One-Week Car Insurance

If you need car insurance for a week, you're mostly likely renting a car, buying rental car insurance is your simplest option for true one-week coverage. 

• Read more about buying rental car insurance if you're renting for a week

However, if you're trying to get one-week car insurance for your own car or when borrowing a car, you'll need workarounds since insurers don't sell standalone weekly policies. The buy-and-cancel method works for vehicle owners needing temporary coverage, non-owner insurance suits frequent borrowers, and permissive use covers one-time situations when you may be driving a friend's car.

1. Read more about buying and canceling car insurance
2. Read more about buying non-owner car insurance
3. Read more about taking advantage of permissive use

Rental car insurance through the rental company costs $15 to $30 daily—expensive but genuinely designed for one-week needs. This works best for infrequent renters without existing auto coverage, international visitors, or those whose personal policy lacks rental protection. You can purchase exactly seven days of coverage with no cancellation hassles. When buying insurance at the counter, look for Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which covers damage to the rental car itself, and Supplemental Liability Protection (SLP), which increases your liability limits.

However, if you rent more than twice yearly or already have comprehensive auto coverage, check if your credit card provides rental insurance or consider non-owner insurance for better long-term value.

This straightforward approach involves purchasing a six-month policy and canceling after seven days for a prorated refund. GEICO, Kemper, and Nationwide process cancellations without penalties, refunding unused premiums within 7 to 30 days. However, watch for minimum earned premiums that keep your first month's payment regardless of when you cancel. Additionally, some insurers charge $25 to $50 cancellation fees, which can triple your effective weekly rate from $28 to $78.

How much does one-week car insurance cost? Anywhere from $17 per week (GEICO) to $26 per week (Progressive). Insurance companies use different methods to calculate weekly car insurance rates. You pay for the first month upfront before your seven-day car insurance policy activates. Here's a cost breakdown for some of the cheapest one-week coverage quotes:

Why is seven-day car insurance so expensive? Multiple factors drive up seven-day car insurance costs including processing fees, cancellation penalties, limited competition, geographic factors and vehicle type.

Cheap non-owner policies are for those who don't own a car but frequently borrow or rent. It provides liability coverage that follows you, not a specific car. It is useful for maintaining a continuous insurance record and satisfying an SR-22 filing at a lower cost. Non-owner policies typically cost between $40 and $60 per month, making them a far cheaper option than rental company daily coverage if you frequently need short-term protection throughout the year. While these policies require a minimum 6-month term, the low monthly cost makes the 'buy-and-cancel' method more economical here than with a full coverage policy.

Non-owner policies cost $10 to $16 weekly, with GEICO cheapest at $10. However, insurers require 30-day minimum purchases, meaning you'll pay the full $39 to $63 monthly premium upfront. Unlike standard policies offering prorated refunds, non-owner policies keep the entire first month's payment if you cancel early. This works for regular borrowers or those needing SR-22 filings, but not for true one-week needs—you'd pay $39 to $63 for seven days of coverage.

For true one-week needs, permissive use—where you drive with the owner's permission under their existing coverage—often works without any paperwork. Most policies cover occasional drivers who are uninsured even if they don't live with the policyholder. Adding yourself as a named driver rarely makes sense for one week since insurers require you to stay on the policy for months, costing the owner $15 to $30 monthly. Save named driver addition for household members you'll drive with regularly. For borrowing a friend's car once, permissive use already covers you.

Commercial truck drivers needing temporary coverage have limited options since major insurers don't offer true one-week policies. Specialized short-term insurers provide 24-hour to five-day coverage starting at $140, but these policies only cover moving trucks between locations—no hauling or commercial operations allowed. Alternatively, you can buy and cancel a standard commercial policy for around $75 to $150 weekly, though cancellation fees often apply. Owner-operators between contracts might consider non-trucking liability insurance instead. You'll need your VIN and driver's license to bind coverage, which typically takes 10 to 15 minutes.

One-week car insurance policies don't exist, but you've got other options for temporary short-term coverage. You can get rental car insurance, buy a temporary non-owner policy or add short-term coverage to an existing policy. Shop around and compare your options to find what works best for you.

Many drivers looking for short-term coverage wonder if one-week car insurance is possible. MoneyGeek answers common questions to help you find temporary coverage that fits your driving needs and budget.

Understanding state minimum car insurance requirements can feel overwhelming when every state has different rules and every insurer quotes different prices. We designed our research specifically to cut through the confusion and show you exactly what the law requires in your state, and what you'll actually pay for it.

Our Research Approach

We analyzed 83,056 quotes from 46 insurance companies across 473 ZIP codes, focusing specifically on each state's legal minimums rather than generic coverage packages. This matters because many insurers quote higher coverage levels and call them "minimum," costing you more than the law requires.

Our sample driver (a 40-year-old male with a Toyota Camry LE, clean driving record, and 12,000 annual miles) represents drivers shopping for affordable, legally compliant coverage.

Coverage Standards

National averages: 100/300/100 liability limits ($100,000 bodily injury per person, $300,000 per accident, $100,000 property damage)

State-specific averages: 50/100/50 liability limits ($50,000 bodily injury per person, $100,000 per accident, $50,000 property damage)

Both scenarios include $1,000 deductibles for comprehensive and collision when applicable.

Key distinction: Minimum coverage policies include only liability coverage with no deductible. Full coverage adds comprehensive and collision protection, each with its own deductible.

Data Sources

Our analysis draws from Quadrant Information Services and state insurance departments, the actual regulatory bodies that set your state's requirements.

Learn more about MoneyGeek's methodology.