Temporary Car Insurance in Maine: The Cheapest Options and What You Need to Know
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Updated: 2/7/2023
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You can create short-term insurance for a vehicle you own by buying a six-month policy and canceling it early. Most major insurers offer a full refund for the remainder of your policy.
For instance, the cost of a three-month insurance policy in Maine is $152.
If you’re driving a rented vehicle in Maine while visiting or you don’t own a car in Maine but need to drive, you can purchase rental car insurance.
MoneyGeek analyzed all situations where you may need temporary car insurance, such as buying non-owner insurance to help get your driver’s license reinstated or when you are working for a rideshare company.
Can You Get Temporary Car Insurance in Maine
You may think you need temporary auto insurance, but it is important to know that temporary car insurance means different things in different states, including Maine. If you own a car in Maine, you could be better off with a full car insurance policy that can be canceled when you want. Otherwise, rental car insurance or non-owner car insurance might be better options.
Since there is no single way to get short-term coverage, you can find the best options for creating temporary car insurance for all scenarios using MoneyGeek’s review.
- 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 Maine Insurance Policy and Canceling It Early
Most of the prominent insurance companies in Maine offer temporary car insurance for a minimum period of six months at an average cost of $303.
If you are looking to cover your vehicle for a shorter duration, you can purchase a six-month policy and cancel before the end of the term. Most reputable insurance providers generally give a full refund for the remaining policy period.
For instance, a three-month policy in Maine costs $152 on average, which is half the cost of a six-month policy.
MoneyGeek advises that you ensure your insurance coverage does not lapse. Any lapse in coverage could lead to a substantial increase in your insurance premiums.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance in Maine
MoneyGeek’s research broke down insurance costs for one-month, three-month and six-month policies in Maine based on quotes from multiple providers.
On average, the insurers offering the cheapest car insurance for drivers looking for a 90-day policy in Maine are:
- GEICO: $115 per 90 days
- MetLife: $125 per 90 days
Since most insurers provide full refunds for the remaining duration of the insurance policy without charging any cancellation fees, MoneyGeek’s evaluations did not take cancellation charges into account.
Annual Cost of Car Insurance in Maine by Policy Length
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Altering Maine Car Insurance Temporarily Depending on Your Needs
Drivers in Maine who have existing auto insurance policies but are looking to add or remove coverages to meet temporary requirements can do so by modifying their current policies. The main questions about short-term car insurance pertain to when a family has a young student moving to college, drivers looking to temporarily store their vehicles or lending vehicles to drivers who are not included in an existing policy.
When You Should Alter Your Policy Temporarily
If you have a young family member attending college in a different city in Maine, you can temporarily remove them from your policy or ask your insurer for a discount.
You may choose to remove all coverages except comprehensive insurance if you are going to store your vehicle. USAA members can also utilize storage discounts.
You can add a driver to your car insurance policy in Maine if you let them borrow your vehicle regularly.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance for Students in Maine
If you have a teenage driver living with you in Maine, they must be on your insurance policy. Adding a young driver to an existing policy costs $1,378 on average, which is expensive. MoneyGeek evaluated these costs considering an 18-year-old driver in Maine.
If you have a young driver in your family and are looking to reduce car insurance costs, you can utilize the student discounts that your insurance company may provide, take the student off the policy for some parts of the year or continue to keep them on your policy.
Based on our research, the average cost of including a student in your policy for two months during the summer is $230, as compared to the annual cost of around $1,378.
In Maine, choosing State Farm to temporarily take a student off an existing policy helps you save the most.
Annual Cost of Adding an 18-Year-Old to Car Insurance in Maine
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If you are not eligible for a distant student discount from your insurer or your child goes to school close to home, you can adjust your car insurance costs by asking and comparing quotes from multiple insurers for the best option. You can also use MoneyGeek’s research on the best cheap car insurance for teens to reduce insurance costs.
What to Do About Car Insurance if You’re Storing Your Car in Maine
If you plan to store your vehicle temporarily, you can modify your car insurance to only include comprehensive coverage or look for a storage discount.
Switching to comprehensive only coverage helps you save on liability costs while your car is in temporary storage. The average cost of an insurance policy in Maine that comes with comprehensive and collision insurance with a $1,000 deductible is approximately $189 per year whereas, a policy with liability insurance costs $530 per year on average.
If you are an active military member, you could be better off choosing USAA as your insurer. At an average of $367 per year before any discounts, it is one of the cheapest options in Maine and offers storage discounts.
What to Do If You Let Someone Else Drive Your Car
Drivers who live with you must be covered under your same policy. However, you will not have to make any modifications to your existing policy if you lend your car to someone who does not live with you.
Buying Rental Car Insurance in Maine
If you are looking to drive temporarily using a rented vehicle in Maine, rental companies typically include car insurance costs in their quotes for policies that typically cover only basic liabilities. You can also add supplemental liability insurance, collision damage waiver and personal accident insurance to your rental policy. You could pay roughly $39 to $60 per day depending on your needs and the rental car company that you choose.
Finding Cheap Rental Car Insurance in Maine
MoneyGeek’s analysis on rental car insurance costs in Maine was based on rates collected from several companies in Portland. Insurance costs range from $39 to $60 based on the company.
Enterprise offers the cheapest insurance with an average cost of $39 per day, while the policies offered by Avis and Hertz cost at an average of $57 and $60 per day, respectively.
Your existing car insurance policy may already have some coverage options, and you may also be able to utilize a collision damage waiver through a credit card you own. This means that you may not need these coverages from your rental company, saving you money on rental car insurance costs.
Cost per Day of Rental Car Insurance in Maine
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Buying Non-Owner Car Insurance in Maine
Non-owner car insurance is ideal if you don’t own a vehicle but need proof of insurance to file an SR-22 to reinstate your license.
In Maine, you will have to pay roughly $188 per year for non-owner auto insurance. Non-owner car insurance is the most affordable option if you need to file an SR-22 without owning a car.
How to Get Temporary Rideshare Car Insurance for Rideshare in Maine
Individuals who work for rideshare companies in Maine should be aware that insurance policies do not cover damages when drivers are waiting to be matched with riders.
Although not all rideshare policies are available in every state, MoneyGeek's research found the best rideshare insurance in Maine.
Frequently Asked Questions About Temporary Car Insurance in Maine
There are many scenarios in which temporary car insurance may be useful. We answered some of the most frequently asked questions about temporary car insurance to help you determine if it’s the right solution for you.
Although insurers do not offer car insurance in Maine for less than six months, you can buy a six-month policy and cancel it whenever you want to create your own temporary car insurance.
The shortest term for car insurance in Maine is six months. However, you can cancel early and get a refund for the remainder of your policy’s term.
Methodology
MoneyGeek collected car insurance and non-owner car insurance policies from several insurers in Maine in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services to determine average rates based on our methodology.
These rates were collected for a full coverage policy that included comprehensive and collision insurance along with higher liability limits (100/300/100). MoneyGeek considered a 40-year-old male driver while collecting rates for full coverage policies, while costs for adding a student to an existing policy are for an 18-year-old driver.
Costs for one-month and three-month policies were determined on a prorated basis, assuming a full refund from the insurer. Rates for rental car insurance policies in Maine were manually collected by MoneyGeek through the online resources of 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.