Cheap Car Insurance for Occasional Drivers in 2024

Looking for car insurance for occasional drivers, but don’t know where to start?

Occasional Driver Car Insurance Summary

Getting car insurance for occasional drivers may seem like a hassle. Are you asking, what is the best car insurance for me? We know there can be a lot to sift through.

We’ll go through everything you need to know, cover how major insurers define occasional driving, and move on to how you can get the cheapest car insurance rate possible as an occasional driver.

What is an occasional driver on insurance policies? For some, occasionally operating a vehicle might mean traveling to and from the supermarket each week, while others may only need to drive their cars once per month.

In either instance, occasional driver insurance is needed under an auto policy at all times.

If you’re driving a vehicle owned by someone else, you will not need to purchase your own auto coverage. As long as you can be added to an existing policy as an additional driver, there’s no need to purchase an individual policy.

Read more: How do I add someone to my car insurance for a day?

Before learning more about occasional driver car insurance, enter your ZIP code above and receive personalized occasional driver car insurance quotes from multiple occasional driver car insurance companies.

What is the occasional driver insurance definition?

One of the benefits of purchasing a car insurance policy as an occasional driver is that you’ll pay extremely low rates and you’ll still be covered if you get into an accident. However, you can avoid purchasing a car insurance policy altogether if you’re not a registered vehicle owner.

Occasional drivers can only be added to a car insurance policy with the consent of the policyholder. You may be asking, “What is a car insurance policyholder? This is a covered individual.

However, keep in mind that car insurance companies have the authority to choose who they wish to cover and how much they will charge.

While most motorists tend to focus on how frequently they drive, car insurance companies want to know your car’s mileage. This link has information on car insurance mileage.

A policyholder could drive every single day and still be considered an occasional driver if they don’t travel many miles at a time.

The criteria for occasional driving will vary with each car insurance company, but there are some general guidelines they all tend to follow. Generally, it involves the percentage of total miles put on the vehicle within a given time frame, i.e., a year.

Usually, a person is classified as an occasional driver if they’re listed as a driver of an insured vehicle but they are not the primary driver of the vehicle. One caveat to remember is that just because the individual doesn’t drive that vehicle very often, it doesn’t mean they seldom drive in general.

Some common types of low-mileage drivers are people who work from home (also known as part-time car insurance policyholders), college students, mature or senior drivers, people who commute on public transportation, parents, caregivers, people who live in a suburb, and people who share their cars with others.

Is occasional driver car insurance cheaper?

If you drive less, your auto insurance rates won’t be cheaper. In fact, you might be overpaying for car insurance if you don’t drive often or too far. Every person who drives a car needs to have auto insurance coverage. Some drivers may include their family members in their policy if they drive those vehicles.

However, if the driver has a poor driving record with numerous reckless driving incidents, this person can significantly raise your auto insurance costs. If the person is a low-risk driver with few or any tickets, the additional driver won’t raise the costs so much.

According to CNNMoney, car insurance companies categorize drivers in several different ways, sometimes requiring that a person put fewer than 50 percent of the total number of miles accumulated on the primary vehicle each year to be considered an occasional driver.

Other insurers stipulate that occasional drivers must operate any of the vehicles listed on the policy less than 25 percent of the time.

When it comes to car insurance for low-mileage drivers (occasional drivers), most insurance companies will offer discount options. Car insurers assume that drivers who spend less time on the road are less likely to be in an at-fault accident.

The State of California Department of Insurance’s information on car insurance also states that occasional drivers may have different levels of protection than the primary drivers on car insurance policies.

This indicates that motorists listed as occasional drivers may have a harder time getting their insurance claims accepted and paid if they broke the terms of their policy.

According to NOLO.com, liability insurance will cover the other driver’s medical expenses and property damage should someone borrow your car and get into an accident.

Medical Payments Coverage (MedPay) would help pay the medical expenses of anyone in your vehicle no matter who is at fault. Personal Injury Protection (PIP), unlike MedPay, is required in some states and helps with medical bills and other pesky expenditures.

It’s important to adhere to what is stated in your policy. A deviation may result in a premium hike, just as the poor driving record of an occasional driver can result in a premium hike. Discuss the policy terms for an occasional driver with your insurance agent when signing up.

The most influential factor in terms of premium price setting is a person’s driving record. Let’s take a look at a table showing average rates for different records.

Car Insurance Monthly Rates by Driving History

A blemish on one’s record, particularly a DUI, can be catastrophic for premium rates.

Requirements for Car Insurance for Occasional Drivers

Do you need car insurance for a learner’s permit? If you’re added to a car insurance policy, you’re required to have either a valid license or car insurance for a learner’s permit.

Not all insurers permit occasional drivers to be covered at all. Because insurance companies can create and enforce coverage criteria and policies at their own discretion, you’ll find that the rules for occasional drivers can be fairly inconsistent.

Although there are car insurance providers that issue blanket policies covering licensed drivers aged 25 and above, you should still check to be certain.

A quick call to your insurance company can confirm this, so make sure to verify by asking about what is not covered under a car insurance policy.

Looking to buy occasional driver’s car insurance? You can enter your ZIP code below to compare occasional driver car insurance rates now.

Read more:

• Do you have to buy car insurance if you only drive occasionally?
• Compare Car Insurance for Part-Time Drivers: Rates, Discounts, & Requirements
• Compare Car Insurance Rates for New Drivers

Can you get a discount on rates for occasional driver car insurance?

Receiving a discount on car insurance rates for being an occasional driver is possible, but several factors must be considered.

Being an occasional driver on a car insurance policy is not the same as qualifying for an occasional driver discount. The main difference is that motorists deemed occasional drivers cannot simultaneously be active policyholders.

Occasional driving discounts are given to policyholders who do not drive their cars more than the predetermined number of miles chosen by the insurance provider.

These types of car insurance discounts are popular with senior citizens, college students, and motorists who work less than 20 miles from their homes. (For more information, read our Compare Medical Student Car Insurance Rates“).

You may need to record the number of miles on your speedometer periodically and report when you change employers to your car insurance provider in order to retain your occasional driving discount.

Let’s take a look at a table that shows occasional use discounts as well as other comparable discounts. The comparable discounts could come into play should you be a policyholder yourself and unable to take advantage of the occasional use discount. These could be a suitable replacement for an occasional driver insurance discount if you’re not eligible for one with your provider.

Car Insurance Discounts Available for Occasional Drivers

As you can see, only one company offers an occasional use discount to policyholders. The low mileage discount, however, is more prevalent. If you’re a senior driver who occasionally uses a vehicle, the senior discount may very well be worth looking into.

Often it comes down to the aforementioned commute distance. Insurers operate via perceived risk and alter premiums accordingly. Let’s take a look at a table showing the rates from various insurers for different commute distances.

Car Insurance Monthly Rates by Commute

As you can see, commute factors heavily in rate determination. Another factor is the age of the driver, be they occasional or not. If your car insurance company permits it, anyone that is of legal driving age and licensed can be classified as an occasional driver.

Teenagers, in particular, are going to be paying substantially more for car insurance. Again, this is due to insurers operating by perceived risk. Most people begin driving at 16 or 17, and at this point have not had a chance to prove themselves safe drivers/unsafe drivers. Let’s take a look at a table comparing average rates for 17-year-olds and 25-year-olds.

Read more: Compare 17-Year-Old Driver Car Insurance Rates

Car Insurance Monthly Rates for Young Drivers

As you can see, the difference between what teens pay and what those in their mid-20s pay is staggering. In fact, teens can sometimes pay nearly five times as much as 25-year-olds.

These teen drivers, who are just learning, are frequently occasional drivers. These are drivers who would be covered under another person’s plan, usually their parents’.

Now that you know about auto insurance for occasional drivers, enter your ZIP code into the free comparison tool below to find affordable occasional driver car insurance.