Temporary Car Insurance In Florida For 2024

Temporary car insurance is a great option when you need cover for a short duration. Maybe you’ve borrowed a friend’s car for a road trip or are a college student going home for a holiday break. Obtaining a standard insurance policy for such situations might seem worth the cost and effort.

But what other option is there? Well, you can purchase temporary auto insurance. And while many insurance companies in the U.S. don’t offer short-term car insurance, there are still ways you can get temporary coverage.

With decades of experience in the insurance industry, I’ve helped many drivers find the best auto insurance for their specific needs. I now aim to help drivers in Florida avoid paying for cover they don’t need by discussing situations where temporary car insurance may be of interest and alternative options. Keep reading for an in-depth look at these and other topics.

What Is Temporary Car Insurance?

Temporary car insurance is auto insurance coverage that’s shorter than six months. Usually, US-based car insurance providers sell auto policies with a term of six or 12 months. Drivers seeking coverage for a shorter period should consider other options like getting pay-per-mile insurance.

Alternatives To Temporary Car Insurance

Based on your reason for requiring temporary car insurance, there are several alternatives available, including:

Florida Rental Car Insurance

Most people looking to rent a car wrongly believe they have to purchase a personal insurance policy. You can get short-term coverage by buying a policy directly from the rental company. And although auto policies typically cover rental cars, this usually doesn’t include loss of use fees, which can be expensive.

Pay-Per-Mile Car Insurance In Florida

Florida low-mileage drivers should consider a car insurance policy whose premiums largely depend on the number of miles they drive. Charges for a traditional auto insurance policy don’t reflect how much you drive in a month. But with pay-per-mile insurance, the less you drive, the more you save.

Florida Non-Owner Auto Insurance

Do you often drive other people’s cars? If yes, non-owner car insurance may prove a handy option for obtaining coverage. With this policy, you’ll always have liability protection when driving a borrowed or rented vehicle.

Additionally, a non-owner policy helps maintain continuous coverage when you’re temporarily without a car. A lapse in coverage can lead to an increase in your future premiums.

Note: Non-owner car insurance doesn’t cover injuries you sustain or damage to the vehicle you’re driving after a car accident.

Rideshare Car Insurance In Florida

There are over 1.7 million rideshare drivers in the U.S., with more than 100,000 working for Uber in Florida. The insurance needs of a rideshare driver include personal auto insurance for when they’re driving for personal reasons and commercial auto insurance for when they’re on the job.

Most transport network companies (TNCs) like Uber and Lyft provide insurance for their drivers. However, coverage may be limited, depending on the phase you’re in when an incident occurs. To prevent gaps in coverage, rideshare drivers can purchase a rideshare insurance policy or add a rideshare endorsement to their personal car insurance policy.

Buying A Six-Month Florida Insurance Policy And Canceling It Early

Since you’re not likely to find an insurance company issuing auto policies with shorter terms than six months, you can get a six-month policy and cancel when you no longer need coverage.

Note: Some insurance providers charge you a cancellation fee for terminating a policy before its expiration date. When shopping for car insurance, ask insurers about their cancellation policy before you sign any papers.

Temporary Car Insurance Rates In Florida By Policy Length

According to my analysis of multiple quotes from multiple insurers, Farmers has the cheapest car insurance rates in Florida, while State Farm is the most expensive insurance carrier.

Short-Term Auto Insurance Rates In Florida By City

There were 393,123 crashes in the state of Florida in 2023, with the bulk of them occurring in urban centers such as Miami and Tampa. So it’s no surprise that the cost of auto insurance in these cities is notably high.

Short-Term Car Insurance Rates In Florida By Insurance Company

According to the 2022 NAIC market share report, Geico is the dominant player in Florida’s private passenger auto insurance market, with a 23.98 % market share. Progressive’s market share is the second-largest at 21.36 %.

Adjusting Florida Car Insurance Temporarily Depending On Your Needs

You can address your temporary insurance needs by changing your existing car insurance or purchasing a specialized auto policy if you have no insurance. The following are examples of situations where this can apply:

Lending Someone Your Car

As a car owner, there will be instances where friends and family members ask to borrow your automobile. If there’s a person you regularly allow to use your car, you should add them to your auto policy. As for people who occasionally borrow your car, the permissive use clause in your policy will likely cover them.

Permissive use is a provision in most car insurance policies that provides coverage to a person not listed on your policy that you allow to operate your vehicle. Remember, this clause only applies to people who use your car infrequently and don’t live in the same household as you.

Storing Your Car

If you have a seasonal vehicle or place your car in storage for an extended period, you should consider car storage insurance. As insurers don’t offer a specific policy for an automobile in storage, car storage insurance is technically reduced or suspended coverage.

If you don’t have a car loan or lease and your carrier allows it, you can drop your collision and liability coverages and remain with comprehensive coverage only. This way, you’ll be protected against financial loss if your car gets damaged from non-collision incidents like fire and flooding while parked or stored.

If suspending portions of your auto insurance is not an option, you can lower your coverage limits to at least the minimum required limits. However, if you have a multi-car insurance policy, lowering your coverage limits can negatively impact coverage of your other vehicle(s).

Note: If you drop coverage for the time your car is in storage and want to start using your vehicle again, you’ll need to reinstate liability coverage to drive legally. Florida requires all registered motor vehicles to have a minimum of $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) and a minimum of $10,000 in property damage liability (PDL).

You Don’t Drive Often

If you are a casual driver, you may not require insurance coverage. Insurance providers require policyholders to list all licensed drivers living with them on their auto insurance policies. Therefore, if you live with someone who owns a car, you should be covered by their policy. If you have permission to drive someone else’s car, their policy will cover you under the permissive use clause.

If you regularly drive other people’s cars, a non-owner auto policy will cover damage you cause to someone else’s property in a car accident.

Child Going To College Away From Home

Most (56%) undergraduate college students bring a vehicle to school. While some may be eligible to stay on their parent’s car insurance, others have no choice but to purchase a separate car insurance policy.

For students who don’t have a car at school but are licensed drivers, allowing them to retain coverage on your policy is encouraged for different reasons. For instance, your child will have PIP and PDL coverage when they drive a friend’s car while at school or when they drive your car while home for the holidays.

In addition, 1519 students die each year from alcohol-related injuries, including car crashes. Knowing they’re covered can give your child the confidence to volunteer to be the designated sober driver for their friend group.

Adding Your Child To Your Policy

Once your child gets their driver’s license, your insurance provider will require you to add them to your car insurance policy regardless of how often they drive. Given car insurance companies charge young drivers higher premiums, it’s understandable why you may hesitate to follow through.

However, failing to notify your insurer of a licensed driver in your household is a breach of contract and may be cause for a claim denial or policy cancellation. You can explicitly exclude your child from your auto insurance policy if they will never drive your car.

Are An International Driver

International drivers can obtain short-term auto insurance coverage in several ways depending on the length of their stay. If it’s a short visit and they rent a car, they can buy auto insurance from the rental company. If staying for more than one month, a standard six-month policy or non-owner car insurance would be ideal. They can cancel the policy once they’re back home.

Note: International visitors may be required to have a U.S. driver’s license or an IDP (International driving permit) to purchase car insurance. Find out what documentation you need to drive legally in the U.S. state you plan on visiting before you leave your home country.

Average Cost Of Short-Term Car Insurance For Young Drivers In Florida

Average Cost Of Temporary Car Insurance After An Accident

Average Cost Of Minimum Coverage Temporary Car Insurance

Note: It’s good to carry more liability coverage than your state-mandated minimums in case an at-fault accident results in property damages exceeding your coverage limits.