Do You Need Weekend Car Insurance?

It is not possible to get car insurance for a single weekend. Traditional insurers do not like the idea of their policyholders taking out a new policy and immediately ending it as it leaves them with a lot of admin and. They’ll need to refund you for the time left on the policy. But with the post-COVID-19 world allowing more flexibility on location and employees working from home, and traveling less, you may not need to insure your car all the time. 

As it is hard to track the usage of a vehicle, main insurance brokers do not offer weekend-only car insurance policies. They may see it as a risk, as you are not covered if you need to use the vehicle during the week. 

A small number of insurers will offer less than 12-month policies, with the absolute minimum being one month, but these policies are hard to come by. There are several ways of insuring your vehicle for weekends only, but it involves thinking outside the box. Here are some alternatives:

1. Per-mile car insurance 

Adopting a pay-as-you-drive insurance policy could save you a lot in the long run. If you are someone who drives fewer miles during the week (or only on the weekend) it could be the ideal option. Telematics devices are installed to track how you drive. Then, at the end of the month, you are charged according to the distance covered and how safely you drive. This will reduce your insurance price significantly, making it much cheaper than a traditional yearly policy.

Policies from insurers such as Nationwide SmartMiles and Allstate Milewise offer complete pay-as-you-go insurance. Pay a set fee for the policy, then get charged per mile to make up your insurance premium.

Similar options for pay-per-mile insurers include Progressive SnapShot, State Farm Drive Safe & Save, Esurance DriveSense, Nationwide SmartRide, and Noblr.

2. Car-sharing 

You may be familiar with the likes of Zipcar and Turo. They are Airbnb-like alternatives for car ownership. If you need a vehicle for a couple of days or even just a few hours, then renting a car on these platforms is easy when using their app. They are often cheaper than rental companies too and are much more flexible as you are dealing with the actual owner of the vehicle in Turo’s case.

Different levels of insurance coverage are offered to renters on Turo and Zipcar. For example, personal injury protection, liability insurance, and physical injury are all minimum requirements for the state that you may be renting in. You must read and understand the guidelines of these insurance policies before taking additional coverage and renting on these platforms. 

Fees are due when you damage a vehicle if it is your fault. But you can also buy a waiver to avoid a hefty fee if vehicle damage does occur during your rental. Otherwise, it can cost upwards of a $1,000 damage fee for Zipcar. 

Some existing insurance policies already have you covered for rental cars. You need to check and make sure this applies to you before opting out of Zipcar or Turo’s additional coverage as you will be responsible for any repair costs if damage occurs (through your insurance or otherwise).

3. Cancelling a yearly policy 

The only true option to have weekend insurance on your car is to buy a year-long policy and cancel. This is a popular method as it just involves a few short phone calls and you get the majority of your policy refunded. It’s important to note that the minimum payment on these policies is usually one month, even if you only use the car for the weekend. Insurers may also charge you an early termination fee on top of the month’s insurance, which could end up costing you a lot more than other options on this list. However, you may be able to find an insurer that does not charge early termination fees, then you are in luck.

4. Additional driver on your existing policy

If you need to have another person insured for just weekend driving, often the cheapest way to do so is by adding them to your existing policy. Insurers are willing to name additional drivers on your policy, all you need to do is to call them up and hand over the information of the new driver. They may also need their social security number, occupation information, and driving history. Including how long they have held their license and if they have any driving offenses.

An additional driver sometimes benefits you as the policyholder too. As your new driver may decrease the risk of an accident based on their metrics of age, experience, and driving record. This results in a lower premium for the insurance policy. 

While weekend car insurance is a term not used in the industry, it is possible to have a short-term policy that covers you or another driver. Here are the steps for taking out a weekend car insurance policy.

Step 1: Work out your situation - new policy or existing policy

If you are ready to insure your vehicle just for a weekend then you need to check if you have an existing policy. Firstly, it may be easier to add a new vehicle to an existing policy. This is ideal if you have multiple vehicles in your household and only want to use one for the weekend. 

Otherwise, you may need to take out a new policy before you are allowed to step in and drive the vehicle. Assess your situation first before moving on to step two. 

Step 2: Shop around or notify your insurer

If you are taking out a new policy, then shop around online or call insurers for a new quote. Use the details of the vehicle you want to insure for the weekend and they will be able to provide you with a price. Make sure to check for any cancellation fees if you want to only use it for a few days, weeks, or months. Avoid insurers that have high termination fees in this case. 

If you simply want to add the new weekend vehicle to your existing policy then contact your insurer by phone or email. They may ask for additional details such as driver information, address, social security number, and intended vehicle usage (for example miles covered). This is a much easier step than taking out a new policy, as the insurer has most of your details already.

Step 3: Use your vehicle

Once insurance is confirmed and paid for, with your information correctly provided, your policy begins. You are now free to use the vehicle for the weekend or any period that your policy allows.

Step 4: Cancel your insurance policy 

Once you are finished using your vehicle for the intended length of time, you need to cancel your existing policy. This involves calling your existing insurer who will take you through the necessary steps, lay out the cancellation fees and remaining charges, and issue you with a refund on the remainder of the policy. 

This is a time-consuming and admin-filled task so proceed with caution. The minimum length for a policy for most insurers is one month but you will be charged at least this amount even if you only use the vehicle for a weekend. Therefore it could be an expensive process for a driver who just needs to use a car for the weekend. Plus note that having any car insurance gaps will show up on your records. This can increase your premiums later down the line.

If you need to drive another vehicle (for a long road trip for example) you do need to make sure you are covered with an appropriate insurance policy. You can also use alternative rental options such as car-sharing apps like Turo and Zipcar, or explore other options such as naming an additional driver on an existing policy. Either way, it is illegal to drive a car that you are not insured on. 

As it is difficult to take out weekend car insurance policies, the main alternative is to start a new policy and cancel after you have finished using the vehicle. This can be more costly than renting a car, therefore it’s essential to do the math to work out the total cost of this method, including cancellation fees.

Typically, insurance companies offer six months or one-year policies. However, you may be able to cancel an existing policy and only be charged for the first month. It’s important to check beforehand with the insurer.

Temporary car insurance does not exist in the US currently. You can take out a new policy and cancel for a refund.

In 2023 the average cost for an annual policy in the US is $2,148 per year. Or broken down to  $179 per month.

Most of the time your insurer will cover you for rental cars too, meaning you may not need additional rental car insurance. Check your personal policy wording before assessing your rental car insurance options.