Temporary Car Insurance in Wisconsin: The Cheapest Options and What You Need to Know
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Updated: 2/8/2023
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One way to create temporary car insurance is by buying a regular policy and canceling it within six months. You can get a full refund for the unused premiums if you cancel your policy early. On average, the cost of a three-month policy in Wisconsin is $233.
If you’re visiting Wisconsin or if you don’t have a car but you need to drive around in Wisconsin, rental car insurance may be your best option.
MoneyGeek also assessed other scenarios when you might need temporary car insurance. This includes purchasing non-owner insurance to help reinstate your license or getting additional coverage as a rideshare driver.
Can You Get Temporary Car Insurance in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin and other states, temporary car insurance can mean different things and be obtained in different ways. If you’re a car owner, you can buy a regular car insurance policy and cancel it within six months. If you don’t own a car, you can get rental insurance or non-owner car insurance.
There are several ways to acquire temporary car insurance in Wisconsin depending on your needs. MoneyGeek evaluated all the available options for you.
- 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 Wisconsin Insurance Policy and Canceling It Early
In Wisconsin and other states, reputable insurance companies only offer car insurance policies with a six-month minimum coverage. On average, a six-month car insurance policy in Wisconsin costs $467.
To get coverage for a shorter period, you can obtain a six-month policy and cancel it early. Most insurance providers will give a refund for your unused premium for the remainder of the term.
For example, you can purchase a six-month car insurance policy and cancel it after 90 days. A 90-day policy in Wisconsin costs an average of $233, which is half of what you would pay for a six-month policy.
If you’re using this strategy to get temporary car insurance, make sure to avoid having a lapse in insurance coverage as this can cause your rates to increase by hundreds of dollars per year.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance in Wisconsin
MoneyGeek calculated car insurance rates in Wisconsin for a regular six-month policy. We also estimated the cost of temporary car insurance policies that cover a three-month and one-month period.
On average, these insurance providers offer Wisconsin’s cheapest car insurance for a 90-day policy:
- GEICO: $158 per 90 days
- AAA: $182 per 90 days
The rates quoted above do not include cancellation fees. Most insurance companies do not charge cancellation fees and provide full refunds for unused insurance premiums.
Annual Cost of Car Insurance in Wisconsin by Policy Length
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Altering Wisconsin Car Insurance Temporarily Depending on Your Needs
Altering your car insurance policy may be your best option if you already have Wisconsin car insurance and you need to temporarily add or remove coverage.
Certain circumstances can make temporary car insurance the more cost-effective solution such as: storing your vehicle, lending your car to a friend or when your teenage child goes away to college.
When You Should Alter Your Policy Temporarily
If your child is attending school elsewhere in Wisconsin, you can either temporarily remove them from your policy or ask for a discount from your insurer.
If you want to store your car, you can remove all coverages except comprehensive insurance. If you’re in the military, you can also take advantage of USAA’s car storage discounts.
If you lend your car to someone else and they’re driving your vehicle regularly, you should consider adding them to your policy.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance for Students in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, you’re required to include your child in your car insurance policy if they live with you. This can be costly. MoneyGeek found that the average cost of adding an 18-year-old to a car insurance policy is $2,379 per year.
You can temporarily adjust the cost of your car insurance by removing your child from your policy for part of the year if they live more than 100 miles away, using a distant student discount or keeping them on your policy. The biggest savings often come from temporarily removing the student from the parents' policy.
It costs an average of $397 to add your child to your car insurance policy in Wisconsin for two months of the year in the summer. This is about $1,983 cheaper than having them on the policy for the whole year.
Annual Cost of Adding an 18-Year-Old to Car Insurance in Wisconsin
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If your child goes to school in Wisconsin and is close enough that you’re unable to temporarily take them off your policy or request a discount, you can still save money by shopping around and comparing rates. MoneyGeek compared the cheapest insurance companies for teens to help you find the best deal.
What to Do About Car Insurance if You’re Storing Your Car in Wisconsin
If you’re temporarily storing your car in Wisconsin, you can save money by switching to a comprehensive-only policy or asking for a vehicle storage discount.
Removing liability insurance coverage and switching to a comprehensive-only policy is a great way to reduce your insurance premiums while your vehicle is in storage. Comprehensive and collision insurance with a $1,000 deductible costs an average of $314 per year in Wisconsin. On the other hand, the average cost of a policy that includes liability insurance is $757 per year.
If you are an active-duty military personnel, USAA can be a good option. This insurer provides a car storage discount, and offers one of the most affordable car insurance policies in Wisconsin at $432 per year on average.
What to Do If You Let Someone Else Drive Your Car
If you let someone else in your household drive your car, they need to be insured on the same policy as you. On the other hand, if you allow someone from outside your household to drive your car, they will be automatically covered by your policy without you having to adjust it.
Buying Rental Car Insurance in Wisconsin
If you’re temporarily renting a car in Wisconsin, buying rental car insurance from the rental company is sufficient. Most rental companies offer basic liability insurance plus the option to add collision damage waivers, supplemental liability insurance and personal accident insurance.
In Wisconsin, the average cost of adding all these coverages ranges from $49 to $60 per day depending on the company. You can mix and match based on your needs for cheaper coverage.
Finding Cheap Rental Car Insurance in Wisconsin
MoneyGeek collected data in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and found that rental car insurance in the city costs anywhere from $49 to $60 per day.
The average daily cost of rental car insurance is $49 from Enterprise, $57 from Avis, and $60 from Hertz. These policies include supplemental liability, collision damage waiver and personal accident insurance.
If you already have a car insurance policy, you may already have liability, collision and medical payments coverages, so you don’t need to add those to your rental car insurance.
Many credit card companies also offer collision damage waiver coverage for rental cars. If it’s available from your credit card provider, you can decline this coverage from the rental company to save money.
Cost per Day of Rental Car Insurance in Wisconsin
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Buying Non-Owner Car Insurance in Wisconsin
Non-owner car insurance is ideal if you don’t have a car but you need proof of insurance and an SR-22 filing to have your license reinstated. Non-owner car insurance costs an average of $265 per year in Wisconsin.
Non-owner car insurance is the cheapest way to get temporary car insurance in Wisconsin for drivers who don’t have a car but need proof of insurance to file an SR-22.
How to Get Temporary Rideshare Car Insurance for Rideshare in Wisconsin
Rideshare drivers in Wisconsin are covered by insurance when they accept a fare or transport a passenger. However, there is a temporary gap in coverage if they haven’t accepted a fare.
Rideshare drivers can buy rideshare insurance, but it has limited availability across states. If you’re in the market for the best rideshare insurance in Wisconsin, MoneyGeek compared the companies that offer such a policy to help you find the best offer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Temporary Car Insurance in Wisconsin
MoneyGeek answered some of the most frequently asked questions about temporary car insurance in Wisconsin to help you determine if it is a good fit for you.
Yes, you can get temporary car insurance in Wisconsin by canceling your car insurance within six months. You can also buy a rental or a non-owner car insurance policy.
As long as you cancel your car insurance before your sixth month, most insurers will refund any unused insurance premiums.
Methodology
MoneyGeek, in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services, collected car insurance and non-owner car insurance quotes across Wisconsin. The policies in this guide are for a 40-year-old driver and full coverage as described on our methodology page. Quotes for student drivers represent the average cost of adding an 18-year-old driver to an existing policy.
Figures for one-month and three-month policies were calculated by MoneyGeek on a prorated basis and on the assumption of a full refund from the insurance company. MoneyGeek manually collected rental car insurance quotes using the online tools 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.