How to Find Temporary Car Insurance in Montana
Finding reputable temporary car insurance is difficult in Montana—instead, buy a six-month policy and cancel when you’re through.
Written by Nathan Porceng
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Anyone trying to sell you a car insurance policy for fewer than six months is likely a scammer. If you’re looking for temporary car insurance in Montana, you should buy a six-month policy from a known insurer and cancel when you no longer need it.
Practically no reputable car insurance companies sell policies less than six months in length. Though you may find advertisements for shorter-term policies, they’re likely scams—so watch out!
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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?
Frankly,
temporary car insurance
doesn’t exist. Reputable car insurance providers usually only offer policies of six months or longer. While you may run across advertisements for shorter policies—beware. Such offers are likely scams designed to steal your money or personal information.But what if you don’t need car insurance for six months? What should you do?
Your best bet is to purchase a six-month policy from a reputable insurer and then cancel it once you don’t need it anymore. However, keep in mind that driving without insurance is against Montana law. So if you plan to keep driving after canceling your policy, you must purchase new insurance to prevent gaps in coverage.
Best companies for temporary car insurance in Montana
Though you likely won’t find a reputable company selling temporary car insurance policies, plenty offer short-term insurance options for Montana drivers, which you can later cancel. Some insurance providers will even refund unused premiums!
Let’s look at a few:
- Travelers:One of the leading choices for short-term shoppers, Travelers will refund you any unused portion of your policy for which you’ve already paid. Best of all, Travelers doesn’t charge any cancellation fees.
- Allstate: Allstate permits drivers to cancel their policies whenever they like, typically without a cancellation fee.
- Dairyland: While they may charge you a cancellation fee, Dairyland may also offer you a partial refund if you paid your policy in full.
- Safeco: Safeco will allow you to cancel your policy at any time, but they may also charge you a cancellation fee.
- National General: While a popular Montana insurance provider, National General will likely charge you a cancellation fee. However, you may be able to get a refund.
Once again, if you plan on driving after canceling your car insurance policy, you need to make sure you purchase another one. Driving without car insurance is against Montana law, and the penalties are pretty steep.
If you are pulled over or involved in an accident and cannot provide valid proof of coverage, you could face $500 fines, up to 10 days in jail, and/or having your driver’s license suspended for 90 days.
Alternatives to temporary car insurance
Perhaps you’re not sold on purchasing a six-month car insurance policy and canceling it later. Fortunately for you, there are affordable options for Montana drivers in unusual situations.
Rental car insurance
and non-owner car insurance
are perfectly fine alternatives to normal, short-term coverage.Rental car insurance
When driving a rental, rental car agencies typically will offer you the option of signing a collision damage waiver (CDW), which will provide you with a high level of protection.
There is a catch, though. CDWs are usually outrageously expensive. As an alternative, rental car companies can typically set you up with affordable short-term coverage, including rental car liability insurance and personal car accident insurance.
You may also be able to get free rental collision coverage through your credit card company. Give them a call to find out.
Non-owner car insurance
What if you don’t own your own car but still drive frequently using borrowed vehicles, car-sharing services, or rental cars? If that’s the case, you should look into non-owner car insurance.
As long as you possess a valid driver’s license and there aren’t any vehicles attached to your household, you can buy a non-owner policy that follows you from car to car for only $200 to $500 per year. The policy will at least ensure you meet Montana’s
Montana's car insurance laws
, which you may have the option to supplement with additional coverage.How to find affordable car insurance in Montana
No matter what kind of car insurance you’re looking for, Jerry makes it easy to compare quotes and save!
In less than 45 seconds,
Jerry
will scan personalized quotes from dozens of the top insurance providers, saving you valuable time and money. As a licensed broker
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Can I insure a car for just one month?
Unfortunately, any company advertising a one-month car insurance policy is likely a scammer. Most reputable car insurance providers only sell policies of six months or longer.
What happens if you drive without insurance in Montana?
It is highly illegal to drive without car insurance in Montana. Offenders may be punished with a fine of up to $500, 10 days in jail, and/or a driver’s license suspension of 90 days.
