Temporary Car Insurance in New York: The Cheapest Options and What You Need to Know
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Updated: 2/7/2023
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If you’re a car owner, you might be able to get temporary car insurance by purchasing a policy and canceling it within six months. A three-month policy in New York costs an average of $858. If you are visiting New York or don’t own a car but need to drive, rental car insurance could be the best option. MoneyGeek analyzed other scenarios requiring temporary car insurance, including getting your license reinstated or working for a rideshare company.
Can You Get Temporary Car Insurance in New York
In New York and other states, getting a temporary car insurance policy can have various meanings. For example, one driver might own a car and want to get a full car insurance policy then cancel it early, while drivers who don’t own cars would be better served by getting rental car insurance or non-owner car insurance.
Since there’s not one specific way of getting temporary car insurance in New York, MoneyGeek researched all the ways to get short-term car insurance.
- 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 New York Insurance Policy and Canceling It Early
In New York and other states, reputable car insurance companies only sell policies that last a minimum of six months. On average, a six-month car insurance policy costs $1,717. You may be able to get car insurance temporarily by buying a policy and then canceling it early. Most companies will refund your premium for what’s left of the term.
For example, someone buying a 90-day policy in New York will only pay an average of $858. This is less than a six-month policy.
MoneyGeek advises against any lapse in insurance coverage since it can result in you paying extra money annually.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance in New York
MoneyGeek researched the cost of car insurance in New York for a typical six-month policy as well as for a one-month and a three-month policy.
On average, our data shows that the following are the cheapest companies in New York for a three-month policy:
- GEICO: $467 per 90 days
- Erie: $482 per 90 days
The calculations mentioned above by MoneyGeek exclude cancellation fees. Most companies in New York do not charge cancellation fees and will refund your premium for the period you won’t use the policy.
Annual Cost of Car Insurance in New York by Policy Length
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Altering New York Car Insurance Temporarily Depending on Your Needs
If you already have a car insurance policy in New York but need to add or remove coverage, the best option for you would be to update your existing auto policy. The most common types of people concerned about short-term car insurance have a teenager going to college, want to store their vehicle or have someone else borrowing their car.
When You Should Alter Your Policy Temporarily
If you have a child going to school in New York, you can temporarily remove them from your policy or seek a discount.
When storing your car, you may remove everything except for your comprehensive insurance or, if you’re from the military, utilize car storage discounts by USAA.
If someone else drives your car often, it’s a good idea to add them to your policy.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance for Students in New York
If your child lives with you in New York, you need to add them to your auto policy. This can be expensive. MoneyGeek’s research shows that the average cost of adding an 18-year old to your policy is $5,425 per year.
To temporarily modify the cost of your policy, you can take advantage of distant student discounts, take your young student off your policy if they live more than 100 miles away or keep your child on the policy.
MoneyGeek’s research shows that having a student on your policy for only two months a year during the summer costs an average of $904 while keeping a student on your policy for the whole year costs an average of $5,425. We found that Nationwide lets you save the most money for temporarily removing a student from your policy.
Annual Cost of Adding an 18-Year-Old to Car Insurance in New York
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The best way to get cheaper rates if you’re not eligible for a distant student discount or can’t take your child off your policy is to shop around. MoneyGeek researched the cheapest companies for teens to help you save money on car insurance.
What to Do About Car Insurance if You’re Storing Your Car in New York
If you want to save money on insurance while temporarily storing your car in New York, you can either switch to a comprehensive-only policy or find a vehicle storage discount.
Switching to a comprehensive-only policy is a good way of saving money on insurance while your vehicle is stored. A policy with comprehensive and collision coverage costs an average of $1,045 per year, while a policy with these coverages and minimum liability insurance costs $4,228 per year on average.
For military families, USAA could be the best option as it offers storage discounts and the cheapest policy at an average cost of $1,622 per year.
What to Do If You Let Someone Else Drive Your Car
If someone from your household drives your car, they need to be insured on your policy. However, if you allow someone from outside your home to drive your car, they will be covered by your policy and you won’t have to adjust it.
Buying Rental Car Insurance in New York
If you’re temporarily renting a car in New York, you don’t need to buy a car insurance policy. Instead, you could opt for rental car insurance from the rental company. Almost all companies offer basic liability insurance with the option of adding collision damage waivers, supplemental liability insurance and personal accident insurance.
On average, it costs $33 to $66 per day to add these coverages, but you might be able to get a cheaper policy by mixing and matching them according to your needs.
Finding Cheap Rental Car Insurance in New York
MoneyGeek’s data from New York City shows that rental car insurance costs $31–$66 per day, depending on the company. For a daily rental car policy that includes supplemental liability, collision damage waiver and personal accident insurance, Hertz charges $33, Avis charges $31 and Enterprise charges $66 on average.
However, you may not need all these coverages if you have a personal policy since your liability, collision and medical payments coverage may already cover you.
Cost per Day of Rental Car Insurance in New York
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Buying Non-Owner Car Insurance in New York
If you don’t own a vehicle but temporarily need proof of insurance coverage and SR-22 filing for the reinstatement of your license, non-owner car insurance could be the best option for you. On average, it costs $2,084 per year to buy a non-owner policy in New York.
A non-owner policy is the cheapest option to get insurance coverage for people who don’t own a car.
How to Get Temporary Rideshare Car Insurance for Rideshare in New York
If you work for a rideshare company like Uber or Lyft in New York, you’re covered by insurance if you accept a ride or are transporting a passenger, but you have a temporary gap in coverage if you haven’t accepted a ride. While rideshare insurance policies are not available everywhere, MoneyGeek researched the best companies that offer a policy to help you find the cheapest option.
Frequently Asked Questions About Temporary Car Insurance in New York
You can read the following frequently asked questions about temporary car insurance in New York to make a better decision about choosing a policy.
Temporary car insurance in New York can mean different things. However, depending on your needs, there are many options for getting short-term insurance available.
Yes, the major insurers in New York offer you a refund on any unused time remaining on your policy when you cancel it before six months.
Methodology
Car insurance and non-owner car insurance quotes were collected in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services across New York. Policies were for a 40-year-old driver and full coverage as described on our methodology page. Rates for a student represent the average cost of adding an 18-year-old driver to a policy. Numbers pertaining to the cost of one-month and three-month policies were calculated by MoneyGeek on a prorated basis with the assumption that the insurance company will offer a full refund. Rental car insurance costs in New York were collected manually by MoneyGeek using Avis, Enterprise and Hertz’s online tools.
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.