Many advertisements for temporary car insurance in South Carolina are scams, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have options. You can take out a six-month policy and cancel it early if you need to. If you don’t own a car, consider buying non-owner insurance instead.

Having auto insurance is important—but if you don’t drive a lot, paying a monthly premium can feel wasteful. However, it’s not easy to find temporary auto insurance as most legitimate and reliable insurance providers only offer policies as short as six months.

If you drive irregularly and are looking for a

car insurance

solution, we’re here to help. Keep reading for everything you need to know about temporary car insurance in South Carolina.

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What is temporary car insurance?

Most legitimate car insurance companies don't offer

temporary car insurance

. Generally speaking, the shortest policy you can buy from a reputable insurance agent is six months. Anything advertised as shorter than that tends to be a scam.

If you’ll only be driving a car for a little while, your best bet is probably to purchase a six-month policy and then cancel once you no longer need it. But note that if you regularly drive or own a car, you must have coverage at all times to abide by

South Carolina’s car insurance laws

Note that if you will be regularly driving a car owned by a family member who shares your address, you should ask to become one of the official policyholders. Otherwise, a claims adjuster could deny you coverage.

If you are purchasing a new car, you don’t need a temporary policy. Instead, you can set up your policy in advance so that you have coverage starting on the day you drive off the lot.

MORE: Different types of car insurance: Which one suits you best?

Best companies for temporary car insurance in South Carolina

There are plenty of reputable auto insurance companies that should fit your needs if you need short-term car insurance in South Carolina. Although you’ll have to buy a policy with them that lasts for at least six months, all of the following companies make it easy to cancel anytime:

Nationwide

: Nationwide is a popular car insurance provider that will allow you to cancel your policy whenever you need to.

GEICO

: One of the most well-known insurers in the country, GEICO customers can cancel their policy at any time and receive a refund for prepaid months.

Allstate

: Allstate allows you to cancel your policy at any time—and you usually won’t end up with a cancellation fee.

USAA

: Like other big car insurance companies, USAA makes it easy to cancel your policy. However, the company only offers coverage for military members and their families.

If you don’t have a car and you’re just planning to drive for a short time—like borrowing a friend’s car—there probably isn’t any harm in canceling your insurance plan. You will have coverage under your friend’s policy so long as you’re borrowing it under permissive use and you have a valid driver’s license.

But if you own a vehicle, you should never cancel your car insurance policy without replacing it with another. A gap in coverage can trigger higher auto insurance premiums later on.

Leaving your car uninsured in South Carolina can lead to your license and plates being suspended. This will look bad on your driving record and you’ll have to pay up to $400 to get your registration reinstated. If you are

at fault in an accident without insurance

, the consequences could be even more extreme.

MORE: How to cancel car insurance

Alternatives to temporary car insurance

If you only ever rent or borrow cars, you may not need to worry about buying standard car insurance at all. There are a few coverage options you can consider that are either shorter or less expensive than an average car insurance policy.

Rental car insurance

Renting a car may be relatively straightforward, but understanding what insurance you need usually isn’t. If you’re in the US, your regular car insurance coverage plan may extend to rental cars if your car is damaged in a covered incident. But if you don’t have any standard insurance, you’ll need to look at other insurance options.

The company you rent a car from might be eager for you to sign a collision damage waiver (CDW), but those can be very expensive. You may want to consider

rental car insurance

or personal car accident insurance instead.

It’s also worth checking with your credit card company, as many cards offer CDW coverage if you put the car rental on the card.

Non-owner auto insurance

Car insurance for people without a car isn’t always short-term, but it is usually cheaper than a normal policy. Insurance rates for

non-owner car insurance

are 10% cheaper, on average, when compared to standard car insurance.

This type of auto insurance policy allows drivers who regularly rent or borrow cars to comply with South Carolina's minimum insurance requirements. It usually includes basic

liability insurance

for bodily injury and property damage with no deductible.

Although liability coverage doesn’t give you the protection of

collision

coverage,

comprehensive

uninsured/underinsured motorist

coverage, or medical payments coverage, this cheap car insurance may be a good option for drivers who only need the bare minimum.

To lower your insurance costs as much as possible, request car insurance quotes from a variety of companies. Shopping around is the only way to find out whether State Farm, Progressive, or some other company offers better auto insurance rates for temporary coverage based on your driver profile.

Don’t forget that you can qualify for additional discounts at many companies by bundling your auto policy with renters, homeowners, or life insurance coverage.

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What happens if you’re caught driving with no car insurance?

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