Allstate Milewise Review

Genevieve Fraser
· 5 min read
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With
Allstate’s
pay-per-mile Milewise® program, policyholders who don’t drive much can save an average of 49% on their
car insurance costs
for the same coverage. 
  • Allstate’s Milewise program charges a daily base rate plus a per-mile rate for an average savings of 49% compared to traditional car insurance
  • Milewise is best for work-from-home employees, stay-at-home parents, and anyone who wants more control over car insurance costs
  • If you own multiple vehicles, you can designate each as “Pay-Per-Mile” or “Unlimited” depending on how often you drive them
  • Milewise is only available in 21 states

How Allstate’s Milewise program works

Average savings
49% (compared to a traditional auto insurance policy)
How it works
Plug-in device sends data to Allstate and payments are automatically deducted from a prepaid account
Sample rate
$1.50 per day + $0.06 per mile 
Daily mileage cap
250 in most states (150 in IL, IN, NJ, OH, and OR)
Availability
AZ, DE, FL, ID, IL, IN, MA, MD, MN, MO, NJ, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA, WI and Washington, D.C. 

Milewise saves low-mileage drivers close to 50% compared to traditional auto insurance

Every Milewise customer is assigned two rates: 
  • Daily rate: You’ll pay this every day, regardless of how much you drive. On their website, Allstate quotes $1.50 per day as an average example of a daily rate. 
  • Per-mile rate: You’ll pay this rate for each mile your Milewise device logs. Allstate uses $0.06 as an average example of a per-mile rate. 
The average U.S. commute is approximately 41 miles per day. Let’s say you live close to home and drive half of that. At 20 miles per day, you’d pay just $2.70 per day for Milewise. That’s an annual insurance cost of $985.5—less than half of the average Allstate premium of $2,135! 

Your daily and per-mile rates depend on your driver profile

Just like regular car insurance premiums, your Milewise rates are calculated based on your age,
driving record
, credit score,
ZIP code
, and other factors. In the following states, your driving behaviors can cause your rate to fluctuate: 
  • Arizona
  • Florida
  • Massachusetts
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Oklahoma
  • Pennsylvania
  • South Carolina
  • Texas
  • Wisconsin
But unlike Allstate’s Drivewise
telematics
program, Milewise isn’t designed to help you earn safe driving car insurance discounts. If you’re looking for a way to reduce your premium based on your good driving habits, check out our
guide to the Allstate app and Drivewise

A device plugged into your car’s diagnostic port sends secure data to Allstate

In order to track mileage, Allstate sends Milewise customers a device that plugs into the vehicle’s OBD-II diagnostic port, usually located under the steering column. If you’re having trouble finding the appropriate port, use Allstate’s
port finder tool
How to know it’s working: When you install the device, a red light should blink briefly to show it’s working. You’ll see trips show up in the Allstate Mobile app within 48 hours, though processing could be delayed if you’re driving in an area with poor service. 
If your device isn’t working, you’ll be charged for 40 miles per day: Allstate’s “Default Mileage Usage” is 40 miles per day. If your Milewise device is malfunctioning and doesn’t correctly record trip data, you’ll be charged this default amount. 
What Milewise tracks: The number of miles you drive; the speed you travel at; any instances of harsh acceleration or hard braking; the time of day you drive. Allstate makes a detailed list of the data they track publicly available
here

You won’t pay extra for long road trips or high-mileage vehicles

No extra charge for long trips: Like most usage-based insurance programs, Milewise has a daily mileage cap, after which your per-mile rate won’t be processed. In most states, Allstate charges the per-mile rate for a maximum of 250 miles per day. In Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, and Oregon, the daily mileage cap is 150 miles. 
What if you drive one vehicle more than the other? Allstate gives customers the option to designate each vehicle on a Milewise plan as “Pay-Per-Mile” or “Unlimited.” If you have a high-mileage vehicle and a low-mileage one, you’ll only pay the daily rate for the high-mileage vehicle. 

Milewise coverage is the same as a traditional car insurance policy

You can add liability insurance, collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, and any other type of car insurance coverage to your Milewise policy—just like any other Allstate auto insurance policy! The only difference is how you pay for that coverage: a per-mile and daily rate rather than a set annual or monthly premium. 

Milewise drivers earn rewards points for merchandise and services

When you purchase a Milewise policy, you’ll automatically earn 10,000 Allstate Rewards® points. Activating your Allstate Rewards account nets you another 5,000 points, and you can participate in regular driving challenges to keep raking in the rewards. 
Allstate Rewards points can be redeemed for: 
  • Local deals
  • Gift cards
  • Sweepstakes 
  • Brand-name merchandise 
MORE: How to get car insurance discounts

Is Milewise worth it?

Allstate’s Milewise is a good option for: 
  • Anyone who drives less than 5,000 miles per year: Stay-at-home parents, WFH employees, retirees, and anyone who prefers public transportation or other means of travel are ideal Milewise users. 
  • Anyone who wants to have control over car insurance costs: Paying a daily and per-mile rate rather than a fixed annual premium translates to much tighter control over how much you pay for auto coverage. 
  • Anyone comfortable with sharing driving data: If you’re uneasy about plugging the Milewise tracking device into your car, you may be better off with a traditional car insurance policy. 
Not sure if you’re a low-mileage driver? The table below shows data from the
Federal Highway Administration
on U.S. drivers’ average annual mileage by age group. 
Age
Average annual mileage
16-19 
7,624
20-34 
15,098
35-54 
15,291
55-64
11,972
65+
7,646
Average 
13,476
If you log significantly fewer miles each year than the average driver in your age group, a Milewise policy from Allstate might mean serious car insurance savings. 

Milewise vs. the competition: What’s the best pay-per-mile car insurance program?

Most car insurance companies have telematics programs that track customers’ driving in exchange for safe driving discounts, but pay-per-mile programs are less common. Milewise essentially has four major competitors: 
  • Metromile: Available in eight states,
    Metromile
    claims to save drivers an average of 47% compared to traditional car insurance. It also offers stolen car recovery benefits.  
  • Mile Auto: Instead of using a plug-in device, Mile Auto allows customers to simply snap a picture of their odometer once a month. However, the program is only available in a few states. 
  • SmartMiles® from Nationwide:
    Nationwide’s
    pay-per-mile program includes a potential 10% safe driver discount and is available in all states except Alaska, Hawaii, Louisiana, North Carolina, New York, and Oklahoma. 
  • Noblr from USAA: Military members and families can enroll in a pay-per-mile program from
    USAA
    —but it’s only available in 14 states. 
Best for savings: Milewise
Best for drivers in most states: SmartMiles
Best for drivers with privacy concerns: Mile Auto
Best for California drivers: Metromile
Best for military members: Noblr
Average savings*
49%
$450-540
30-40%
47% or $741 per year
Over 50%
Sample rate
$1.50 per day + $0.06 per mile
$60 per month + $0.07 per day
$48 per month + $0.08 per mile
$29 per month + $0.06 per mile
N/A
Tracking method
Plug-in device
Plug-in device
Mobile app
Plug-in device
Mobile app
Mileage cap
250 miles (150 in IL, IN, NJ, OH, and OR)
250 miles
None
250 miles (150 in NJ)
None
Standout feature
Vehicles can be designated as “Pay-Per-Mile” or “Unlimited”
Widest availability of any pay-per-mile auto insurance program
No live data tracking—just send a photo of your odometer once a month
92% stolen car recovery rate 
Low rates for military members, veterans, and family members
Availability
AZ, DE, ID, IL, IN, FL, MA, MD, MN, MO, NJ, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA, WI, and WV
AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
AZ, CA, GA, IL, OH, OR, PA, TN, and TX
AZ, CA, IL, NJ, OR, PA, VA, and WA 
AZ, CO, GA, IL, IN, LA, MD, MO, OH, NM, PA, TX, VA, and WI 
* Disclaimer: Average savings are based on company claims and may not represent individual drivers’ savings. All auto insurance rates are based on driving history, ZIP code, age, and other factors.  
MORE: Pay-per-mile car insurance: a guide

Jerry’s Allstate Milewise review: Worth it for low-mileage drivers

If you drive less than the average American and live in a state where it’s available, Allstate’s Milewise program is worth checking out. 
Allstate is one of the best car insurance providers in the county, but higher-than-average premiums are the highest complaint from most customers. If you’re able to cut your rates with Milewise, you’ll be getting best-in-class Allstate customer service along with an affordable auto policy and strong coverage options. 
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