How to find the cheapest car insurance coverage after your insurance policy expires.
If you're looking for affordable auto insurance, it's important to keep your coverage active. The average price difference between an insurance policy for a driver with five consecutive years of coverage history and a driver with no recent auto insurance record is $218 per year.
A lapse in auto insurance coverage can have a number of negative ramifications, including higher auto insurance premiums,driver's license suspension,tickets, or a lack of coverage in the event of an accident.
The reason rates rise after insurance policy expiration is that insurance companies see additional risk in covering clients who have allowed their insurance to lapse. To an insurer, you've shown either an inability to maintain your coverage, or you've chosen to drive while uninsured. Some options do exist for finding car insurance after a lapse in coverage.
Let’s explore the ins and outs of finding a new policy after allowing your car insurance to lapse.
Note: each resource published by The Zebra is written and reviewed by a licensed insurance agent. Learn more about The Zebra.
A lapse in auto insurance coverage simply means you have been uninsured for a period of at least 30 to 60 days. Your insurance policy could lapse for one of a few reasons.
Below are some common reasons a car insurance policy could be voided.
This varies by the insurance company and is a good question to ask when you're shopping for a policy. Depending on the duration of the lapse — and the reason for the interruption — the insurance company might reinstate the policy. For example, if your policy expired by a single day, your insurance might decide to reinstate it. If a policy is canceled because of a missed payment that is rectified soon thereafter, the company will likely forgive the error and reinstate the policy — but for a fee).
There are a few reasons getting car insurance after a lapse in coverage might be expensive and difficult. The primary reason is the additional risk posed by insuring a previously uninsured driver. Unless you’re a newly licensed driver, having a driving history without an insurance history is considered a sign of potential risk — similar to having a bad driving record. Below are average auto insurance rates based on the duration of car insurance history and common coverage levels.
| Insurance history | Average car insurance premium | $ Difference vs. no insurance history |
|---|---|---|
| None | $876 | — |
| 6 Months — State Minimum Bodily Injury Limit | $845 | $32 |
| 6 Months — 50-100 Bodily Injury Limit | $802 | $73 |
| 1 Year — State Minimum Bodily Injury Limit | $832 | $43 |
| 1 Year — 50-100 Bodily Injury Limit | $792 | $83 |
| 3 Years — State Minimum Bodily Injury Limit | $812 | $63 |
| 3 Years — 50-100 Bodily Injury Limit | $774 | $101 |
| 5 Years — State Minimum Bodily Injury Limit | $798 | $77 |
| 5 Years — 50-100 Bodily Injury Limit | $759 | $116 |
The longer you carry car insurance and the higher coverage level you maintain, the more affordable your rates will be. A history of minimal car insurance coverage is an indicator of risk, leading to more expensive rates. Historical data shows drivers who carry lower levels of coverage tend to file more claims than do drivers with higher liability limits.
| Insurance history | Average car insurance premium | $ Difference vs. no insurance history |
|---|---|---|
| 5 Years — State Minimum Bodily Injury Limit | $798 | $77 |
| 5 Years — 50-100 Bodily Injury Limit | $759 | $116 |
| 5 Years — 100-300 Bodily Injury Limit | $743 | $132 |
By maintaining higher levels of coverage for five years, you can save $264 per year on your next insurance policy.
Another thing to keep in mind is eligibility. Certain companies will not sell a policy to drivers who haven't maintained continuous coverage for a certain duration. This relates to the risk associated with limited-history insurance clients. For instance, Farmers will not write a policy for a driver without continuous coverage for at least six months. This does not include newly licensed drivers.
Whether you can avoid a lapse in coverage by reinstating coverage depends on the insurance company's regulations. If your insurer cancels your policy due to non-payment, you might be able to reinstate your policy if you make a payment and pay a reinstatement fee. Reinstating a canceled policy can help you avoid a lapse in coverage.
If the period of time of a lapse exceeds a few days, the ramifications may be more serious. Some insurance companies will allow policy reinstatement after a longer period after this time frame. Others might issue an entirely new policy. Other providers won’t reinstate the policy, forcing the driver to look elsewhere for insurance.
If you learn your policy has been canceled, call your insurance company or sign in to your account online to learn more about recommended next steps.
Now that we’ve outlined why it's difficult to find car insurance after a lapse in coverage, let’s look at rates from popular providers. Using the methodology outlined here, we determined USAA and State Farm to be the cheapest companies for a driver with a lapse in coverage or limited insurance history.
| Insurance provider | Average 6-month premium |
|---|---|
| Allstate | $1,121 |
| Farmers | $940 |
| GEICO | $663 |
| Liberty Mutual | $1,118 |
| Nationwide | $818 |
| Progressive | $951 |
| State Farm | $647 |
| USAA | $590 |
If you’ve been in a car accident and later realize your car insurance has lapsed, there’s no easy fix. Let’s review a few example scenarios and feel free to ask us if you have further questions.
If your coverage lapsed on Tuesday, and you had an accident on Thursday, your insurance company may allow you to reinstate your policy, but it’s very unlikely they will provide coverage for your accident. If you lie and say the accident happened after you were insured again, you’re committing insurance fraud. Having a reinstated policy and immediately filing a claim will be suspicious to your insurance company’s claims department and they will most likely investigate it.
Your lack of insurance should not affect your ability to receive compensation after a not-at-fault accident. If it is clearly the other driver’s fault, you should contact their insurance company and begin the claims process.
The only people who can determine fault are claims adjusters. So, if responsibility for the incident is not cut and dry, not having a claims adjuster on your side can be difficult. Insurance companies are going to try to avoid claims. Without an insurance company to back you, you could be stuck footing the bill.
If this happens to you, your best bet is to seek legal advice.
This is the worst-case scenario. If you’re uninsured and cause property or bodily injury damage to someone else, you’re responsible for those damages. If you’re unable to pay, you can have your assets seized and face legal action. Depending on the nature of the accident, you can also be ticketed, have your license suspended, or have your vehicle towed.
Bottom line: if you’re currently uninsured, get insurance now. If it’s been a few days since your insurance lapsed, your best bet is to call your current provider and see if you can get your coverage reinstated. If you’re requiring an entirely new insurance quote, enter your ZIP code below to see rates from over a hundred local and national providers across the U.S.
When purchasing auto insurance after your policy expires or lapses, make a note to shop around again after your first six months. As you grow your insurance history, your rate will improve.
For more information relating to car insurance, see our additional information below.
The Zebra is not an auto insurance company. We’re an independent, unbiased partner for consumers, on a mission to help you compare insurance options apples-to-apples, so you can make a truly informed decision.
We’re proud of what we offer because:
Learn more about the methodology we use to gather our rates.
