Jamie is a meticulous researcher who has published 2,000+ personal finance articles. Her expertise is trusted by major brands like Bankrate and Rocket Mortgage.
Evelyn PimplaskarEditor-in-Chief, Director of Content
10+ years in insurance and personal finance content
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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Cheapest recent rates
Drivers have found policies from The General, State Farm, Mile Auto, and more, for rates as low as $35/mo. through Insurify
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on December 19, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
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 December 19, 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 December 19, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
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 December 19, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
Most states require drivers to have at least a minimum amount of liability car insurance. But if you don’t have a credit card, it’s still possible to pay your premiums.
“You can pay for car insurance with cash, money orders, or prepaid debit cards,” says Jesse Cunningham, licensed agent and owner of Bauple, an independent insurance brokerage in Maryland. “None of these payment methods require a bank account.”
Some companies even accept premium payments through PayPal or Apple Pay. However you decide to pay your premiums, it’s important to pay on time every month. Not paying could lead to a lapse in coverage.
Quick Facts
Most insurers accept cash, money orders, checking account payments, or prepaid debit cards.
If you want to pay in cash, consider companies that have local offices and accept in-person payments.
It’s important to send checks early to avoid a late payment.
How to pay for car insurance without a credit card
“Most insurance companies will accept alternative forms of payment,” Cunningham says. He recommends speaking with an independent agent if you’re concerned about paying for car insurance without a credit card.
Here are some ways to get car insurance online without a credit card.
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Check (paper, electronic, or cashier’s)
Writing a check isn’t as common as it used to be, but it’s a safe and convenient way to pay for your car insurance. A check is a document promising someone they’ll receive payment from you.
You can mail a paper check, send an electronic check through your online banking software, or have your bank issue you a cashier’s check. Just make sure to mail your check early to avoid any late payments.
I use my bank’s online banking system to pay all my bills, including my car insurance premiums. It’s safer and faster than mailing a check, and it’s easy. I can even get reminder texts from my bank when a bill’s coming due, so I never miss paying my premium and risking a lapse in coverage.
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Debit card
When you open a checking account at a bank or credit union, you’ll typically receive a free debit card. Although it looks like a credit card, a debit card takes money directly from your bank account when you use it to make a payment. Credit cards offer a revolving line of credit that users pay back after they spend with the card.
If you pay your premium with a debit card, your insurer may keep the card number on file and automatically charge you each month. That way, you don’t have to worry about missing a payment or lapses in coverage.
Keep in Mind
You’ll need to make sure you have enough money in your account to cover the payment when it’s due. Otherwise, you risk overdraft or returned payment fees from your bank and late payment fees from the car insurance company.
An electronic funds transfer (EFT) lets your insurance company receive the money electronically instead of you writing a paper check.[1] When you sign up for car insurance, you’ll give your insurance company your checking account and routing numbers. Then, the insurance company deducts the funds from your account each month when your payment is due.
EFT is one of the safest forms of payment. By setting up auto pay, you’ll never have to worry about your policy lapsing or canceling due to non-payment. Some insurance companies even offer discounts for using auto pay.
Apple Pay
Apple Pay allows you to store your card information in a mobile wallet on your phone.[2]
Some insurers accept Apple Pay, including Progressive, State Farm, GEICO, and USAA. Your insurer may also give you the option to add your insurance card to your Apple Wallet so you always have it on hand.
PayPal or other mobile payment services
PayPal allows you to send and receive payments online using its website or mobile app. Most car insurance companies don’t accept PayPal, but some do. For example, Progressive accepts PayPal — and Google Pay.
Prepaid cards
Prepaid cards aren’t linked to a bank account. Instead, you load money onto the card and can only spend up to the amount you’ve loaded. Prepaid debit cards usually have reload fees or monthly maintenance fees. This makes them an expensive way to store and use money.
And, if you lose your prepaid card or it gets stolen, you have no way to get that money back. You should only use a prepaid card as a last resort to pay your car insurance premium.
Money orders
Progressive, State Farm, and Travelers are a few companies that accept money orders as a form of payment. You can buy money orders to pay a business or another person as an alternative to a check.
You can buy a money order at:
Banks
Credit unions
Most post offices
Grocery stores
Gas stations
Retailers like Walmart
If you don’t have a checking account, a money order is a safer option than cash. But you may pay a fee each time you buy one.
In-person cash payments
Some insurance companies still accept cash payments at their local offices. Ask your insurance company if it accepts cash as a payment option. If it doesn’t take cash, you could buy a money order or use a prepaid card instead.
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Do all car insurance companies accept checks?
Most major car insurance companies accept various payment methods, including paper, electronic, and cashier’s checks. For instance, popular insurers like Progressive, State Farm, GEICO, and Allstate accept check payments.
Most insurers will let you mail in a paper check or cashier’s check with the payment stub. You may also be able to add your check routing numbers on the company’s website or mobile app and pay by electronic check.
The advantage of setting up auto pay with an electronic check is that you don’t have to worry about potential late payments.
Recent quotes for other Insurify users
Recent car insurance prices for Chevrolet, Subaru, Jeep, and more. Insurify features quotes from 100+ carriers including Safeco, Root, and Kemper Economy.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users within the last 10 days. Last updated on December 19, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
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 December 19, 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 December 19, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
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 December 19, 2024. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer’s unique driver profile.
How your credit affects car insurance rates
Insurance companies use information from your consumer credit report to generate a credit-based insurance score. This score predicts how likely you are to file a claim, and it affects how much your car insurance policy will cost, depending on the state.[3]
California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon, and Utah prohibit or limit insurance companies’ use of credit information in determining your insurance rates. But unless you live in one of those states, your credit history will influence your insurance premiums.
You still can find cheap car insurance, even with bad credit. Raising your deductible and eliminating any unnecessary coverage will lower the cost. It’s also a good idea to receive quotes from multiple insurance companies.
The following table outlines what you might pay on average based on your credit rating. The better your credit rating, the lower your insurance premiums will be.
Rates by Credit Tier
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Buying car insurance online with a checking account FAQs
Here’s some additional information about buying car insurance without a credit card.
Can you pay your car insurance bill with your bank account?
Yes. You can pay your car insurance bill with your bank account in several different ways. You can set up an electronic funds transfer (EFT) and automated clearing house (ACH) payments. You should be able to set this up through the billing section on your insurance company’s website or mobile app.
Which insurance doesn’t require a down payment?
All insurers require an initial down payment. Typically, the down payment will be your first month’s premium, but some insurers will charge an additional fee on top of it. Some insurers that don’t charge an additional fee include Alliance, Allstate, Farmers, Kemper, Nationwide, Progressive, SafeAuto, and State Farm.
Do insurance companies ask for your bank account number?
If you pay your car insurance company directly through your checking account, you have to provide your banking information. You need to provide your checking account and routing numbers so your insurer can process the payment.
You should be able to do this online or through your insurance company’s mobile app. And your insurance company will have security features in place to keep your banking information safe.
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.
Jamie Johnson is a Kansas City-based personal finance writer whose work has been featured on several of the top finance and business sites in the country, including Insider, Credit Karma, Bankrate, Rocket Mortgage, Fox Business, Quicken Loans, and The Balance. For the past six years, she's dedicated more than 10,000 hours of research and writing to more than 2,000 articles about personal finance topics.
Jamie has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Evelyn PimplaskarEditor-in-Chief, Director of Content
10+ years in insurance and personal finance content
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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