Weekly Car Insurance

If you need car insurance coverage for just a week or two, then a weekly policy is the way to go. Some insurance companies offer plans that last for week-long and/or four-week increments.

Weekly car insurance is new to the USA and it’s typically charged by the day. The cost varies between $10 and $25 per day. As with all auto insurance, the cost can depend on factors such as:

• Age 
• Gender 
• Driving history 
• Vehicle type 
• Location

Weekly policies are usually renewable for up to six months. After those six months are up, you cannot renew on a weekly basis anymore, but you generally wouldn’t want to because it costs more to renew weekly policies for six months than it does to purchase a standard six-month car insurance policy. 

How 7-Day Car Insurance Works

You can get weekly car insurance online or from an insurance agent. You can typically buy a week or more and extend it if you need to. You’ll generally get the same coverage as traditional auto insurance, including personal injury protection and damage liability. You may also be able to add riders to the policy, such as uninsured motorist coverage, or add additional drivers. 

Keep in mind that you’ll likely need to pay for the policy upfront in order to start the coverage. With standard car insurance, you would likely pay a down payment and/or the first month’s premium to activate the policy, but with the shorter time frame of weekly car insurance, you’ll likely need to pay for it all right away. 

Why Weekly Car Insurance?

You may be wondering why a person would only require car insurance for 7 days. There are actually many scenarios that could result in a need for 7 day car insurance, including:

• A college student returns home for spring break and wishes to drive their vehicle for that week
• You use ridesharing on a short-term basis
• You have out of town visitors that will be driving your car
• You are borrowing someone else’s vehicle while your own is in the shop or while you look to purchase a new one
• You are renting a car while on vacation and wish to save money by avoiding expensive rental insurance policies
• You plan on selling your vehicle quite soon

These are just a few of a variety of circumstances in which weekly car insurance would be a good idea.  

Is It Necessary To Buy Weekly Car Insurance?

It can be tempting to try and go without insurance if you’re only driving for a small period of time, but it is also illegal. Driving without insurance can result in hefty fines and other state penalties. Don’t take the risk, and instead purchase short-term insurance. 

Who Can Purchase Weekly Car Insurance In the USA?

Unfortunately, weekly car insurance is not available for all drivers. There are a few specific scenarios in which you cannot purchase weekly car insurance:

• Your license is under suspension or revocation
• You are under the age requirement – weekly insurance is usually not offered to those under the age of 21, but some companies do not offer this type of coverage for anyone under the age of 24
• You are not a US citizen

Weekly Car Insurance Coverage

Aside from the length of the term, 7 day car insurance is not all that different from standard auto insurance policies. The coverage offered must meet the state’s minimum coverage for liability, personal injury, and property damage. You are also able to add additional coverages to car insurance for 7 days, which will increase your cost but can provide peace of mind in return. Weekly car insurance also comes with the same exclusions as standard car insurance. For instance, a claim will not be fulfilled under the following circumstances:

• Vehicle was being used for commercial purposes
• Riots or acts of terrorism
• Racing
• Driver was not listed on the policy

Weekly Car Insurance vs. Non-Owners Insurance

Weekly car insurance is different from non-owners insurance. However, both are viable options when borrowing a vehicle, so it is important to understand how they differ in order to decide which one to choose. 

Standard car insurance policies will only cover a driver who is not the owner or is not named on the policy if the trip was:

• Short 
• Local 
• And taken on behalf of the car owner

Non-owner’s insurance covers you as the driver, not the vehicle. The coverage extends to liability, bodily injury, and property damage. These policies also last longer than a few weeks.  

Weekly car insurance, on the other hand, operates the same as standard insurance in that it covers the vehicle and only those listed on the policy.

Where to Purchase Weekly Car Insurance

Because weekly car insurance is still relatively new to the USA, not all insurance providers offer it yet. 

You may have to do some digging to find a trusted insurance company offering weekly car insurance for a great price. But they are out there, and a one-week car insurance quote is just a click away.

The Bottom Line

Weekly auto insurance can be a great option for short-term, reliable coverage. While it’s not that common of a policy yet, there are legitimate scenarios that would warrant one week car insurance and it’s expected to become more and more in demand. If you’re looking to save on car insurance costs and get thorough coverage for peace of mind, weekly car insurance is a great fit.