All About Progressive’s Grace Periods
If you miss a payment with Progressive, you’ll have a grace period of 10 to 20 days before your policy is canceled.
Written by R.E. Fulton
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Progressive’s grace period for missed payments is between 10 and 20 days, depending on which state you’re in. If you can’t make your payment by the end of the grace period, your policy will be canceled.
A lapse in insurance coverage is a serious problem. Not only could you face serious penalties if you’re caught driving without insurance, but insurance companies will see you as a higher risk if you’ve let your coverage lapse in the past. As a result, just one missed payment could result in elevated premiums for months or years to come!
But life happens; checks arrive late, unexpected expenses crop up, and sometimes you just forget. That’s why Progressive gives policyholders a grace period for missed payments. Here to go over the details of Progressive’s grace period is
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Does Progressive give you a grace period after your auto insurance expires?
Yes,
Progressive
has a grace period for missed payments. It varies from state to state, but you’ll always have between 10 and 20 days after your due date to make your payment and keep your insurance policy active. If you’re not able to make a payment, Progressive won’t cancel your policy without telling you. In fact, all insurance companies are required by law to notify customers before a policy cancellation. When you get that notice, it will include the final due date for your late payment—i.e., the end of the grace period.
Do everything you can to make your payment before the end of the grace period. You’ll be charged an extra late penalty when you do—usually $5 to $10—but that late fee is nothing to the expenses you could rack up if your coverage lapses.
Let’s say you’re not able to pay your bill within that time frame. If that happens, Progressive will cancel your policy, leaving you without coverage. Since you can’t legally drive without insurance, it’s in your best interest to avoid this at all costs. The penalties for
driving without insurance
vary from state to state, but you’re usually looking at serious fines plus suspension of your license. What are the benefits of a grace period?
A grace period is a convenient way to avoid a lapse in coverage, which can
impact your insurance premium
. Just one month without car insurance coverage could raise your rate by as much as 8%, while longer lapses can lead to even higher insurance rates. Progressive continuous insurance discount
One big reason for Progressive customers to avoid an insurance lapse is the discount offered for customers with continuous insurance coverage. If your coverage lapses and you don’t pay before the grace period has expired, you won’t be eligible for that discount anymore—unless you’re an active-duty military member and your coverage lapsed as a result of an overseas deployment.
How long is a typical grace period for car insurance?
Not every insurance provider offers a grace period for past due bills, and for those that do, the average window is about 10 days. Progressive’s grace period of 10 to 20 days (based on state laws) is a little more generous than the average—which is good news for anyone who has trouble keeping up with car insurance payments!
Consequences of a car insurance lapse
What happens if your car insurance policy lapses? Depending on where you live, whether your vehicle is financed, and how quickly you’re able to get coverage back, the potential consequences could include:
- Fines: Most states charge drivers steep fines for driving without insurance. A fine of $500 to $1,000 is typical for a first offense, but subsequent offenses can rack up fines up to $5,000 in some states!
- License suspension: In every state exceptCalifornia,Iowa, andWashington, your license can be suspended for driving without insurance.
- Higher car insurance rates: A coverage lapse makes you a “high-risk driver” in the eyes of auto insurance companies, so expect steep rates the next time you shop forcar insurance quotes online.
- Vehicle repossession: In many cases, a lapse in insurance coverage gives your lender the right to repossess your financed vehicle.
What to do if your Progressive car insurance lapses
If you can’t make your payment in time or discover too late that your Progressive auto insurance policy has lapsed, call Progressive immediately at 1-800-776-4737 to see if you can get the policy reinstated.
In some cases, you may be able to get your coverage back after talking to an insurance agent and making your payment. If that doesn’t work, it’s time to get a new policy. You can purchase that policy directly from Progressive or use the
Jerry
app to search for the best auto insurance rates based on your profile—including that lapse in coverage. Once you have coverage again, don’t forget to call your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to update your insurance information. Make sure your new policy meets the legal limits set for all types of auto insurance required in your state. In
New York
, for instance, you’ll need personal injury protection (PIP)
in addition to basic liability coverage
. How to avoid a coverage lapse
To avoid an expensive lapse in coverage, keep careful track of your policy’s due date and look into Progressive’s automatic payment options. Not only could autopay get you a discount on your premium, it could also help you avoid a missed payment and the increased insurance costs that follow! You can set up autopay with a credit card or an electronic funds transfer (EFT) from your bank account.
With Progressive, you can extend an automatic payment by 10 days before the start of the grace period.
Another way to avoid having your Progressive policy canceled is to lower your insurance costs with
Jerry
. In just 45 seconds, you can check for lower rates on the coverage you need based on your driving history, credit score, and other factors. Progressive insurance grace period for new cars
Progressive has one other type of grace period, which applies to drivers who’ve just purchased a new vehicle. You’ll need to add that vehicle to your policy, but Progressive gives you 30 days to do so. If you’re unlucky enough to have an accident during that period, your new car will be covered with the same limits as your old vehicle.
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How to find the best Progressive car insurance quotes
If you’ve got insurance with Progressive, you might have the best rate on the coverage you need—or you might have just signed up for a policy with the company you knew best.
Either way, it’s worth shopping for a lower rate with
Jerry
, especially if you’re having trouble keeping up with payments. Progressive is just one of the 55+ insurance providers Jerry partners with, and our comparison shopping app can compare real-time quotes from all those providers in under a minute. If you find a lower rate in the app, Jerry’s insurance agents will handle all the paperwork to switch you over and help you cancel your Progressive insurance
—all without a lapse in coverage! If your Progressive rate is the lowest, congratulations—you’re already saving! But Jerry might be able to help you identify potential discounts that could save you even more. On average, Jerry users save over $800 a year on auto insurance!
“I moved states recently and my old provider didn’t cover me anymore, so I tried usingJerry. They handled everything from fetching the quotes to purchasing the new policy. Now I save $30 a month with Progressive!” —Kay J.
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