Where can I get low mileage car insurance?

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 ... read full answerrental 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.

No, Geico does not offer pay-per-mile insurance. Geico does have a low-mileage discount for people who drive fewer than 7,500 miles per year and a usage-based insurance program called DriveEasy that can make car insurance more affordable. Registering for Geico’s usage-based insurance program could save drivers up to 20%.

Alternatives to Geico Pay-per-Mile Insurance... read full answer

The Geico DriveEasy app monitors driving habits like speeding, hard braking, total mileage, and more using your phone’s sensors and GPS location. Geico uses this data to calculate a driving score and adjust your premium discount.

Usually, car insurance rates are determined by a driver’s history on the road as well as factors like age, credit score, and zip code that help insurers predict future driving behaviors and levels of risk. Usage-based programs like the DriveEasy app, on the other hand, show insurance companies your actual level of risk, so drivers only pay for the insurance they need.

Pay-per-mile insurance is a bit different, since it involves paying a base rate plus a per-mile fee. It’s currently offered by one provider, Metromile, in just eight states. Geico may be able to provide more robust coverage just as affordably, though, because they offer such a wide variety of discounts. But if you need cheaper, low-mileage coverage, you should make sure to compare rates from at least three insurers to confirm you get the best price for your unique needs.

Usage-based insurance from Geico benefits safe drivers who drive less than the average person (roughly 12,000 miles per year), but only Geico customers in Pennsylvania and Connecticut can sign up for the program right now. More states will get access soon. All eligible drivers should consider giving it a try, though. Geico offers a discount of up to 20% simply for participating, depending on where you live.... read full answer

Geico’s usage-based insurance relies on a smartphone app called DriveEasy, which automatically detects your driving—you don’t even have to open and close the program. DriveEasy gives feedback on your driving and scores your habits to determine your discount. Geico guarantees you’ll get the full discount for participating the first term. After that, feedback from the DriveEasy app won’t be used to increase your premiums, but your discount may be reduced based on your score.

Geico’s DriveEasy app monitors:

• Distracted driving
• Hard braking
• Time of day
• Distance driven

Some of the habits and behaviors that DriveEasy tracks will impact your safe-driver score and discount potential more than others. Distracted driving and total distance driven are given the most weight. The app logs both handheld phone calls and active phone use, but it won’t penalize you for hands-free calls or mounting your phone on the dashboard to use the GPS.