6 Best Pay-as-You-Go Car Insurance Companies (2024)

Allstate, Nationwide, and Hugo are some of the best companies offering pay-as-you-go car insurance.

Evelyn Pimplaskar
Evelyn PimplaskarEditor-in-Chief, Director of Content
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  • 30+ years in media, PR, and content creation

Evelyn leads Insurify’s content team. She’s passionate about creating empowering content to help people transform their financial lives and make sound insurance-buying decisions.

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Katie Powers
Edited byKatie Powers
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Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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Updated October 20, 2024

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Drivers have found policies from Orion Indemnity Company, Direct Auto, Progressive, and more, for rates as low as $36/mo. through Insurify

*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 17, 2024

Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from October 17, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.

*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 17, 2024

Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from October 17, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.

Instead of charging a set amount like for traditional insurance, auto insurers offering pay-as-you-go car insurance charge a varying amount each month depending on how much you use your car. Your monthly premium will have two parts: an unchanging base rate and the variable portion.

Most pay-as-you-go insurers base the variable portion on your actual mileage each month. But some insurers calculate usage costs in other ways.

If you’re considering pay-as-you-go insurance, here’s what to know about how it works, which insurers offer it, and how to compare quotes to find the best price on coverage that meets your needs.

Quick Facts
  • Companies may also refer to pay-as-you-go car insurance as pay-per-mile or usage-based insurance.

  • Not all companies offer pay-as-you-go coverage. Instead, they may offer you a discount for driving less.

  • Pay-as-you-go insurers use standard car insurance rating factors like your driving record, credit history, age, gender, ZIP code, and more to determine your base rate and per-mile charge.

How pay-as-you-go car insurance works

Pay-as-you-go car insurance provides the same types of coverage as standard auto insurance policies.

You can get minimum coverage, which is your state’s required amount of liability insurance, or full coverage, which typically adds comprehensive and collision insurance to a basic policy. If you opt for collision and comprehensive, you’ll have a deductible, just like with standard insurance policies.

When you enroll in pay-as-you-go car insurance, most insurers will consider common rating factors to set your rates. On top of a base rate, you’ll pay a per-mile amount that depends on the number of miles you drive each month. This is why companies often call this type of coverage pay-per-mile auto insurance.

Some insurers will also track your driving habits and reward safe driving with bigger savings.

How to get pay-as-you-go car insurance

You can buy a pay-as-you-go policy the same way you buy a standard car insurance policy. You can deal with an agent or broker, apply directly on an insurer’s website, or use an online comparison platform to compare quotes from multiple companies.

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Best companies for pay-as-you-go car insurance

Company
Rate
Availability
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
Best for
Allstate (Milewise)Daily rate + per-mile rateAZ, DE, ID, IL, IN, MD, MN, MO, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, VA, WA, WI, and WV8.9Overall
Nationwide (SmartMiles)Monthly base rate + per-mile rateEverywhere but: AK, HI, LA, NC, NY, and OK8.7Wide availability
HugoOn-demandAL, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, IN, MS, OH, PA, SC, TN, and TX7.0Minimum coverage
MetromileBase rate + per-mile rateAZ, CA, IL, NJ, OR, PA, VA, and WA7.0Families
Mile AutoMonthly base rate + per-mile rateAZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, OH, OR, PA, TN, TX, and WI7.5Ease of use
Noblr (USAA)Monthly fixed rate + monthly variable rateAZ, CO, GA, IL, IN, LA, MD, MO, NV, NM, OH, PA, TX, VA, and WIN/AMilitary community
  • Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.

    We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

    • Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
    • Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
    • Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
    • Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
    • Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.

Best overall pay-as-you-go car insurance: Allstate Milewise

User Reviews
4.0
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
8.9 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$62/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$137/mo
4.0
Best choiceBased on 5377 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Allstate

Drivers appreciate the initial pricing and overall service but dislike the frequent rate increases and misleading pricing tactics.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Accident forgiveness
Wide availability
Cheap rates
How drivers feel about Allstate

Drivers appreciate the initial pricing and overall service but dislike the frequent rate increases and misleading pricing tactics.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Accident forgiveness
Wide availability
Cheap rates
Reviews (2,931)

Robert

October 20, 2024

Verified Review

Great Agent and Staff, But Poor Corporate Service

The customer service at the local office is top-notch, especially Emily from Shae's office - she's the best. However, when forwarded to corporate after hours, the service is extremely poor. I've communicated this to Shane in San Diego.

Kent

October 20, 2024

Verified Review

Fair

Your prices are way too high.

Charles

October 20, 2024

Verified Review

Twice as Expensive as Other Insurances

It's okay, but too expensive.
See all Allstate reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
833
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
0.94
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A-
Why we picked this company

Milewise is Allstate’s pay-per-mile car insurance product. Allstate provides a telematics device that plugs into your vehicle’s diagnostic port. The device tracks miles driven, speed, location, time of day, and driving events.

You must deposit funds into a prepaid account with Allstate, and the company deducts a daily rate, such as $1.50, and a per-mile rate, like $.06, based on your actual mileage. You can access your Milewise policy details, miles driven, and more through the program’s mobile app.

Pros
  • Above-average customer satisfaction rating in J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study[1]

  • Robust mobile app can help with insurance cost budgeting and improving driving skills

  • Same coverage types, limits, and discounts as standard Allstate policy

  • Drivewise program rewards safe drivers in states where Milewise isn’t available

Cons
  • Requires preloaded funds

  • Available in only 17 states

  • Can’t track miles by mobile app

  • Poor driving habits could increase your rates

Best for availability: Nationwide SmartMiles

User Reviews
4.4
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
8.7 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$84/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$185/mo
4.4
Best choiceBased on 757 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Nationwide

Drivers appreciate the excellent coverage, reliable claims process, and good initial rates but dislike the frequent price increases.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Usage-based savings
Accident forgiveness
Recreational vehicle coverage
How drivers feel about Nationwide

Drivers appreciate the excellent coverage, reliable claims process, and good initial rates but dislike the frequent price increases.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Usage-based savings
Accident forgiveness
Recreational vehicle coverage
Reviews (428)

Robert

October 15, 2024

Verified Review

Poor Negotiators

When all I wanted was liability coverage, they kept advising that my home insurance could go up. Finally, after one month, they changed to liability but the price went up. Years ago, over a minor dog bite, they threatened to cancel if we did not get rid of the dog. Their insurance provides slow coverage and quick threats.

Salena

October 14, 2024

Verified Review

Loyalty Means Nothing

The prices keep increasing.

Rchard

October 14, 2024

Verified Review

Looking for a Good Agency with Realistic Prices

The people in the main office are hard to deal with when it comes to pricing.
See all Nationwide reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
815
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
0.64
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
A+
Why we picked this company

SmartMiles, Nationwide’s pay-per-mile program, uses either a telematics device or existing technology in a connected car to track driving behavior and miles.

A base rate and per-mile charge make up your monthly premium, so your rate will vary each month. SmartMiles is the most widely available pay-as-you-go car insurance; it’s available in most states where Nationwide operates.

SmartMiles also caps your per-mile charges at 250 miles per day — so an unexpected road trip won’t cost you a bundle. Upon policy renewal, SmartMiles drivers can get a discount of up to 10% for driving safely.

Pros
  • Available in 44 states

  • Up to 10% safe-driving discount on renewal

  • Road-trip mileage cap of 250 miles per day

  • Alternative SmartRide program for safe drivers who can’t use SmartMiles

Cons
  • Below-average customer satisfaction rating from J.D. Power

  • Not available in Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, North Carolina, New York, and Oklahoma

  • Some hybrids and diesel-powered cars might not be able to use SmartMiles device

  • Many negative customer reviews on Trustpilot regarding claims service

Best for minimum coverage: Hugo

User Reviews
4.1
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
7.0 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$234/mo
4.1
Best choiceBased on 111 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Hugo

Drivers appreciate the excellent prices, flexible payment options, and helpful customer service but dislike the lack of full coverage and difficulty reaching support.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Micropayments
No down payments
Fast coverage
How drivers feel about Hugo

Drivers appreciate the excellent prices, flexible payment options, and helpful customer service but dislike the lack of full coverage and difficulty reaching support.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Micropayments
No down payments
Fast coverage
Reviews (42)

Kimberly

September 21, 2024

Verified Review

Hugo Whoa!

It's steep, but convenient.

Sheila

September 10, 2024

Verified Review

Great in a Pinch

It's good when you need it on the spot and don't have a lot of money because you pay daily. However, it's very expensive in the long run.

Mariluz

September 3, 2024

Verified Purchase

Good Prices

Excellent
See all Hugo reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
NR
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
NR
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
NR
Why we picked this company

Launched in 2021, Hugo is currently the only insurance company offering policy terms as short as three days and the ability to make smaller, more frequent micropayments. Drivers open an account with Hugo without paying a down payment, and choose their policy term. Hugo sells policies for three, seven, 14, or 30 days, or six months, and offers minimum coverage liability insurance. Hugo no longer sells full-coverage policies, and liability policies are limited to state minimums – you can’t buy higher liability limits.

Pros
  • Short-term policies

  • No down payment required

  • Micropayment option

Cons
  • Only available in 13 states

  • Full coverage not available

  • No discounts

Best for families: Metromile

User Reviews
3.9
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
7.0 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$65/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$115/mo
3.9
A solid optionBased on 78 verified guest reviews and ratings
How drivers feel about Metromile

Drivers appreciate the helpful customer service, initial low rates, and flexible payment options but dislike the frequent premium increases and poor communication.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Low-mileage drivers
Pay-as-you go car insurance
Robust mobile app
How drivers feel about Metromile

Drivers appreciate the helpful customer service, initial low rates, and flexible payment options but dislike the frequent premium increases and poor communication.

AI-generated from the text of verified reviews collected by Insurify
Best For
Low-mileage drivers
Pay-as-you go car insurance
Robust mobile app
Reviews (49)

Patrick

October 17, 2024

Verified Review

Stay Away

I used their services for 6 months, and then they raised my policy by 300% for no apparent reason. I believe they operate on a bait and switch type of scam, offering a great price in the beginning and then, bam!

Stephen

October 6, 2024

Verified Review

Great Insurance

Great, just difficult to communicate with someone.

Bradley

October 2, 2024

Verified Review

Overpriced Auto Insurance

Keep an eye on their rates, as they have a tendency to creep up, just like most other auto insurers.
See all Metromile reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
NR
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
3.25
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
NR
Why we picked this company

Not all pay-per-mile insurers offer discounts, but Metromile does. If you have more than one vehicle insured with Metromile, you may qualify for a multi-car discount that reduces the monthly base rate and per-mile rate for each vehicle. Metromile also has a mobile app that allows you to file a claim, view your trips, and even find your lost — or stolen — car.

If you drive more than 250 miles in a day (150 miles in New Jersey), Metromile won’t charge you for any miles over that threshold. Policyholders plug a telematics device into their car’s diagnostic port to track their mileage.

Pros
  • Multi-vehicle and mature driver discounts

  • Mileage cap of 250 miles per day (150 miles in New Jersey)

  • No fees for early cancellation

  • Claims a 92% stolen car return rate

Cons
  • Much higher-than-average number of consumer complaints with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners

  • 1.7 (out of 5 stars) on Trustpilot

  • Numerous complaints about poor claims processing

  • Available in only eight states

Best for ease of use: Mile Auto

User Reviews
4.1
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
7.5 /10
Liability Only
Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages.
$56/mo
Full Coverage
Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible.
$101/mo
4.1
Best choiceBased on 49 verified guest reviews and ratings
Reviews (29)

Cookie

October 15, 2024

Verified Purchase

Excellent

Low mileage rate.

Tasha

October 10, 2024

Verified Purchase

Not pleased

Don't opt for this insurance if you're on a budget. I was unaware that this was a cost-per-mile insurance. I was never informed about it, and now I'm paying an extra $20 for roadside assistance that I thought was included. I had mentioned to the representative that I couldn't afford expensive insurance, yet the cost has increased.

Thomas

October 8, 2024

Verified Purchase

Mixed Review

Mixed. One representative was confusing and couldn't guide me regarding a text I received which stated my payment, which I had been informed had been processed, had actually gone through. To ensure I was covered, I made the payment. The previous representative had been professional and direct. So, I have a mixed reaction.
See all Mile Auto reviews
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
NR
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
NR
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
NR
Why we picked this company

Mile Auto doesn’t require you to install a telematics device to track mileage. Instead, the insurer requires you to send a picture of your vehicle’s odometer once a month. You’ll pay a monthly base rate plus a per-mile charge.

Mile offers both liability and full-coverage car insurance, plus optional coverages like rental car reimbursement and roadside assistance.

Pros
  • No telematics technology needed to participate

  • Doesn’t monitor driving habits

  • Optional coverages available

  • 24/7 claims assistance by phone

Cons
  • No advertised discounts

  • Available in only 11 states

  • Many Trustpilot reviewers complain of slow claims processing and difficulty reaching a representative

  • Very little company information on website

Best for military families: Noblr

User ReviewsNR
IQ Score
The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores.
NR
JD Power
J.D. Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale.
NR
NAIC Index
Average amount of customer complaints relative to competitors on a 0-5 scale. A lower score represents fewer complaints.
NR
A.M. Best
A.M. Best analyzes an insurer’s financials, operating performance, business profile, and other factors to generate an opinion-based rating of a company’s financial and credit strength. Ratings range from A++ (exceptional) to D (poor).
NR
Why we picked this company

Noblr is a USAA company, so it’s only available to active-duty military members, veterans, and qualifying family members. To use Noblr, you’ll need to download its mobile app onto your smartphone. The app measures the number of miles you drive each month and scores your driving habits.

Noblr is currently available in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. In addition to standard coverages like liability, full coverage, uninsured motorist, rental car, and roadside assistance, Noblr offers options like gap coverage in certain states.

Pros
  • No telematics device required

  • Part of USAA

  • Keeps your vehicle insured at a low rate during overseas deployment

  • Rewards safe drivers with lower rates

Cons
  • Available in only 15 states

  • Limited to members of the military community

  • Poor transparency about actual savings on Noblr and USAA websites

  • Just 1.8 (out of 5) stars on Google, with many negative reviews

  • To choose the best pay-as-you-go car insurance companies, Insurify’s editors and analysts consider:

    • Average rates (according to our proprietary database of millions of car insurance quotes)

    • Availability

    • Whether a company offers discounts or optional coverages like roadside assistance

    • Industry ratings, such as from AM Best, J.D. Power, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners

    • Online reviews from customers

Learn More: Insurify Guide to Car Insurance Discounts

Learn More: Insurify Guide to Car Insurance Discounts

Cost of pay-as-you-go car insurance

Just as with standard insurance, a number of factors affect your pay-as-you-go rates. Age, gender, driving history, credit history, state, ZIP code, and more are all factors insurers consider when setting rates.[2]

Generally, though, you can expect your monthly pay-as-you-go premium to include a base rate and a per-mile rate.

Here are the national average monthly rates for some top pay-as-you-go insurers, according to Insurify data.

Insurance Company
Full Coverage
Liability Only
HugoNA$234
Metromile$115$65
Mile Auto$101$56
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
  • Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.

    We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.

    • Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
    • Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
    • Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
    • Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
    • Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.

Pros and cons of pay-as-you-go insurance

Pay-per-mile car insurance can help low-mileage and safe drivers save money. How much you save will depend on the company and your unique situation, but insurers with pay-per-mile offerings claim savings of 40% or more off standard car insurance rates.

But not everyone will see significant savings with pay-as-you-go insurance, so it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of the coverage before buying it.

Pros
  • Low-mileage drivers could see significant savings.

  • Some companies provide additional discounts for safe driving behaviors.

  • Coverages are generally the same as standard policies: liability and full coverage, with some options like roadside assistance.

Cons
  • You may need to install a telematics device in your vehicle.

  • Companies that track driving habits may increase rates for poor driving.

  • Not the cheapest option for people who drive 10,000 miles or more per year.

Who should consider pay-as-you-go car insurance

Pay-as-you-go insurance isn’t for everyone, but it may be a good choice for:

  • People who drive fewer than 10,000 miles per year

  • Students or the parents of students living away from home

  • People who work from home

  • Senior drivers, who typically log fewer miles than other age groups

  • Safe drivers who avoid hard braking, speeding, and other behaviors that can negatively affect rates

  • City dwellers who rely on public transportation but still need car insurance

  • Multiple-vehicle owners who have one car they rarely use

Cheapest recent rates

Drivers have found policies from First Acceptance, CSAA, Aspire General, and more, for rates as low as $36/mo. through Insurify

*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 17, 2024

Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from October 17, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.

*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 17, 2024

Rates shown are real-time Insurify user quotes from 100+ insurance companies and Quadrant Information Services data. Insurify’s algorithm excludes anomalous quotes and anonymizes personal details, then displays refined quotes by price, date, and insurer popularity up to 10 days ago from October 17, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.

Usage-based insurance (UBI) vs. pay-as-you-go

Pay-as-you-go or pay-per-mile insurance is a type of usage-based insurance (UBI), which bases your rates on how, when, and how much you use your vehicles.[3] Pay-as-you-go insurance usually ties your variable rate to the number of miles you drive in a month.

Other types of UBI may also factor in when and where you drive, how you drive, and even if your vehicle’s technology reports a collision warning or airbag deployment. UBI programs also typically require a telematics device to monitor your driving, while some pay-as-you-go policies only require a mobile app or user-report mileage.[4]

Pay-as-you-go car insurance FAQs

If you’re considering pay-as-you-go coverage as an option to lower your insurance costs, here are answers to some commonly asked questions that could help.

  • What’s the pay-as-you-go method of car insurance?

    Pay-as-you-go car insurance bases your monthly car insurance premium on the number of miles you drive each month. In addition to a per-mile charge, you’ll also pay a base rate.

    Because your rate will vary from month to month, you won’t prepay for your insurance each coming month. Instead, you pay for the previous month’s usage.

  • What is a low-mileage discount, and is it different from pay-as-you-go?

    Not every standard insurer offers a pay-per-mile product. But many that don’t have pay-as-you-go programs offer discounts for policyholders who have low annual mileage or safe driving habits. For example, Progressive’s Snapshot UBI program adjusts your premium based on how, how much, and when you drive.

  • What variables does pay-as-you-go insurance measure?

    Pay-as-you-go insurance uses the same rating factors as standard car insurance, such as age, gender, credit history, driving record, and more. All pay-as-you-go insurance measures how many miles you drive each month. Some insurers also measure your driving habits, such as hard braking or speeding.

  • Is pay-as-you-drive insurance worth it?

    It depends. If you typically drive fewer than 10,000 miles per year and are a safe driver, pay-as-you-drive coverage could help you save money on car insurance costs.

    But it’s not for high-mileage drivers and may not be the cheapest option for people with severe driving infractions, such as a DUI.

  • Which insurance companies offer pay-per-mile car insurance?

    Allstate, Nationwide, Mile Auto, Metromile, and Noblr all offer pay-per-mile car insurance. You may find others, such as regional insurers, that also offer usage-based car insurance. 

    Comparing quotes and getting advice from an agent can help you find the pay-per-mile policy that’s best for you.

Methodology

Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.

Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).

Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:

  • Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
  • Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
  • No additional coverage
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
  • Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
  • Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible

Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.

Sources

  1. J.D. Power. "Auto Insurers Manage Customer Expectations as Repair Cycle Times Double in Two Years, J.D. Power Finds."
  2. Insurance Information Institute. "What determines the price of an auto insurance policy?."
  3. Progressive. "What is usage-based insurance?."
  4. International Risk Management Institute. "Usage-based insurance (UBI)."
Evelyn Pimplaskar
Evelyn PimplaskarEditor-in-Chief, Director of Content

Evelyn Pimplaskar is Insurify’s director of content. With 30-plus years in content creation – including 10 years specializing in personal finance – Evelyn’s done everything from covering volatile local elections as a beat reporter to building fintech content libraries from the ground up.

Before joining Insurify, she was editor-in-chief at Credible, where she launched and developed the lending marketplace’s media partnership’s content initiative and managed the restructuring of the editorial team to enhance content production efficiency. Formerly, as tax editor for Credit Karma, Evelyn built a library of more than 300 educational articles on federal and state taxes, achieving triple-digit year-over-year growth in e-files from organic search.

Her early career included work as a content marketer, vice president and managing officer of a boutique public relations agency, chief copy editor for 14 weekly Forbes publications, reporting for large and mid-sized daily newspapers, and freelancing for the Associated Press.

Evelyn is passionate about creating personal finance content that distills complex topics into relatable, easy-to-understand stories. She believes great content helps empower readers with the information they need to make important personal finance decisions.

Katie Powers
Edited byKatie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
Photo of an Insurify author
Katie PowersAuto and Life Insurance Editor
  • Licensed auto and home insurance agent

  • 3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing

Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.

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