Can You Get One-Day Car Insurance?

You may need car insurance for just one day or a couple of days at a time if you drive infrequently. But most major car insurance companies only offer car insurance plans for six or 12 months. Be careful responding to ads for one-day car insurance — they may be scams.

That said, you can find insurers, like Insurify Car and Hugo, that offer flexible payment plans that break your premium down into smaller, more manageable payments. Comparing car insurance quotes from these and other companies can help you find affordable car insurance.

Can you get one-day car insurance?

One-day car insurance doesn’t exist in the U.S.

Insurance companies generally sell car insurance policies for terms of six or 12 months. They don’t offer shorter terms for multiple reasons, including:

• Shorter terms mean higher financial and fraud risks for insurers.

• States generally require drivers to have continuous coverage.

• Pricing complexity would make it difficult to provide fair quotes for shorter terms.

• Longer terms give insurers more time to recoup administrative costs.

While policy periods are standard at six or 12 months, you do have multiple payment options. Most insurers will allow you to pay your premium monthly, quarterly, or in full at the beginning of the policy. Many offer discounts for prepaying in full.

Best one-day car insurance alternatives

You may want one-day car insurance for several reasons, such as if you store a vehicle, borrow a friend’s car, or rent a car. While no insurer currently offers one-day car insurance, here are some alternatives to consider and when they might be helpful based on specific needs.

The following table illustrates who these types of insurance might be best for and what you might pay for them.

One-Day Car Insurance Alternative	Best For	Average Monthly Cost
Borrowing a car	People who rarely drive	Generally free
Pay-per-mile	Infrequent drivers	$77 per month
Non-owner policy	Frequent borrowers	$35 per month
Rental car insurance	Rented vehicles	$21 per day
Early cancellation of standard policy	Short-term ownership	$142 per month
Liability-only policy	Older, paid-off cars	$98 per month
Flexible payment policies	Smaller payments	From $23 per week

Disclaimer: Table data is based on real-time quotes from Insurify’s network of 500+ insurance partners. Actual rates may vary depending on the policyholder’s individual profile and coverage needs.

Borrowing a friend’s car (permissive use): For people who rarely drive

If you need a vehicle and coverage for only one day, you likely don’t need to buy your own coverage. If a friend or family member loans you their car, the owner’s car insurance will cover you while you’re driving their vehicle. This concept is known as “permissive use,” and insurers generally cover occasional drivers who use a vehicle with the policyholder’s permission.

This alternative to one-day insurance saves you money and ensures you have coverage while behind the wheel of a borrowed vehicle.

Pay-per-mile insurance: For infrequent drivers

Pay-per-mile insurance typically includes a base rate and a per-mile rate. Nationwide provides an example comparison for a Chicago driver who pays $95 per month with its SmartMiles policy versus $133 for a traditional auto policy with unlimited miles. The SmartMiles policy has a $60 base rate and a $0.07 per-mile rate for 500 miles.

If you drive infrequently because you live in an urban area or work from home, you could save by purchasing a short-term or pay-per-mile insurance plan so you only pay for the days or miles you drive.

Non-owner car insurance: For regularly borrowing someone else’s car

Many insurers offer non-owner insurance, which protects licensed drivers who don’t own a car when they borrow a vehicle. This type of insurance only includes liability coverage for damage and injuries you cause. It could be the best policy option if you frequently drive a friend’s vehicle or a rental car.

A friend’s or family member’s car insurance policy might not fully cover you if you drive their car. You can purchase short-term car insurance when you plan to borrow their vehicle or non-owner insurance if you’re driving a borrowed or rented car regularly.

Rental car insurance: For renting a car

You can purchase a short-term policy through Hugo or a car rental company. It can include a few types of coverage and is a good option for drivers who don’t have a personal auto insurance policy or coverage that doesn’t extend to rentals.

You can typically get rental car insurance through the rental company.^[1] You can compare quotes to see if buying temporary coverage is more affordable.

Standard insurance with early cancellation: For short-term car ownership

You can always purchase a traditional six-month policy and cancel it early. Make sure to check for early cancellation penalties before purchasing a standard policy. If you lease or finance a car, this may be your only option, but it’s possible to find affordable rates starting at $87 for full coverage and $42 for liability-only coverage.

If you inherit a car you plan to sell quickly, purchasing temporary insurance will cover those few times you’ll be out and about.

Liability-only coverage: For older, paid-off vehicles

If saving money is your top priority, liability-only car insurance is always the cheapest option and will help protect you from bodily injury and property damage liability. Every state except New Hampshire requires a minimum amount of liability coverage, so it’s possible to find savings by purchasing liability coverage that just meets your state’s requirements. 

But keep in mind that minimum-coverage insurance offers far less financial protection than a full-coverage car insurance policy that includes comprehensive and collision. Ask about discounts that could help you save, like accident-free or low-mileage discounts.

You’ll likely need proof of insurance in a few different situations, like when buying a car, getting pulled over, or registering your vehicle at the DMV. A flexible short-term policy can help you get insurance documentation quickly.

Flexible payment coverage: For smaller premium payments

If you’re looking for liability-only coverage with a shorter time commitment, you can find coverage with Insurify Car. Insurify Car provides liability coverage that meets minimum legal requirements in the 16 different states where it’s available.

You can pay your premium in small seven-day installments, and your coverage starts as soon as you register and pay for the first seven days. You can choose a specific cancellation date in the future and cancel anytime. Or keep your coverage going if your needs change.

Hugo also offers liability-only policies with flexible, shorter payment schedules. Its purchase requirement varies, but you may be able to pay for as little as three days or as much as 30 days to start your policy.

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Consequences of driving without insurance

New Hampshire is the only state that doesn’t require car insurance. You’ll need car insurance with at least state-minimum coverage, or more if you’re financing or leasing your vehicle.

Driving without insurance can carry significant legal consequences. For example, in California, your driving privilege will be suspended for up to four years if you’re in an accident without at least minimum coverage, no matter who’s at fault.^[2]

If you can’t produce proof of coverage in Florida, your driving privilege and registration can be revoked for up to three years; reinstatement fees range from $150 to $500. Texas will fine you $175–$350 if you can’t show proof of insurance the first time, and you face $250 license renewal surcharges per year for three years. Subsequent convictions carry increasingly severe penalties.

One-day car insurance FAQs