Auto Insurance for Infrequent Drivers

To insurance companies, infrequent means people who drive fewer than 10,000 miles per year. Though a driver may rarely drive, they must carry the minimum liability insurance required in their state.

There are a few ways infrequent drivers can save on insurance policies, such as choosing pay-per-mile insurance or shopping around at the best companies for auto insurance. Read on to learn more.

Auto Insurance Policy Options for Infrequent Drivers

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Infrequent drivers must carry car insurance, but they have several policy options to choose from designed for low-mileage drivers. What does infrequent mean when it comes to driving? It means you won’t be using your car on a regular basis, so you won’t be as much of a risk to an insurance company.

Pay-Per-Mile Insurance for Infrequent Drivers

Pay-per-mile insurance is a great option for drivers who clock fewer than 10,000 miles annually. With most pay-as-you-go car insurance programs, you’ll pay a daily set rate — usually a few dollars per day — and a small fee for miles driven daily.

For example, your set fee might be $3 a day, with a $0.05 charge per mile. So if you drive five miles one day, your total amount that day would be $3.25.

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Some popular pay-per-mile insurance providers include:

• Metromile
• Milewise by Allstate
• SmartMiles by Nationwide

If you can’t find a pay-per-mile program in your state, see if any companies offer a discount on car insurance policies for driving less.

Minimum Liability Insurance for Infrequent Drivers

Drivers may choose to drop extra coverages on their standard auto insurance policy and carry only the minimum car insurance required in their state. Usually, this means carrying only liability auto insurance. Though switching to a liability-only policy can significantly reduce rates, we only recommend it if your car is old and not worth much.

Dropping extra coverages like comprehensive and collision means you’ll have to pay out of pocket for repairs if your car gets damaged. So if you’re unprepared for the possible financial losses that could occur from dropping your comprehensive or collision coverage, it’s best to keep them.

However, if your car is old and the cost of collision and comprehensive coverages would equal 10% or more of your car’s value in a year, you can consider dropping these coverages to reduce prices.

Parked Car Insurance Policy

In some cases, insurance companies offer a parked car insurance policy, sometimes known as storage or stored car insurance. These policies only apply to drivers storing the vehicle and not driving it.

Once you start driving the car regularly, you’ll need to purchase a regular auto policy or pay-per-mile auto insurance. 

However, if you won’t be driving for a year or so, it’s worth it to purchase a parked car insurance policy to save on auto insurance until you start driving again.

Classic Car Insurance Policy

If your car qualifies as a classic car, you should purchase a classic car insurance policy. Since classic car insurance is only for cars not driven except for pleasure, they’re good policies for infrequent drivers with classic cars.

Generally, a car must be at least 20 years old to be a classic collector car. So, if you have a 40-year-old car that you take out on the weekends because you live in one of the best states for classic car owners, you need a classic car insurance policy. 

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Other Ways for Infrequent Drivers to Save on Auto Insurance

There are still other ways for infrequent drivers to save on their car insurance — you can save more by following the tips below.

• Shopping around at auto insurance companies. You may be able to find a cheaper auto insurance policy elsewhere. Just don’t sacrifice quality for a lower price. 
• Ask if your insurer offers a low-mileage discount. You may be able to save on your auto policy if you have low annual mileage.
• Participating in safe driving programs. Some insurance companies offer safe driving programs that partly base the total discount on miles driven. 

Take advantage of other discounts, such as bundling policies or signing up for auto-pay. Having a clean driving record will also go a long way to saving infrequent drivers money on their auto insurance policies. 

Final Word on Auto Insurance for Infrequent Drivers

Infrequent drivers may choose to keep a regular insurance policy, or they can look into minimum liability insurance, pay-per-mile, or classic car insurance. Most insurance companies also offer a discount for low-mileage drivers. 

It’s best to shop around and compare quotes to find the best insurance rates for an infrequent driver. Use our free quote comparison tool to find your area’s best auto insurance rates.