Temporary Car Insurance in Oregon: The Cheapest Options and What You Need to Know
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Updated: 2/8/2023
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Car owners can create temporary car insurance by purchasing a policy and canceling it before the six months are up. In Oregon, paying for three months of a six-month policy costs roughly $295.
However, rental car insurance may be the better option if you’re only visiting Oregon or you don’t own a car and you need to drive.
MoneyGeek also explored other scenarios where you might need short-term coverage, such as when buying non-owner insurance to help get your license reinstated or working for a rideshare company.
Can You Get Temporary Car Insurance in Oregon
In Oregon and other states, temporary car insurance can mean different things. Fortunately, insurance terms shorter than six months can be obtained in different ways. Car owners in Oregon who need temporary coverage can buy standard car insurance and cancel it early. Meanwhile, those who don’t own cars can shop for rental car insurance or non-owner car insurance if they’re regularly driving or they need insurance.
There are plenty of reasons why you might need temporary car insurance, but there’s no single way to purchase this type of coverage. MoneyGeek looked into the different strategies to get a short-term policy fit for 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 Oregon Insurance Policy and Canceling It Early
Reputable car insurance companies usually don’t offer policies for less than six months. In Oregon, a six-month car insurance policy costs an average of $591. You may be able to get shorter coverage by canceling your car insurance before it expires and getting a refund on the remainder of the term.
For example, you can purchase a six-month car insurance policy and cancel it after three months. Then you will pay roughly $295 for a 90-day policy.
If you use this strategy, make sure to avoid having a lapse in insurance coverage since it can increase your premiums.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance in Oregon
MoneyGeek computed the cost of car insurance by company in Oregon for a typical one-month, three-month and six-month policy.
On average, the cheapest car insurance policies in Oregon are offered by:
- GEICO: $245 per 90 days
- MetLife: $248 per 90 days
MoneyGeek’s calculations excluded cancellation fees since most major insurance companies don’t charge anything for canceling. They generally provide full refunds on the unused months of your term.
Annual Cost of Car Insurance in Oregon by Policy Length
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Altering Oregon Car Insurance Temporarily Depending on Your Needs
Altering your existing car insurance policy is best if you find yourself needing to add or remove coverage for a short period of time. The most common instances that require temporary changes to your car insurance are teen drivers going to college, storing your vehicle and letting someone borrow your car.
When You Should Alter Your Policy Temporarily
You can either request a discount or temporarily remove your child from your policy if they’re going to school elsewhere in Oregon.
You may remove everything but your comprehensive insurance if you’re storing your car. You can also make use of car storage discounts from USAA if you’re in the military.
You will need to add someone else to your policy if they’re driving your car regularly.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance for Students in Oregon
You will need to add your teen to your policy if they’re living with you and driving a car you own. Keep in mind that this will increase your insurance rates substantially. In Oregon, it will cost you an average of $2,442 per year to add an 18-year-old to your policy.
To save money, you can temporarily remove your child from your policy during the time of the year they’re residing more than 100 miles away. You can also take advantage of distant student discounts or keep your child on your policy.
In Oregon, adding a student to your policy for two months in the summer costs an average of $407 per year. Meanwhile, if you keep the student on your policy for the whole year, it will cost you around $2,442.
MoneyGeek found that you can save the most if you purchase Nationwide insurance and temporarily remove a student from your policy.
Annual Cost of Adding an 18-Year-Old to Car Insurance in Oregon
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You can shop around to find lower rates if you can’t temporarily remove your child from your policy or get a discount. MoneyGeek compared the cheapest insurance companies for teens in order to help you save money.
What to Do About Car Insurance if You’re Storing Your Car in Oregon
Requesting a vehicle storage discount can help you save money if you’re planning to put your car in storage temporarily. Another way to save is by switching your car insurance policy to comprehensive-only coverage since it removes liability coverage.
On average, comprehensive and collision insurance with a $1,000 deductible costs $228 per year in Oregon. Meanwhile, the average cost of a policy with comprehensive, collision and minimum liability coverage is roughly $901.
If you’re a military member on active duty, USAA provides discounts for car storage. It also has one of the cheapest policies in Oregon, averaging $770 per year.
What to Do If You Let Someone Else Drive Your Car
A member from your household will have to be added to your policy if they drive a car you own. On the other hand, your policy will cover someone outside your house if they have your permission to drive your vehicle.
Buying Rental Car Insurance in Oregon
Temporarily renting a car in Oregon doesn’t require buying a car insurance policy. You can get coverage from car rental companies since most of them offer basic liability insurance with the option of adding collision damage waivers, supplemental liability insurance and personal accident insurance.
The average cost of adding these coverages ranges from $48 to $60 per day depending on the company. However, you can mix and match coverages to save money.
Finding Cheap Rental Car Insurance in Oregon
When you buy rental car insurance in Oregon, it may cost you around $48 to $60 per day. MoneyGeek collected data from Portland, Oregon, and found that the rental car companies Avis, Enterprise and Hertz offer car insurance at an average of $57, $48 and $60, respectively. These quotes are for a policy that includes all protections like supplemental liability, collision damage waiver and personal accident insurance.
If you have an existing car insurance policy, you don’t need to buy liability, collision and medical payments coverage since they may be covered by your insurance already. Many credit card companies also provide collision damage waiver coverage for rental cars, which can help you save money.
Cost per Day of Rental Car Insurance in Oregon
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Buying Non-Owner Car Insurance in Oregon
If you don’t have a car of your own but need coverage, you can opt for non-owner car insurance. It is also the cheapest insurance option if you need proof of insurance and SR-22 insurance to get your license reinstated. In Oregon, it costs roughly $525 for a non-owner policy.
How to Get Temporary Rideshare Car Insurance for Rideshare in Oregon
In Oregon, rideshare drivers are covered by insurance when they accept a fare or are transporting a passenger. If you’re working for a rideshare company, keep in mind that you might have a temporary gap in coverage if you haven’t accepted a fare.
Not all rideshare insurance policies are available in all states. To help you find the best rideshare insurance, MoneyGeek compared companies that offer this type of policy.
Frequently Asked Questions About Temporary Car Insurance in Oregon
Insurers don’t usually offer temporary policies. Reading and understanding some frequently asked questions can help you learn more about temporary car insurance in Oregon.
Car insurance policies are usually only sold in six-month or one-year increments. To get temporary car insurance in Oregon, you will have to buy a standard policy and cancel it early. If you’re driving a car you don’t own, you may purchase rental car insurance or non-owner insurance.
Most major insurance companies provide full refunds on the unused months of your term. Many don’t charge a fee for canceling your policy.
Methodology
MoneyGeek collected car insurance and non-owner car insurance quotes in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services across Oregon. The policies were for a 40-year-old driver with a clean driving record and full coverage. The quotes for a student represent the average cost of adding an 18-year-old driver to a policy.
The quotes on the cost of one-month and three-month policies were calculated by MoneyGeek on a prorated basis, assuming a full refund from the insurance company. The rental car insurance costs in Oregon were collected manually by MoneyGeek using the online tools of Avis, Enterprise and Hertz.
For more information about our analysis, take a look at our complete methodology page.
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.
sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Teen drivers: Get the Facts." Accessed November 20, 2021.