How to find Temporary Car Insurance in Illinois
The shortest car insurance policy you will be able to find in Nevada is about six months long.
Written by Sean Boehme
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Most legitimate car insurance companies in Illinois do not offer temporary car insurance, although you can purchase a standard policy that only lasts for six months. Beyond that, consider alternative options such as rental car insurance or non-owner car insurance.
If you only need car insurance for a little while, it can be difficult to find a plan that works for you. Many of the offers you find for temporary car insurance are scams—so, how can you find an option that fits your needs?
Here, the
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is breaking down everything you need to know about temporary car insurance in Illinois
.Compare insurance quotes from 50+ carriers with Jerry in under 45 seconds (Title in payload)
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhat is temporary car insurance?
Temporary car insurance
isn’t a real term. Most standard car insurance policies last between six months and a year. While you may come across offers for coverage that lasts for a shorter duration, they are likely scams. If you’re going to buy car insurance, do so with a reputable company. If six months is longer than you’re willing to pay for, simply cancel your policy early and you won’t have to pay for the months you don’t need.
Of course, you should only cancel your plan if you are 100% confident you will not be driving for a while. Getting behind the wheel without insurance can result in serious repercussions.
Best companies for temporary car insurance in Illinois
You’re going to have a hard time looking for “temporary insurance” offered by a legitimate provider, but that doesn’t mean it will be hard to fulfill your needs. There are plenty of insurance companies that will offer you six-month policies in Illinois—and some will even let you cancel the policy early without paying a fee.
Here are some reputable insurance companies that you might want to consider:
- Allstate: Allstate is one of the most popular car insurance companies in the country and will allow you to cancel your policy at any time without additional fees.
- State Farm: Illinois residents can cancel their State Farm policy at any time without paying a fee. You can also request a refund for any premiums that you paid in advance of your cancellation.
- GEICO: GEICO is a household name in auto insurance and will allow you to request a refund if you cancel your policy early.
- Nationwide: Drivers who take out a six-month policy with Nationwide can cancel anytime and receive a refund for any pre-paid months of coverage they do not use.
It’s important to remember that if you own a car and plan to keep driving, you’ll need at least minimum liability insurance to comply with state law. Breaking
Illinois car insurance laws
by driving without coverage could mean a fine and even potential driver’s license suspension. MORE: Illinois texting and driving laws
Alternatives to temporary car insurance
Many people will find that a six-month policy that you can cancel anytime provides enough flexibility to fit their needs. But if you only ever borrow or rent cars, even those types of policies may not work for you.
Here are some other common car insurance options that you may want to consider for more unconventional situations.
Rental car insurance
If you’re planning on renting a car, you’ll need an insurance policy to avoid high fines and potential license suspensions. Rental companies will encourage you to sign a collision damage waiver (CDW), but those are expensive and do not provide any type of liability coverage. Instead, you may want to consider personal car accident insurance and
rental car insurance
. It’s also worth checking with your credit card company, as many offer coverage for rental vehicles. Keep in mind you can only receive rental car insurance from your credit card if you use that card to rent the vehicle!
Non-owner car insurance
If you are consistently renting a car or even borrowing one from a friend, you’ll want to consider
non-owner car insurance
. Although it may not be any more “temporary” than a standard car insurance plan, it is generally around 10% cheaper.With non-owner car insurance, you’ll be able to fulfill Illinois’ minimum insurance requirements and stay out of trouble.
How to find affordable car insurance in Illinois
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a long-term car insurance policy or just quick rental coverage—either way, shopping for car insurance can be time-consuming. If you aren’t interested in dedicating hours of your time to finding the right policy, download Jerry.
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is a car insurance app that allows you to browse cheap quotes from more than 50 insurers in a matter of minutes. As a licensed broker
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“Jerryblew my mind, honestly. From start to finish, using the app took me 10 minutes and I ended up with $100 of savings a month. Best of all, customer service answered all my questions about rental car reimbursement and roadside assistance.” —Savanna R.
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Can I insure a car for just one month?
Most car insurance companies will allow you to cancel your policy at any time, so you can always buy a six-month policy and cancel it after only a month. However, advertisements for one-month car insurance policies are usually a scam.
What happens if you drive without insurance in Illinois?
If you’re caught driving without car insurance in Illinois, you’ll face a fine as high as $1,000. In addition, your license may be suspended and you’ll have to pay even more just to drive again.
