Temporary Car Insurance in Kentucky: The Cheapest Options and What You Need to Know
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Updated: 2/8/2023
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One way for car owners to get temporary coverage is to buy a regular six-month policy and cancel before the term ends. A three-month policy in Kentucky costs at an average of $351.
A good option for people who don’t own cars and those who are just visiting Kentucky is to get coverage through the rental car company.
MoneyGeek also looked into scenarios where temporary car insurance could be a great short-term solution, such as when you need to get your license reinstated or when you're working for a rideshare company.
Can You Get Temporary Car Insurance in Kentucky
Temporary car insurance in Kentucky as well as in other states can mean different things depending on your needs. For those who own a car, temporary car insurance can be obtained by getting a regular policy and canceling earlier than planned. Drivers without their own vehicle could get non-owner car insurance or rental car insurance.
There's no single way to get temporary car insurance in Kentucky. However, MoneyGeek shows you all the ways to get short-term car insurance depending on your needs.
- Need a full car insurance policy temporarily? Buy and cancel
- Want to add or remove a driver? Alter your policy
- Renting a car? Buy from the rental company or use your own policy
- Don’t own a car? Look into non-owner Insurance
- Working for a rideshare company? Buy rideshare insurance
Buying a Six-Month Kentucky Insurance Policy and Canceling It Early
Much like in any state, reputable car insurance companies in Kentucky offer policies with a minimum term of six months. The average cost of a six-month car insurance policy in Kentucky is $703. If you want a shorter coverage period, you can cancel your policy early.
Some insurance companies will refund the remainder of the term when you cancel a policy early. For example, when you get a six-month policy and cancel within 90 days, you could only pay around $351 for the three-month term and get a refund on the rest of the policy term.
If you choose this route, avoid having coverage lapses. MoneyGeek warns that you may end up paying hundreds of dollars more annually if your insurance lapses.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance in Kentucky
MoneyGeek calculated the average cost for a typical six-month policy, three-month policy and one-month policy in Kentucky.
On average, the cheapest car insurance providers in Kentucky for a 90-day policy are:
- State Farm: $218 per 90 days
- GEICO: $219 per 90 days
In calculating these average costs, MoneyGeek excluded cancellation fees since most companies do not charge them and will provide refunds for your unused premiums.
Annual Cost of Car Insurance in Kentucky by Policy Length
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Altering Kentucky Car Insurance Temporarily Depending on Your Needs
If you already have Kentucky car insurance and you need to temporarily remove or add coverage, the ideal solution could be to change your existing policy. Most people have questions about short-term car insurance when a teen leaves home and goes to college, when storing their vehicle or when lending their car to someone else.
When You Should Alter Your Policy Temporarily
When your teenager goes to college elsewhere in Kentucky, you could temporarily remove them from your policy or ask for discounts.
When you need to store your vehicle temporarily, you may be able to save by removing all unnecessary coverages except your comprehensive insurance or looking for storage discounts. USAA offers discounts to military members.
When someone else will be driving your car, you only need to add them to your policy if they will be driving it regularly.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance for Students in Kentucky
If your child lives with you in Kentucky, they need to be added to your car insurance policy. This can be expensive.
The average cost of adding an 18-year-old to a policy in Kentucky is $3,435 per year. To save on premiums, you can take your student off your policy for the part of the year when they are away at a school more than 100 miles from home, find distant student discounts or keep your child on the policy.
You may only need to pay for your kid’s car insurance when they come home for the summer, which could cost around $573 for two months of the year. This is less than the annual cost of roughly $3,435.
Nationwide offers the biggest savings for temporarily removing a student from your policy.
Annual Cost of Adding an 18-Year-Old to Car Insurance in Kentucky
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If your child lives close enough to home that you cannot take them off your policy or ask for a discount, the best option is to shop around and compare prices. MoneyGeek ranked insurance companies based on affordability to help you find the cheapest car insurance for teens.
What to Do About Car Insurance if You’re Storing Your Car in Kentucky
If you are storing your car in Kentucky, you can save money by removing unnecessary coverage except for comprehensive coverage. Alternately, you may seek a vehicle storage discount.
Since you will not be driving your car, coverages such as collision and liability are unnecessary. A policy with comprehensive and collision with a $1,000 deductible costs $404 per year on average. A policy with comprehensive and collision coverage with minimum liability insurance costs around $1,178 per year.
If you are a military member on active duty, USAA is a great option as they provide a discount for car storage. They also have cheaper policies at $785 per year on average.
What to Do If You Let Someone Else Drive Your Car
If someone else in your household drives your car, you are required to include them in your policy. But if someone else outside your household drives your car with your permission, they will be automatically covered by your policy.
Buying Rental Car Insurance in Kentucky
If you are temporarily driving a rental car in Kentucky, there is no need to buy a car insurance policy as you can get one from the rental company. Most of the rental companies offer basic liability insurance. Coverages such as collision damage waivers, supplemental liability insurance and personal accident insurance can be added or mixed and matched depending on your requirements. The average cost of adding these coverages is $39 to $60 per day depending on the company.
Finding Cheap Rental Car Insurance in Kentucky
MoneyGeek collected data in Kentucky from Louisville to determine the average cost of rental insurance. On average, Enterprise offers the cheapest car rental policy at $39, followed by Avis at $57 and Hertz at $60 per day. This insurance covers supplemental liability, collision damage waiver and personal accident insurance.
If you have an existing car insurance policy, you may not need all of the coverage as listed. Also, check with your credit card company if they already offer you coverage for collision damages. These benefits can save you money.
Cost per Day of Rental Car Insurance in Kentucky
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Buying Non-Owner Car Insurance in Kentucky
Non-owner car insurance is the cheapest option if you don’t have a vehicle but need to drive one regularly. The average cost of non-owner car insurance in Kentucky is $854 per year.
How to Get Temporary Rideshare Car Insurance for Rideshare in Kentucky
When you work for a rideshare company, you are covered by the company’s rideshare insurance when you accept a fare or are transporting a passenger. However, outside these parameters, you have temporary gaps in your insurance. The best way to fill gaps in your coverage is to get temporary car insurance.
Since not all rideshare insurance policies are available in all states, MoneyGeek compared companies to find the best rideshare insurance policy in Kentucky.
Frequently Asked Questions About Temporary Car Insurance in Kentucky
Here are some of the most common questions and answers about getting temporary car insurance in Kentucky.
Yes, if you get creative. Depending on your needs, there are different ways to get temporary car insurance in Kentucky. Car owners can get a regular car insurance policy and cancel earlier than the predetermined period for a refund. Non-owners who are renting a vehicle can get temporary car insurance from the rental company.
If you can cancel your policy before the six-month term is up, you can usually get a refund on the duration of your policy you didn’t use.
Methodology
MoneyGeek collected car insurance and non-owner car insurance quotes with the help of Quadrant Information Services. The policies, as described on our methodology page, were based on a 40-year-old driver with a full coverage policy. The student represents the average cost of adding an 18-year-old driver to an existing policy.
The cost for the shorter terms of one, three and six months were calculated on a prorated basis. For rental cars, quotations were manually collected by MoneyGeek using online tools from Avis, Enterprise and Hertz.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.