Can You Get a Refund on Car Insurance? (2024)

Your insurance company may issue a refund if your policy is canceled, and you've paid your premium in advance. Receiving an insurance refund will largely depend on why you're canceling the policy and how much of the premium you paid in advance. If you pay your full premium upfront, then you'll typically get a refund when you cancel your policy. If you pay your premium monthly, then you may or may not get a refund depending on when you cancel.

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If I cancel my auto insurance, will I get a refund?

If you cancel your auto insurance before the end of your policy term, you may receive a refund if you paid your premium in advance. There are a few scenarios where canceling a policy may qualify you for a car insurance refund.

Switching insurance companies

If you switch car insurance companies and find better rates with a different insurer, you may want to cancel your existing policy before it expires. In this case, if you switch insurance companies you can get a refund. Depending on your insurer, you may have to pay a cancellation fee.

Moving

If you move out of state, your insurer will cancel your old policy and issue you a new one. Since insurance premiums are partially determined by where you live, you may get a lower rate on your new policy if you move to an area where rates are cheaper, and your insurer may refund part of your insurance premium. Learn about state car insurance requirements and how moving affects car insurance.

Selling your car

If you sell your car and no longer need coverage, your insurance company may send you a refund check if your policy is canceled before the end of your term. Note that you may have to pay a cancellation fee in this scenario too. Learn when to cancel your insurance after selling your car.

Removing coverage

You might also qualify for an insurance refund if you make changes to your policy, such as those listed below. However, you may receive a credit on your account instead of a refund, depending on your insurer:

It may no longer make sense to carry certain types of coverage. For example, if you don't have an auto loan and your vehicle isn't worth much, it may make sense to drop comprehensive and collision coverage.

Decreasing policy limits

Typically, higher insurance coverage limits result in higher premiums. If you reduce the amount of coverage you have, you may get an insurance refund.

Removing a vehicle

If you remove a vehicle from your policy, your rates will typically decrease, which could result in a refund. Before you cancel your auto insurance, check your insurer's rules regarding cancellations. Some insurers may charge a cancellation fee that could offset your refund amount.

Pro tip:

If you sell your car and buy a new one, you'll still need coverage because most states require drivers to have auto insurance. Be sure to add the new car to your policy so you have the coverage you need.

How does your payment schedule affect your car insurance refund?

If you choose to cancel your policy, or your insurance company cancels it, you typically won't get a car insurance refund unless you've paid the premium in advance. For example, let's say your policy term is 12 months, and you pay the premium for the entire year upfront. If you cancel your policy after only three months, your insurer will issue an insurance refund for the remaining nine months.

If you pay in monthly installments and cancel your policy at the end of the month or billing cycle, you probably won't get a refund. But if you were to cancel your policy in the middle of the month or billing cycle, then you may get a small refund since you've already paid your premium for the full month.

Important note: Whether you pay monthly or upfront, you may have to pay a cancellation fee when you cancel your policy — depending on your insurer.

Will I get a check for my insurance refund?

Insurance refunds are typically issued through the same payment method you use to pay for your insurance. So, if you pay your premium with a check, you'll usually get an insurance refund check. Likewise, if you pay with a credit card, your refund will appear as a credit on your card balance. However, the exact method of distributing refunds may vary by insurer.

Will I get a refund if the insurer cancels my policy?

If the insurance company cancels your policy, you'll usually receive a car insurance refund unless they cancel the policy for non-payment. If non-payment occurs, you will not receive a refund and will continue to owe the insurer any unpaid premiums.

There can be multiple reasons why an insurance company cancels your policy, including having too many accidents or tickets on your driving record, getting a DUI, or failing to pay your premium.

How should I cancel my auto insurance policy?

If you're going to cancel your existing policy and you plan to continue driving, don't cancel your old policy until you find a new one. When you have the effective date of your new policy, you can ask your current insurer to cancel your existing policy effective the first day of your new policy.

It's essential that there are no gaps in your coverage because even a small one could create problems. If your car is stolen, damaged, or involved in an accident while you're uninsured, you could be responsible for repairs and medical bills. Any gaps in coverage could also raise your insurance rates, even if it's just for a day.

Looking for more information about auto insurance? Our car insurance resource center has you covered.

Can You Get a Refund on Car Insurance? (1)

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Can You Get a Refund on Car Insurance? (2024)

FAQs

Can You Get a Refund on Car Insurance? ›

Your insurance company may issue a refund if your policy is canceled, and you've paid your premium in advance. Receiving an insurance refund will largely depend on why you're canceling the policy and how much of the premium you paid in advance.

Can insurance payments be refunded? ›

Section 481 - Refund of premium (a) Unless the insurance contract otherwise provides, a person insured is entitled to a return of his or her premium if the policy is canceled, rejected, surrendered, or rescinded, as follows: (1) To the whole premium, if the insurer has not been exposed to any risk of loss.

Do I get a refund if I cancel my Geico policy? ›

If you want to cancel your entire GEICO policy, you need to speak with a customer service representative. There is no fee to cancel a GEICO insurance policy. If you paid your policy in full, you will receive a refund of any unused portion of your premiums.

Is car insurance deductible refundable? ›

Yes, if you have to pay your deductible and you were not at fault, you may be able to get it back from the at-fault driver's insurance company. This is called subrogation. Your insurance company will pursue the at-fault driver's insurance company to recover the money paid for the damages, including your deductible.

Can I cancel car insurance and get a refund? ›

Generally, insurers will refund you the money for the unused portion of your policy, assuming you paid in advance. However, depending on your state, and when you cancel, your insurer may charge a cancellation fee.

How do I get a refund on my insurance premiums? ›

Communicate with Your Insurer: If you need to request a refund, contact your insurance company promptly and provide all necessary documentation. Clear communication will help expedite the refund process and minimize any potential issues.

Can I cancel a policy and get a refund? ›

If you still want to cancel the policy, the process of policy cancelation will be initiated. Based on the tenure for which you were insured, the insurance company will deduct the premium amount and send you the refunds. An official cancellation letter/email will be sent to you by the insurer.

Do I get a full refund if I cancel my car insurance? ›

This'll depend on how long you have left on your policy. Typically, insurers won't refund the final two months of a policy, so for example if you cancel with five months left, you'll only receive three months of premium payments back. Check what your terms are though, as each insurer is different.

How long does an insurance refund take? ›

It depends how you're getting your refund. Refund checks can take 7 to 15 days to receive by mail, but you can receive them faster by opting for direct deposit or to print your check. If your insurance refund is being sent back to your card, it's usually 3 days for debit cards and 7 days for credit cards.

Does Progressive charge a cancellation fee? ›

Is there a fee for cancelling Progressive? This varies by state and when you purchased the policy. In some states, Progressive will charge a $50 cancelation fee if you cancel within your first term; meaning your policy has not yet renewed. Once the policy has renewed there will no longer be a cancellation fee.

Is it better to have a $500 deductible or $1000? ›

Accidents can happen at any moment, so if you don't have a lot of savings or expendable income, a lower deductible is usually a safer choice to avoid financial stress after an accident.

Do I pay deductible if accident wasn't my fault? ›

Do I Have to Pay a Deductible If I Was Not at Fault for an Accident in California? If another driver caused your recent accident and you file a claim against their auto insurance policy, you do not have to pay a deductible because you were not at fault.

What does $1000 deductible mean for car insurance? ›

Generally, a deductible is the amount you're responsible to pay when a covered loss occurs. For example, say you have a $1,000 deductible but have $2,000 in covered damages. You're responsible for the first $1,000 of damages and your insurance company is responsible for the other $1,000 of covered damages.

Does Geico charge a cancellation fee? ›

If you want to cancel your policy, GEICO makes it easy with no cancellation fee*.

Is there a penalty for canceling car insurance? ›

In most cases, you won't have to pay a cancellation fee. If you do, it will likely be nominal — around $50, or a small percentage of your final premium. If you're facing high fees and switching to a new auto insurance provider, consider whether it makes more sense to wait until the end of your policy's term.

Can you cancel car insurance anytime with Geico? ›

You may cancel your Geico insurance policy at any time. The cancellation can be made effective immediately or set for a future date. Geico only charges a cancellation fee for customers in North Carolina, where customers may get a portion of their unused premiums refunded minus a fee.

Can you get back the money paid for insurance premiums? ›

Receiving an insurance refund will largely depend on why you're canceling the policy and how much of the premium you paid in advance. If you pay your full premium upfront, then you'll typically get a refund when you cancel your policy.

Can an insurance payment be reversed? ›

Some situations require an insurance payment reversal (e.g., the insurance overpaid or paid in error). Once the applied payment amount is reversed, you can either refund the unapplied payment amount to the insurance or apply it later to another service line.

Can an insurance company reverse a payment? ›

A healthcare insurer can recover an amount, wrongly paid to a provider at any time.

Can I take back my insurance money? ›

The premiums are used to cover the cost of claims made by policyholders, and they are not refundable. However, instead of the concept of return of premiums, most of the health insurance policies these days offer a feature known as a bonus or no-claim bonus (NCB).

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