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How do I avoid a lapse in coverage when I switch car insurance policies?
I don't want to be penalized for a lapse and pay more for insurance. How do I avoid one when I start a new policy and cancel an old one?
Shannon Martin · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
“To avoid a lapse in coverage, we recommend that you pay for and secure your new policy before you cancel your old one. And don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that you will be stuck paying for two insurance policies.
For example, let’s say your
GEICO
policy is set to renew on June 1, but you want to switch to Progressive
. A week before the renewal date, on May 25, you can purchase the Progressive policy and have the effective date be June 1. Once you have your new policy number, call GEICO, cancel your old policy effective June 1, and disconnect your automatic payments, if applicable.
This will ensure you have a smooth policy transition, with no lapse in coverage and no double billing of insurance.
If you’d rather leave all this work to someone else, use
Jerry
. A licensed broker that offers end-to-end support, the free Jerry app gathers affordable quotes, helps you switch plans, and even cancels your old policy for you.”View full answer
- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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