Temporary Car Insurance in California: What You Need to Know (2023)

If you need a temporary car insurance policy in California, it can be difficult to find coverage, as most insurance companies only offer policies that last six months or longer. Instead of struggling to locate temporary auto insurance, it may be more practical to pursue alternatives when you only need coverage for a brief time. For example, a typical liability-only policy in California costs around $132 per month, and it may be more cost-effective to purchase this type of policy and cancel it early. Alternatively, you can explore other solutions that meet your needs.

Let’s dive into how temporary car insurance works in California so you can weigh your options.

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Is temporary car insurance available in California?

You may find an insurance company in California that issues temporary or short-term car insurance coverage. However, your options are limited.

“Temporary car insurance is a rare form of coverage that can be very difficult to find because it is not offered by most standard auto insurers,” says Mark Friedlander, Insurance Information Institute director of corporate communications. He explains that temporary or short-term auto insurance policies are similar to traditional auto insurance, and the rating process is similar to how insurers price traditional auto insurance policies.

So, why do car insurance companies avoid issuing short-term policies? “The cost of underwriting risk for such a minimal time frame outweighs the benefits of selling this type of coverage,” Friedlander says. “That’s why six-month and 12-month policies are typical auto insurance policy terms.”

Getting nonowner car insurance in California

Nonowner car insurance is a type of insurance policy you buy when you plan to drive a car you don’t own. For example, you may need this when driving a family member or friend’s car or using a car-sharing service.

You can usually buy these policies in increments of six months or a year, but they tend to be less expensive than a normal car insurance policy. While those terms aren’t shorter than a standard car insurance policy’s, you can generally cancel the policy as soon as you don’t need the coverage anymore.

Canceling your policy early in California

Just because you buy a car insurance policy with a long policy term doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it. You can buy a car insurance policy and cancel it early if your needs change — for any reason. For example, you could buy a yearlong policy, but if you decide to stop driving your car or sell it, then you have the option of canceling your policy. You may have to pay a cancellation fee, but you won’t continue paying pricey monthly premiums.

However, it’s critical to note that driving without insurance is illegal. If you cancel your policy but continue driving, California could suspend your license and registration.^[1] So you must purchase a new policy if you’ll be driving again.

Furthermore, how long you have continuous coverage could affect your future car insurance rates when you shop for policies again. Canceling your policy without buying a new one can cause your future rates to be higher.

Getting car insurance for a rental car in California

When you rent a car, you need to make sure it has insurance, no matter how short a time you drive it. Before you buy rental car insurance, it’s a good idea to check your existing car insurance policy to see if it includes rental car coverage. If so, you likely won’t need additional insurance from the rental company. 

Additionally, you can see whether the credit card you use to pay for the rental includes rental car insurance as a card benefit. Many major cards offer this coverage, which can save you money. However, the coverage may be secondary to your own policy or have limits on the amount of coverage. The key here is to use a credit card that offers this benefit when you book the car; otherwise, coverage won’t apply.

If neither your auto insurance policy nor your credit card covers the rental, you can purchase insurance from the rental car company.^[2]

Best car insurance companies for short-term car insurance in California

Drivers looking for a short-term car insurance policy in California may want to consider one of the insurers outlined in the following table. The average monthly quotes listed represent the average rates of a six-month, liability-only car insurance policy.

Methodology

Data scientists at Insurify analyzed more than 40 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partner providers across the United States to compile the car insurance quotes, statistics, and data visualizations displayed on this page. The car insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers' vehicles, driving records, and demographic information. Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates. With this data, Insurify is able to offer drivers insight into how companies price their car insurance premiums. The data included on this page represents averages across all driver ages, genders, credit scores, and driver profiles for California drivers.

Car insurance for students in California

When a student goes to college, their car insurance needs can change. Two common scenarios may occur when a student goes to college in California. Either they are a student who just moved to California for college and intends to drive their car at college or they moved to college but will no longer drive the car that a parent’s policy previously insured.

For college students who have recently relocated to California and plan on driving their own car while attending school, modifying or purchasing a new car insurance policy may be necessary. In this scenario, the process involves some research and comparison shopping to find a policy that meets their specific needs and state-minimum coverage levels.

To modify an existing policy, the student or their parent should contact their current insurance company and inform them of the move. The insurance company will then update the policy and adjust the premium based on the student’s new location. 

For parents whose child has moved away for college and will no longer drive their car, the process of modifying their car insurance policy will depend on whether their child is still a listed driver. If the child is no longer listed on the policy, the parents may be able to reduce their coverage to a minimum level or even cancel the policy altogether. However, if the child is still listed on the policy but won’t be driving the car, the parents may need to keep the policy as-is or consider removing the child from the policy entirely.

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Temporary car insurance in California FAQs