All About Metromile’s Grace Periods
If you miss a payment with Metromile, you have a few days to pay the amount owing before your coverage lapses.
Written by Thidas Senanayaka
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Metromile will provide you with a few additional days to pay your bill if they cannot process your payment. However, it’s essential you pay any past-due amount immediately if you want to maintain your coverage.
Timely insurance payments are essential if you’re a vehicle owner. Missing a payment and losing coverage can have serious short-term and long-term consequences. However, most insurers have grace periods where they keep your coverage open and give you a little bit more time to make up your past-due payments without canceling your policy, and Metromile is no different.
If your payment method for Metromile isn’t working, don’t worry—your coverage won’t lapse immediately so long as you’re still within the grace period.
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Does Metromile give you a grace period after your auto insurance expires?
Yes, although the grace period for Metromile works a little differently than most insurers. Metromile’s billing system is mileage-based—you are charged a base monthly fee, and the rest of your bill is based on how many miles you drive that month. Since your credit or debit card will already be on file, they will automatically charge you when your billing date comes.
Therefore, the only way you can “miss” your payment is if there are insufficient funds in your account or a problem with your payment method that prevents Metromile from processing your bill. This is when your grace period kicks in.
Metromile doesn’t have a specific standard grace period, but it does say that you will have a few days before they retry processing your payment. After that, you will receive a notice that your payment wasn’t processed (as all insurers are required to notify customers of pending cancellations), and this should have a final due date for payment.
This date is the end of your grace period. If a replacement payment is’t made by the cancellation date, Metromile will stop your coverage.
Metromile also offers a “travel grace period.” At the start of your policy, Metromile will direct you to install a Metromile Pulse device in your car’s OBD II port. This device measures the changes in your mileage and uses the data to determine your bill.
If you’re not driving for a while or going on vacation, they may lose the signal from this device. When this happens, Metromile will send you a reminder email advising that they will charge a No Signal Fee to account for any miles you may have traveled since you must keep Metromile Pulse installed at all times. To avoid this, let Metromile know ahead of time that your car will not be in use, and they will grant you a grace period where no fee will be charged for the days you lose the signal.
What are the benefits of a grace period?
There could be many reasons you’ve missed a payment, and insurers want to account for that before removing you as a paying customer and causing a lapse in your coverage. A grace period gives you time to fix the problem and make the payment while maintaining your coverage and avoiding the pitfalls that come with a lapse.
Metromile continuous insurance discount
Metromile, like most insurers, does provide a
continuous coverage discount
. If you can show you’ve been insured for a long time without any lapses or missed payments, you may qualify for a discount between 10 and 15%. The availability of this discount varies per policy and state. How long is a typical grace period for car insurance?
Grace periods vary across insurers and states. Some offer 10 days, some 30, while others only provide 24 hours. All insurers must notify you by mail, email, or phone of a pending cancellation due to non-payment, so make sure to check any communication you receive from your provider.
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Consequences of a car insurance lapse
Here’s a list of what you can expect if your car insurance lapses:
- Legal penalties: States may charge you fines or even suspend your license or registration, depending on where you live.
- Increase in premiums: Lapsed coverage makes you a high-risk customer, which will be reflected in increased premiums on any new policy you get afterward.
- Personal liability: If you get into an at-fault accident while driving without insurance, you may have to pay for the damages to your vehicle out of pocket.
What to do if your Metromile car insurance lapses
If you find out too late that there’s a problem with your account, your best bet is to contact Metromile at 1-888-242-5204 or
chat
with them online. You may be able to get your policy reinstated, depending on the circumstance. If not, you’ll have to get a new policy, either through Metromile or another provider. Now would be the perfect time to use the Jerry app to find affordable policies from other insurance companies. Remember that if you choose to go with another policy, you will have to ship the measuring device back to Metromile or they’ll charge you a $100 fee.
If you change your policy, remember to update your insurance information with your state’s motor vehicle department and make sure it meets your state’s insurance requirements.
How to avoid a coverage lapse
Metromile makes it easy to avoid missing payments, as they will automatically charge you on your billing dates. Another way for you to make sure you don’t miss a payment is to either make use of their Pre-payment option. You can also keep an eye out on the billing date for any notices that may come if there’s an issue with your payment method.
If the payments are too much for you to afford, it may be time to shop around for a new policy that suits you better. Jerry, which compares different policies to find competitive rates, can help you locate and switch to a more affordable policy.
Metromile grace period for new cars
When you sign up for the first time, Metromile will give you a 10-day grace period with coverage until you receive and install the Metromile Pulse. Keep in mind the grace period is seven days if you live in California.
How to find the best Metromile car insurance quotes
Finding a good, affordable insurance policy should be a priority, whether you need to switch to a new policy or you’re worried that your next payment may be a little out of budget. This is where
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