Are pay-per-mile companies worth it if my driving changes a lot?

I don’t drive much during the week, but some months I rack up extra miles on road trips. I’ve been looking at Mile Auto and Metromile, and they sound cheaper than a regular policy. But will I still save money if I have a few heavy-driving months?

It depends. Pay-per-mile companies like Mile Auto and Metromile can definitely save money if you’re consistently under the national average (about 12,000 miles a year). Since you’re charged for the miles you drive, the fewer miles, the lower the bill.

But the key word here is consistency. If your mileage jumps around (low one month, high the next) your monthly costs can spike when you take those longer trips. Some drivers don’t mind the trade-off because they still save overall, but others find the unpredictability stressful compared to a flat monthly rate.

One thing to check is whether the company has a daily or monthly cap on mileage charges. Some programs stop counting after a certain number of miles in a day, which helps if you take occasional road trips. Others, like Mile Auto, don’t cap it — every mile is billed.

If your driving is mostly predictable and stays low, these plans can be a great fit. If you’re often on the road unexpectedly, you may want to compare quotes from both a pay-per-mile option and a traditional insurer to see which balances out better for you.

Pay-per-mile companies are becoming more and more popular, so do your research and check into what each one can offer. If you want to talk through options and compare rates, our knowledgeable agents are also here to help you out.