Hugo Auto Insurance Review (2024)

Our Hugo auto insurance review explains how drivers can get short-term auto insurance quickly. Hugo specializes in pay-as-you-go coverage with monthly or weekly car insurance policies. Drivers pay $70/mo for minimum coverage, and Hugo full coverage insurance is cheaper than Geico DriveEasy at $130/mo.

UPDATED: Feb 28, 2024

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

UPDATED: Feb 28, 2024Fact Checked

Rachel Bodine

Feature Writer

Rachel Bodine graduated from college with a BA in English. She has since worked as a Feature Writer in the insurance industry and gained a deep knowledge of state and countrywide insurance laws and rates. Her research and writing focus on helping readers understand their insurance coverage and how to find savings. Her expert advice on insurance has been featured on sites like PhotoEnforced, All...

Feature Writer

Daniel Walker

Licensed Auto Insurance Agent

Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...

Licensed Auto Insurance Agent

UPDATED: Feb 28, 2024

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.

UPDATED: Feb 28, 2024

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

UPDATED: Feb 28, 2024

Advertiser Disclosure

It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.

Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident auto insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one auto insurance provider and cannot guarantee quotes from any single provider. Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from many different companies please enter your ZIP code on this page to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.

UPDATED: Feb 28, 2024Fact Checked

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Hugo Insurance

Average monthly rate for good drivers:

$130

A.M. Best rating:

NA

Complaint level:

Low

Pros

  • Affordable 1-day and weekly auto insurance policies
  • Cheaper usage-based insurance than Geico DriveEasy
  • Fewer customer complaints than other companies its size
  • Flexible payment options

Cons

  • Only available in 13 states
  • Full coverage only available in IL and CA
  • No auto insurance discounts

Final Verdict: Review of Hugo Insurance

Hugo is one of the best pay-as-you-go auto insurance companies for infrequent and low-mileage drivers who need short-term car insurance. It specializes in same-day auto insurance at $70/mo.

However, only select plans provide collision and comprehensive insurance to cover your vehicle and passengers. If you just need liability insurance, Hugo provides affordable coverage in 13 states to meet minimum requirements.

Use this Hugo auto insurance review to compare policies and rates to determine if this is the right insurer for you.

What You Should Know About Hugo Insurance

Hugo provides cheap auto insurance for occasional drivers who are only on the road two or three times a week.

This is good news for low-mileage drivers in these 13 states: AL, AZ, CA, FL, GA, IL, IN, MS, OH, PA, SC, TN, and TX.

You can turn Hugo insurance coverage off when you're not using it!

Ty Stewart Licensed Insurance Agent

Keep reading our Hugo auto insurance review to find affordable auto insurance today.

Hugo Auto Insurance Reviews and Ratings

There are very few Hugo insurance complaints. Most drivers are looking for policies that match their lifestyle, where driving isn’t a priority, but being well-covered is.

Many Hugo insurance reviews praise its coverage and payment flexibility. These reviews showcase how Hugo meets drivers’ needs with short-term coverage and mobile-friendly service:

Hugo insurance reviews

However, Hugo insurance customer service experiences are regional, meaning California drivers may have a different outlook than someone driving in Texas or Tennessee where coverage options are more limited.

Hugo is also a new and relatively small company and is not yet rated by A.M. Best or J.D. Power, so it could lack the financial strength and overall customer satisfaction you’re looking for in an insurer.

Hugo Insurance Coverage Options

If you need policy add-ons like roadside assistance or rideshare coverage, Hugo won’t have them. Instead, the provider focuses on affordable temporary auto insurance that drivers can turn on and off as needed.

Drivers pick from three different coverage options:

  • Flex: Buy liability insurance by the day or week, and turn Hugo auto insurance off on days you aren’t driving.
  • Unlimited Basic: Immediate liability coverage with no down payment.
  • Unlimited Full: Immediate full coverage with no down payment.

All Hugo auto insurance policies come with coverage extensions and no down payments, but only Flex plans can turn coverage off and on instantly. The three plans also differ in other key ways:

Hugo insurance plans

Only Unlimited Full plans provide coverage for your vehicle, passengers, and personal injuries. What’s more, Hugo’s full coverage insurance like this is only available in Illinois and California. So, if you live in any of the other states listed above, you can only buy liability insurance from Hugo. 

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Hugo Insurance Rates Breakdown

Below we’ve calculated an average of what drivers pay for Hugo auto insurance based on age and where they live. Your driving record will also influence your rates, and Hugo may not insure drivers who have multiple accidents or claims. 

Use the tables below to find affordable Hugo auto insurance near you.

Hugo Auto Insurance Rates by Age And Gender

Despite being cheap usage-based auto insurance, men can still expect to pay more for Hugo than women. Younger drivers will also have higher rates.

Hugo Auto Insurance Monthly Rates by Age & Gender
AgeMinimum CoverageFull Coverage
16-Year-Old Male$180$320
16-Year-Old Female$160$300
20-Year-Old Male$120$220
20-Year-Old Female$110$210
25-Year-Old Male$100$180
25-Year-Old Female$90$170
35-Year-Old Male$80$150
35-Year-Old Female$75$140
45-Year-Old Male$70$130
45-Year-Old Female$65$120
55-Year-Old Male$60$110
55-Year-Old Female$55$100
65-Year-Old Male$50$90
65-Year-Old Female$45$80
75-Year-Old Male$55$100
75-Year-Old Female$50$90

The only states that don’t allow gender to influence insurance rates and also offer Hugo auto insurance are California and Pennsylvania.

Hugo Auto Insurance Rates by State

Hugo auto insurance is only available in 13 states. Find yours in the table below to compare rates:

Hugo Auto Insurance Monthly Rates by State & Coverage Level
StateMinimum CoverageFull Coverage
Alabama$60$120
Arizona$65$130
California$48$147
Florida$70$140
Georgia$75$150
Illinois$68$136
Indiana$62$124
Mississippi$41$110
Ohio$58$116
Pennsylvania$72$144
South Carolina$67$134
Tennessee$63$126
Texas$80$160

Regional claim and auto accident rates will impact your Hugo insurance rates. The cheapest states are Ohio and Alabama, while Georgia and Texas are the most expensive.

Hugo Auto Insurance Rates by Driving Record

Driving history has the biggest effect on Hugo auto insurance rates, and drivers with DUIs pay the most for coverage.

Hugo Auto Insurance Monthly Rates by Driving Record
Driving RecordMinimum CoverageFull Coverage
Clean Record$70$130
Speeding Ticket$90$160
At-Fault Accident$110$190
DUI$150$250

High-risk drivers can still get affordable insurance based on the type of plan they choose. For example, a Flex plan where you’re only driving a few days a month can save someone with DUIs or accidents thousands of dollars per year.

How to Pay For Hugo Auto Insurance

Unlike traditional auto insurance companies, you don’t pay monthly or annual premiums with Hugo. And unlike pay-per-mile insurance programs, you don’t pay a rate based on your monthly mileage. 

Hugo only charges for the days you drive, and drivers pay for auto insurance through a refillable account on the Hugo insurance app. You can add funds as needed or set up “Auto Reload” by linking a bank account.

The perks of choosing a Flex plan are flat daily rates and the ability to turn coverage off and on as you need it:

Hugo insurance

If you need more coverage, Unlimited Basic and Full plans still come with the convenience of reloading your Hugo insurance app and extending coverage without payment:

Hugo insurance

Drivers who need 1-day auto insurance or temporary two-week auto insurance enjoy Hugo’s flexible payment options that let you add coverage by the day, week, or month.

Hugo Insurance Discounts Available

Hugo does not offer any auto insurance discounts, policy perks, or add-ons. It is one of the cheapest pay-as-you-go auto insurance companies because of its flexible, liability-only coverage, and therefore does not provide any more discounts.

However, auto insurance for infrequent drivers is eligible for low-mileage and pleasure-use discounts with other top companies. Before you buy Hugo insurance, compare rates from multiple insurers in your area to see the kinds of policies available in your budget.

For example, you might find traditional 30-day auto insurance is cheaper with a low-mileage discount. Use our guides to learn how to get a low mileage auto insurance discount and how annual mileage affects auto insurance rates.

How Hugo Insurance Ranks Among Providers

Hugo auto insurance is a type of usage-based coverage that only charges based on how often you drive. However, many national and regional companies also offer usage-based and pay-per-mile auto insurance, and you might get lower rates with a different provider.

Usage-Based Auto Insurance Monthly Rates by Coverage Level
Company & ProgramMinimum CoverageFull Coverage
Allstate: "Drivewise"$75$140
American Family: "MilesMyWay"$80$150
Esurance: "DriveSense"$85$160
Farmers: "Signal"$78$145
Geico: "DriveEasy"$80$150
Hugo: "Hugo Flex"$70$130
Liberty Mutual: "RightTrack"$82$155
Metromile: "Pulse"$85$160
Mile Auto: "Mile"$78$145
Nationwide "SmartRide"$82$155
Progressive: "Snapshot"$88$165
State Farm: "Drive Safe & Save"$83$158
Travelers: "IntelliDrive"$84$160
USAA: "SafePilot"$80$150

If Hugo insurance is not available in your state, you can likely find a similar type of policy with another company.

For example, Nationwide SmartRide is available in 45 states, while Geico DriveEasy is in 31 and Washington, D.C. These companies won’t provide two-day auto insurance like Hugo, but you can still get lower rates on long-term coverage based on how little you drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hugo a legit auto insurance company?

Yes, Hugo is legally able to underwrite auto insurance policies in 13 states.

Who owns Hugo auto insurance?

David Bergendahl is the co-founder and owner of Hugo Insurance. He is a former risk analyst and investment banker.

What other auto insurance companies are like Hugo?

Very few insurers provide temporary driving insurance like Hugo, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a company that lets you turn coverage on and off. Still, similar companies like Metromile and Root base rates on how often you drive, while major insurance companies like Geico make it free to cancel, meaning it’s possible to have one-to-30-day car insurance.

What are the benefits of using Hugo auto insurance?

The biggest benefit of Hugo insurance is the flexibility. You can have 1-day to 30-day car insurance, with weekly policies also being an option. You also don’t have any monthly or annual premiums and only pay for coverage as you use it.

Can I cancel my Hugo insurance policy and get my money back?

You can cancel Hugo auto insurance by logging into the app and toggling your coverage to “off”. To cancel your policy completely, call Hugo customer service at 515-303-2410. You can cancel at any time and still be eligible for a refund.

Does Hugo insurance have a grace period?

Yes, Hugo offers a coverage extension with its Unlimited Basic and Unlimited Full plans that start auto insurance before you pay a premium.

Is the Hugo insurance app free?

Yes, the Hugo insurance mobile app is free to policyholders.

Is the Hugo insurance app safe to use?

Yes, Hugo does not sell customer information. It only uses it to improve the mobile and insurance experience.

How do I log into Hugo insurance?

Open the mobile app on your phone or tablet or visit the company website. You can log in with the email address you used to create your account.

What is the penalty for canceling Hugo auto insurance?

There is no penalty for canceling Hugo car insurance, but you may be subject to fees if you missed a payment or there were insufficient funds in your re-loadable account before cancellation.

Is it better to pay for six months of auto insurance?

Paying for six months’ worth of auto insurance is often more affordable because you can lock in low rates. However, flexible usage-based coverage like Hugo is better for infrequent drivers or those who don’t own a vehicle.

How can I avoid high auto insurance premiums?

Maintaining a good driving record and driving an older car will help keep auto insurance premiums low.

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Rachel Bodine

Feature Writer

Rachel Bodine graduated from college with a BA in English. She has since worked as a Feature Writer in the insurance industry and gained a deep knowledge of state and countrywide insurance laws and rates. Her research and writing focus on helping readers understand their insurance coverage and how to find savings. Her expert advice on insurance has been featured on sites like PhotoEnforced, All...

Feature Writer

Daniel Walker

Licensed Auto Insurance Agent

Daniel Walker graduated with a BS in Administrative Management in 2005 and has run his family’s insurance agency, FCI Agency, for over 15 years (BBB A+). He is licensed as an insurance agent to write property and casualty insurance, including home, life, auto, umbrella, and dwelling fire insurance. He’s also been featured on sites like Reviews.com and Safeco. To ensure our content is accura...

Licensed Auto Insurance Agent

Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.

Compare Quotes from Top Companies and Save

Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap auto insurance rates.

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