Does AAA Offer Temporary Car Insurance?
AAA does not offer temporary car insurance. Car insurance is usually offered in 6-month and 1-year periods, but you can cancel some policies early.
Written by Cameron Thiessen
Reviewed by Amy Bobinger
You cannot buy temporary car insurance coverage from
AAA
. In fact, reputable insurance companies generally do not offer temporary car insurance at all.- You can not buy short-term insurance from AAA—or most reputable car insurance companies, for that matter.
- You do have the option to buy a six-month or one-year policy (depending on your state). If you really have to, you can then cancel it early.
- You can also purchase non-owner car insurance if you don’t own a car but you still drive frequently.
- You can not buy short-term insurance from AAA—or most reputable car insurance companies, for that matter.
- You do have the option to buy a six-month or one-year policy (depending on your state). If you really have to, you can then cancel it early.
- You can also purchase non-owner car insurance if you don’t own a car but you still drive frequently.
Can you buy AAA temporary car insurance coverage?
No—auto insurance companies generally only offer car insurance policies for one-year or six-month terms. The American Automobile Association (AAA) is a private, national, non-profit motor club that primarily offers
roadside assistance
services as part of a yearly membership.Regional AAA auto clubs often partner with affiliated insurance branches in your area to provide discounted car insurance to AAA members. You normally need an AAA Auto Club membership in order to get car insurance through an AAA-affiliated insurer.
How to get short-term car insurance with AAA
While you can’t get a temporary insurance policy with AAA, you could still have options—although AAA will likely not write you a policy if they’re aware you’re seeking temporary coverage.
In most states, you’re not allowed to drive an uninsured vehicle—you’ll at least need
liability coverage
to legally drive a car, and you’ll be asked to show proof of insurance if you get pulled over. However, if you’re only driving a borrowed car on occasion, you’re covered up to the limits of the policy, as long as you have the owner’s permission to drive the car and you’re not excluded on the policy.Do be aware, however, that if you get into an accident while driving a borrowed car, the policy-holder’s rates will increase, or they could even have their policy cancelled.
If the car you want to drive isn’t already insured, or if you’re driving someone’s insured car all the time, there are a few options available to you.
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Add your car to an existing policy
If you already have an AAA insurance policy for a different vehicle, you can easily add another vehicle to it, even for just a short period of time. This might increase your insurance premium rate, but you can always update your policy again once you don’t need the vehicle in question. In fact, adding a car that you only drive occasionally to an existing insurance policy might not even raise your auto insurance rates by all that much.
Buy a 6-month policy
If you only own one vehicle and you just need the vehicle in question for a short period of time, you could open a AAA car insurance policy and simply cancel it when you no longer need it. There are some pros and cons to doing this.
On one hand, you’ll usually get a full refund for any paid months after the cancellation date—many car insurance companies won’t charge cancellation fees. However, if you think you’ll need to insure that car again for a longer period of time, it might be better to keep it insured and not let the coverage lapse. A lapse in coverage could lead to increased premium rates when your policy is reissued.
Another thing to be aware of is that insurers will typically not write a policy if they know it’s only temporary. If you repeatedly buy a policy and cancel it early, insurers may refuse to cover you in the future.
Some insurers will also let you drop all but comprehensive coverage for a limited amount of time if you’re going to have the vehicle in storage.. This might be a good solution if you were already planning on reinsuring your vehicle at a later date, since your coverage won’t technically lapse.
Buy a non-owner car insurance policy
Non-owner insurance
is offered by AAA, and it’s a good solution to temporary insurance needs if you drive often but don’t own your own car. For example, if you rent cars often or borrow a cars regularly, non-owner insurance might be the best option.That said, if you regularly borrow the same vehicle, you should be listed on the policy.
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If you’re just borrowing someone’s car once every month or so, their car is covered up to the limits of their policy—as long as you’re not excluded from that policy. But to be on the safe side, if you borrow the same car often, you could get the owner to add you as an additional driver.
This means you’ll be covered under their auto insurance policy no matter how often you drive, although it might raise their premium rate overall.
MORE: 10 ways to get cheap car insurance that’s actually good
Rental car insurance
You still need to have valid insurance, even if you’re only renting a car. Many rental companies will offer short-term insurance solutions—but be sure to check whether you already have rental car coverage before you purchase extra rental insurance.
For example, you might have
rental car insurance
through your credit card provider—many credit card policies include basic rental car insurance. If you already have AAA car insurance for a different car, it will usually also cover you for any rental car that you drive while that policy is still active.If you’re not sure if your insurance covers you for rental car insurance, contact your provider and speak with an insurance agent.
MORE: 7 ways to save money on car rentals
How much does short-term car insurance cost?
The most expensive short-term car insurance solution is usually the temporary rental car insurance offered by rental car companies. These are usually around $20 or more per day. To put this in perspective, the average cost for minimum car insurance coverage in the U.S. is only about $50 per month. So if you really don’t have any temporary car insurance options available in your situation, the best option is to get the best policy you can at a price you can afford. If you no longer need the policy, you can then cancel it—although depending on the insurer, you may be charged a cancellation fee.
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FAQs
Do any car insurance companies offer temporary car insurance?
No—it’s a rather consistent rule that U.S. car insurance policies are offered in six-month or one-year periods, depending on your state. If you do come across a company offering to sell you temporary car insurance, it could very well be a scam. If you need a car insurance policy for less than a year, go for a six-month car insurance plan.
How long does temporary car insurance coverage last?
The most temporary auto insurance coverage you can buy is through a rental car company when you rent a car. This type of coverage is usually paid per day.
Can you be added to a car insurance policy temporarily?
Yes—if the car you’re driving is already insured, you could be added to the policy as a driver. The policy holder can then remove you at a later date—although if you live in the same household or you have a bad driving record, the insurer may require proof of other insurance before they’ll remove you from the policy.
Also, if the car you’re driving is not already insured, you could add it temporarily to an existing policy for another car.
