No, it’s not bad to switch car insurance companies often. Switching insurers can be a great way to save on your car insurance premium, though it’s important to remember that you may be charged cancellation fees each time you switch companies mid-policy.

Progressive, Travelers, and Liberty Mutual are the only companies among the 10 largest insurers that charge cancellation fees, though smaller companies like AAA and Auto-Owners also have fees. If your insurance company charges a cancellation fee, then it’s probably best to wait until it’s time to renew your policy to switch insurers. 

If you decide that you want to switch insurance companies mid-policy, you need to contact your current insurer and let them know instead of simply not paying your premium. Even if you paid for your policy in full up front, you should still officially cancel the policy so that you can get a prorated refund.

To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guide to switching car insurance companies. 

Month-to-month car insurance is not offered by any reputable insurance company. Month-to-month insurance typically refers to an auto policy that provides coverage for one month at a time, not a six or 12-month policy that is paid for in monthly installments. But because truly temporary car insurance doesn’t exist, standard policies with monthly premiums are actually a more realistic form of month-to-month insurance.

Why Insurers Do Not Offer Month-to-Month Car Insurance

Month-to-month car insurance is not available from any reputable insurer because of the potential losses that come with it. Drivers who need short-term insurance are considered to be high-risk, meaning they’re more likely to file a claim than those with standard insurance.

In addition, drivers in this demographic likely won’t become long-term customers, and insurance companies won’t be able to recoup the cost of a claim from a one-month premium. 

When Month-to-Month Car Insurance Would Be Useful

• You are temporarily driving an insured car but want coverage to supplement the owner’s insurance.
• You plan to frequently drive rental cars within the next few months and don’t want to pay high fees for rental car insurance.
• You are purchasing a car for a short period of time.
• You are a seasonal employee and your work requires you to drive.
• You want to drive for a rideshare service but don’t own a car yet.

Alternatives to Month-to-Month Car Insurance

Usage-Based Insurance

Usage-based insurance, or pay-per-mile coverage, is a great option for drivers who will only need car insurance for a few months. Insurers like Metromile charge a base rate for coverage, then determine additional costs based on how many miles you drive. Additionally, some standard insurers like National General offer usage-based discounts to policyholders who only drive a few thousand miles annually.

Non-Owner Car Insurance

A non-owner policy covers you when you’re driving any car that you don’t own, and since it does not apply to a specific vehicle, it’s an affordable alternative to standard car insurance. However, it’s important to know that you cannot purchase non-owner insurance if you own a car or live with someone who does.

Paying Your Car Insurance Monthly

If you think you’ll only need a car insurance policy for a few months, you can purchase a standard six or 12-month policy and pay monthly instead of in-full upfront. Once you no longer need the policy, you can cancel it. You should receive a refund for any unused policy time that you already paid for, but keep in mind that your insurer may charge a cancellation fee.

For drivers who choose to go this route, the monthly cost of coverage depends heavily on which state they live in.  

Average Monthly Car Insurance Cost by State

No, USAA does not offer temporary car insurance. The only way to get short-term car insurance from USAA, or any other reputable insurer, is to purchase a six or 12-month policy and cancel when you no longer need it. If you decide to terminate your USAA car insurance policy early, you will not be charged any cancellation fees. You may also be able to get a refund for any unused coverage time you’ve prepaid for.

One USAA alternative to temporary car insurance is a non-owner policy, which is available to drivers who do not own or have regular access to a vehicle. Non-owner car insurance is cheaper than a standard auto policy, since you are not covering a specific vehicle. If you rent or borrow vehicles often but don’t own a car yourself, then USAA’s non-owner car insurance is an affordable option. 

No, you can’t get one-day car insurance. Many websites give the impression that you can find one-day car insurance, but there’s a reason they don’t mention where to buy it or which companies offer it: one-day car insurance policies don’t really exist—in some cases, they may be scams.

The only time you can get one-day coverage is if you pay for rental car insurance at the counter. No reputable insurance company will offer a policy shorter than six months for your own car. And even in the case of rental cars, you may be covered by your current policy or have other, better alternatives.

Alternatives to One-Day Car Insurance

Non-owner policies

People looking for one-day insurance coverage are usually borrowing a car. In that case, non-owner car insurance may be an option. Non-owner insurance supplements the owner’s policy after an accident.

Insurance usually follows the car, so the owner’s insurer will pay for the claim. But if damages exceed the owner’s policy limits, you’re financially responsible. A non-owner policy kicks in as secondary coverage to protect you while driving a borrowed car.

Pay-per-mile policies

If you’re an infrequent driver, a pay-per-mile policy (also known as usage-based insurance) may fit your needs better than one-day insurance. Pay-per-mile policies price your premium based on how much you drive and how responsible you are when driving, as measured by an electronic monitoring device that attaches to your car or operates through a phone app.

Such usage-based policies can be purchased through Progressive, State Farm, Esurance, Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, and more.

Low-mileage policies

If you drive less than 5,000 miles per year, you fall into the low-mileage bracket and likely qualify for cheaper insurance. That could be the case if you drive for leisure, own a classic car that only comes out of the garage on holidays, or mostly use public transportation and store your car.

Standard policies

You could always purchase a standard policy and cancel it when you don’t need it anymore. You pay for coverage in advance, so when you cancel, you’ll get a prorated refund. But even if you cancel one day into the policy period, you’re not guaranteed a full refund. In addition to possible cancelation fees, you could be billed for more days of coverage than you need.

Bottom Line on One-Day Car Insurance

A one-day insurance policy is not something insurance companies offer, but there are better policy options to meet your short-term needs. For more information, you can check out WalletHub’s guide on temporary car insurance.

Progressive does not offer temporary car insurance. Reputable insurance companies do not offer insurance policies for periods of less than 6 months. Like most auto insurance providers, Progressive offers insurance policies at 6- and 12-month intervals. There usually isn’t a cancellation fee if you decide to terminate your 6- or 12-month Progressive car insurance policy early. At times though, the company does charge a $50 to $65 flat fee, or 10% of your premium, depending on where you live.

However, Progressive does offer non-owner insurance, which can be a great option for people who do not drive often. Non-owner car insurance costs less than normal car insurance, as you are only paying to cover yourself, not a specific vehicle. So, if you are looking for temporary insurance because you often rent cars but do not own one, for example, Progressive’s non-owner insurance provides an affordable alternative.

You cannot get temporary car insurance in Texas, or any other state, because it does not exist. The only way to get short-term car insurance from any reputable insurer in Texas is to purchase a six or 12-month policy and cancel when you no longer need it. You may have to pay a cancellation fee, depending on your insurer, but you can usually get a refund for any unused coverage time you’ve prepaid for.

Another alternative to temporary car insurance in Texas is a non-owner policy, which is available to drivers who do not own or have regular access to a vehicle. Non-owner car insurance is cheaper than standard auto insurance, since it does not apply to a specific vehicle, and it is a good option if you plan to rent or borrow vehicles frequently.

No, you can’t get weekend car insurance from any legitimate insurance company. There’s no way to buy coverage that only applies to Friday-through-Sunday driving because reputable insurers do not sell policies for less than six months.

State laws require drivers to have proof of financial responsibility, which is almost always met with car insurance. A policy that only covers a car on certain days of the week would be illegal. There are still ways to save on car insurance if you’re a weekend driver, though.

Pay-per-mile insurance has low premiums for infrequent drivers.

Pay-per-mile insurance policies charge customers a base price (determined by their risk factors), plus a small per-mile fee. This model has become more popular as insurers have adopted telematics, a technology that allows them to track mileage through smartphone apps or through electronic devices that attach to your car. Keep in mind that pay-per-mile insurance is not available in every state.

Pay-per-mile insurance can be purchased through:

Besides pay-per-mile policies, occasional drivers can save by taking advantage of usage-based insurance. Usage-based insurance programs like Progressive Snapshot, State Farm Drive Safe & Safe, and Esurance DriveSense discount premiums based on driving habits, which may include mileage.

Policies are cheaper when adjusted for infrequent drivers. 

Insurance premiums are related to your driving habits, which is why insurers want to know how you use your car and how often you drive. As a result, infrequent drivers can save by taking advantage of discounts and special policy options.

Here’s how being a weekend driver can save you money:

• Non-owner car policy. If you don’t own a car but borrow or rent one frequently, a non-owner policy may be the coverage you need. It costs less than standard insurance because it works to supplement the car owner’s insurance policy if you get into an accident while driving someone else’s car.

• Classic car policy. Car collectors may qualify for specialty coverage with a lower premium. Eligibility varies by insurance company, but cars usually need to be exotic, antique, or high-performance. Most companies also require the car to be used for pleasure driving only. 

• Low mileage status. U.S. drivers average around 13,500 miles per year. If you drive less than the average person, you can get a low-mileage discount from some insurance companies.

If you really only need insurance for a weekend or two, you could always get coverage for a short time by purchasing a standard insurance policy and canceling it when you don’t need it anymore. If you cancel your policy, you’ll receive a prorated refund for the coverage you paid for but didn’t use. The downside is that your rates could go up the next time you need a policy, since insurers view lapses in coverage to be a greater risk.

No, Geico does not offer temporary car insurance. The only way to get short-term car insurance from Geico, or any other reputable insurer, is to purchase a six or 12-month policy and cancel when you no longer need it. If you decide to terminate your Geico car insurance policy early, you will not be charged any cancellation fees. You may also be able to get a refund for any unused coverage time you’ve prepaid for.

One Geico alternative to temporary car insurance is a non-owner policy, which is available to drivers who do not own or have regular access to a vehicle. Non-owner car insurance is cheaper than a standard auto policy, since you are not covering a specific vehicle. If you rent or borrow vehicles often but don’t own a car yourself, then Geico’s non-owner car insurance is an affordable option. 

You cannot get temporary car insurance in Florida, or any other state, because it does not exist. The only way to get short-term car insurance from any reputable insurer in Florida is to purchase a six or 12-month policy and cancel when you no longer need it. You may have to pay a cancellation fee, depending on your insurer, but you can usually get a refund for any unused coverage time you’ve prepaid for.

Another alternative to temporary car insurance in Florida is a non-owner policy, which is available to drivers who do not own or have regular access to a vehicle. Non-owner car insurance is cheaper than standard auto insurance, since it does not apply to a specific vehicle, and it is a good option if you plan to rent or borrow vehicles frequently.

You cannot get temporary car insurance in Michigan, or any other state, because it does not exist. The only way to get short-term car insurance from any reputable insurer in Michigan is to purchase a six or 12-month policy and cancel when you no longer need it. You may have to pay a cancellation fee, depending on your insurer, but you can usually get a refund for any unused coverage time you’ve prepaid for.

Another alternative to temporary car insurance in Michigan is a non-owner policy, which is available to drivers who do not own or have regular access to a vehicle. Non-owner car insurance is cheaper than standard auto insurance, since it does not apply to a specific vehicle, and it is a good option if you plan to rent or borrow vehicles frequently.