink px-4 py-5\">\n  <span class=\"iconify mt-0.5 shrink-0 self-start text-xs text-primary i--shield-check\"><\/span>\n\n  <div>\n    <div class=\"font-body text-xs font-bold text-primary\">Our goal is clear, trustworthy information.<\/div>\n    <div class=\"mt-1 font-body text-xs text-gray-600\">\n      Our content is created, edited and fact checked by a team of licensed insurance agents, automotive pros and\n      experienced journalists who know the industry inside and out. Facts are thoroughly researched, verified and kept\n      current, and our editorial team is separate from our business partners, so our opinions &#038; tips are unbiased. All\n      insights drawn from Jerry\u2019s proprietary, aggregated customer auto insurance quotes data provide unique, real-world\n      guidance.\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"text-base font-semibold text-gray-900\">Our experts<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-8 flex flex-col gap-8 items-center justify-center\">\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Kayda Norman            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Kayda Norman is an insurance writer and editor with more than 12 years of content experience. She previously worked at NerdWallet as an insurance writer and content management specialist. She has covered a wide range of insurance topics such as high-risk drivers, auto insurance rate factors, and credit-based insurance scores. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Everett-Cook.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Everett-Cook.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Everett-Cook-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Everett-Cook-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Everett-Cook-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Everett Cook            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Everett Cook is an award-winning journalist and editor with more than 10 years of experience across a variety of industries. In editing for Jerry, Everett&rsquo;s mission is to help readers have a better understanding of the costs of owning or leasing a car and to better understand their vehicle in terms of insurance and repairs. Prior to joining Jerry, Everett was an editor for Axios. His previous work has been featured in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Atlantic, Atlantic Re:think, The Boston Globe, USA Today, and others. He&rsquo;s also been a freelance writer and editor with experience in SEO, audience building, and long-term content roadmaps. Everett is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most insurance companies won\u2019t offer policies for less than six months, but other options, like pay-per-mile and non-owners insurance, are available.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":52476,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"single-advice","meta":{"jerry_authors":"[{\"id\":\"184\",\"type\":\"main-author\"},{\"id\":\"115\",\"type\":\"editor\"},{\"id\":\"187\",\"type\":\"reviewer\"}]","jerry_author_ids":[184],"jerry_idx_page_label":"","jerry_meta_desc":"Most insurance companies won\u2019t offer policies for less than six months, but other options, like pay-per-mile and non-owners insurance, are available.","jerry_related_posts":"[46597,11618,2407,15084,29872]","jerry_summary":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[356],"class_list":["post-8452","car-insurance","type-car-insurance","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-temporary-car-insurance"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-insurance\/8452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-insurance"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/car-insurance"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8452"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-insurance\/8452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61659,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/car-insurance\/8452\/revisions\/61659"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52476"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}