Does State Farm Offer Temporary Car Insurance?

Last Updated on September 18, 2023

State Farm insures more vehicles in the United States than any other insurance company. However, State Farm does not offer temporary car insurance.

You cannot buy short-term car insurance, temporary car insurance, day-to-day coverage, or similar policies through State Farm or any other major insurer.

However, State Farm generally allows free cancellations without penalty. You can buy a State Farm policy, then cancel it when needed to effectively enjoy “temporary” car insurance.

Keep reading to find out how State Farm works for temporary car insurance.

Most Major Insurers Don’t Offer Temporary Car Insurance

State Farm, like all other major insurance companies in the United States, does not offer temporary car insurance.

You can’t buy short-term car insurance, day-to-day car insurance, pay-per-mile insurance, or month-to-month coverage with State Farm. Although State Farm offers a wide range of insurance products in all 50 states, State Farm does not offer short-term car insurance.

Instead, like most insurers, State Farm requires drivers to buy a 6-month or 12-month car insurance policy. You sign up for a 6 or 12-month policy, and State Farm covers your vehicle during that period in exchange for premiums.

When Do You Need Temporary Car Insurance?

You may need temporary car insurance in all of the following situations:

You’re a college student home on winter or summer break who wants to drive
You own a vehicle but only drive it at certain times of the year
You’re traveling to the United States and plan to rent or borrow a vehicle
You don’t own a vehicle but need to drive a moving truck or U-Haul for a brief trip
You’re borrowing a vehicle from a friend or family member
You occasionally use rideshare services or vehicle-sharing apps

You May Already Have Valid Insurance

You may not need temporary car insurance. Many drivers are surprised to find they’re already insured.

In many of the situations above, you already have valid car insurance and can legally drive.

Some of the ways in which you may already have valid car insurance include:

Your Family’s Insurance Covers All Licensed Drivers in the Household: If your parents have a car insurance policy and you’re living away from home at college, then you may still be considered a licensed driver on that policy. Contact your insurer to verify. However, most policies cover college students living away from home.

Insurance Follows the Vehicle – Not the Driver: To legally drive in the United States, a vehicle must have insurance. If your vehicle has insurance, and you have permission to drive it, then that insurance should cover you as well. If you’re driving a friend’s vehicle, for example, and your friend has insurance for the vehicle, then that insurance extends to anyone driving the vehicle – including you. Even if you don’t have insurance, you may be covered by the same policy.

Your Personal Insurance May Cover Rental Cars: Generally, a personal insurance policy covers rental cars. If you have a personal insurance policy in your home country, for example, then your personal policy should extend to cover any car you rent. Check with your insurer to verify rental car coverage.

State Farm Offers Free Cancellations Without Penalties

State Farm doesn’t offer temporary car insurance. However, like most insurers, State Farm makes it easy to cancel car insurance without penalties or fees. In fact, State Farm should even provide a refund on any premiums you have already paid.

Although State Farm doesn’t offer temporary car insurance, you can create your own “temporary” car insurance policy by canceling your State Farm policy at any point.

Here’s how it works:

You sign up for a 6-month or 12-month policy with State Farm.
State Farm charges you a monthly premium. You continue to pay this premium, and State Farm provides car insurance.
You contact State Farm when you wish to cancel your policy. You can cancel State Farm and request cancellation at any point. Just tell State Farm when you wish your policy to end.
State Farm will cancel your policy on your desired date. In most cases, State Farm will not charge a cancellation fee or any other penalty. State Farm should also offer a refund on any premiums you have already paid but didn’t use.

Whether you’ve used one month or five months of your State Farm policy, you should be able to cancel without penalty, effectively giving you “temporary” car insurance.

State Farm Offers Drive Safe & Save to Reward Low Mileage Drivers

If you’re a low-mileage driver looking for a temporary car insurance policy, consider State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save program. It’s similar to pay-per-mile coverage, giving drivers a discount based on mileage and driving behavior.

Here’s how State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save works:

You sign up for Drive Safe & Save, then install the Drive Safe & Save app.
The app automatically detects braking, acceleration, mileage, driving times, and more when driving.
Safe drivers with low mileage could save up to 30% on their State Farm auto insurance policy. The safer you drive, and the fewer miles you drive, the more you’ll save.

Depending on the reason why you’re purchasing temporary car insurance, State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save program could be the right choice for you.

Other Options for Temporary Car Insurance

Depending on your situation, you may benefit from other types of insurance options, including:

Non-owner insurance, where you want insurance even though you don’t own a vehicle.
Rental car insurance, where you buy coverage directly from the rental car company instead of using your personal insurance policy.
Permissive insurance, where another driver adds you to their insurance policy as a permitted driver.

Final Word

State Farm, GEICO, Allstate, Progressive, and all other major insurers in the United States do not offer temporary car insurance.

However, you can typically cancel a State Farm policy without penalties or cancellation fees. In fact, State Farm should even provide a refund on any premiums you have already paid.

To learn more about State Farm’s insurance products and how they could work for you, contact the company today.