Telecommuting Auto Insurance Coverage
Telecommuting car insurance refers to usage-based insurance and pay-per-mile insurance programs, like Allstate Pay Per Mile and Progressive Work from Home. It also includes low-mileage discounts. These kinds of policies and discounts calculate your monthly premium by how many miles you drive. Telecommuters who don't drive on a daily basis can save money by switching.
Free Insurance Comparison
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Mary Martin
Published Legal Expert
Mary Martin has been a legal writer and editor for over 20 years, responsible for ensuring that content is straightforward, correct, and helpful for the consumer. In addition, she worked on writing monthly newsletter columns for media, lawyers, and consumers. Ms. Martin also has experience with internal staff and HR operations. Mary was employed for almost 30 years by the nationwide legal publi...
Published Legal Expert
UPDATED: Aug 28, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.
We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.
UPDATED: Aug 28, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right legal decisions.
We strive to help you make confident insurance and legal decisions. Finding trusted and reliable insurance quotes and legal advice should be easy. This doesn’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own.
On This Page
- Telecommuting insurance refers to usage-based or pay-per-mile insurance programs
- Most major insurance providers offer these programs or some kind of low-mileage discount
- It’s rarely a smart idea to cancel your insurance even if you work from home and don’t drive every day
Telecommuting, or working remotely from home, has grown in popularity over the years. It helps both the employer and the employee to save time, money, and effort.
And thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of companies allowing their employees to work from home has skyrocketed.
One of the perks you might not already know about telecommuting is that it can actually save you money on your auto insurance. After all, you aren’t driving to and from work 5 days a week.
Before you read, enter your ZIP code to start looking for the most affordable telecommuting car insurance quotes.
What is telecommuting insurance?
“Telecommuting insurance” is a bit of a misnomer. As of yet, there isn’t any insurance specifically designed for telecommuters, or any insurance policy where telecommuting is a requirement.
When we say telecommuting car insurance, what we’re really referring to is usage-based insurance or pay-per-mile insurance.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, many major private insurance providers offer some kind of UBI program or low-mileage discount.
Enter your ZIP code below to compare cheap insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What is pay-per-mile auto insurance?
Usage-based insurance (UBI), also known as pay-per-mile insurance, is auto insurance that charges you based on how much you drive. Progressive Work from Home and Allstate Pay Per Mile are two of the most popular “telecommuting” insurance policies.
Rather than having a high monthly premium, these types of programs track how many miles you drive, and base rates on that number. Some policies may charge a certain amount per mile, or charge certain amounts per range of miles.
Basically, the less you drive, the more you save!
Do you need auto insurance if you telecommute?
When you work from home, it can be tempting to think of cutting out car insurance costs altogether. After all, you aren’t driving on a regular basis.
But canceling your policy can cost you a lot more in the long run.
Firstly, canceling your insurance creates a lapse in your coverage history. Future insurance providers will see this lapse when they look at your records. They may charge you higher rates for this because it’s considered “risky behavior.”
Secondly, just because you aren’t driving to work doesn’t mean you won’t need to drive anywhere else. In-office meetings, lunch breaks, grocery runs, and even just hanging out with friends may require you to drive somewhere.
All 50 states have some kind of state minimum liability insurance requirement. There are some pretty hefty penalties if you’re caught driving with less than these requirements, or without insurance altogether.
How much can I save on auto insurance if I telecommute?
So you definitely want auto insurance even if you’re telecommuting. But you want to save as much as possible since you won’t be driving every single day.
How much can you really save by driving less?
Average Annual Auto Insurance Rates by Commute LengthCompany | Average Annual Rates for 10 Miles Commute, 6,000 Annual Mileage | Average Annual Rates for 25 Miles Commute, 12,000 Annual Mileage |
---|---|---|
USAA | $2,482.69 | $2,591.91 |
Geico | $3,162.64 | $3,267.37 |
State Farm | $3,175.98 | $3,344.01 |
American Family | $3,401.30 | $3,484.88 |
Nationwide | $3,437.33 | $3,462.67 |
Progressive | $4,030.02 | $4,041.01 |
Farmers | $4,179.32 | $4,209.22 |
Travelers | $4,399.85 | $4,469.96 |
Allstate | $4,841.71 | $4,934.20 |
Liberty Mutual | $5,995.27 | $6,151.63 |
As you can see, UBI and pay-per-mile programs can save you quite a bit of money (an average of 2.33%) if your annual mileage stays low.
If you’re ready to buy telecommuting car insurance and start saving, enter your ZIP code now to compare the best telecommuting car insurance rates today.
Enter your ZIP code below to compare cheap insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Case Studies: Telecommuting Auto Insurance Coverage
Case Study 1: Allstate Pay Per Mile
Alice is a telecommuter who works from home four days a week. She rarely drives her car and mainly uses it for running errands and occasional outings. Instead of opting for traditional auto insurance, Alice decides to enroll in Allstate’s Pay Per Mile program.
This usage-based insurance tracks her mileage and charges her based on the number of miles driven. By utilizing this pay-per-mile program, Alice saves approximately 25% on her auto insurance premium, as her reduced mileage results in lower insurance costs.
Case Study 2: Progressive Work From Home
John is a remote employee who rarely commutes to the office. As his job allows him to work from home most of the time, he only drives his car for personal use on weekends. Recognizing the potential savings, John chooses Progressive’s Work from Home program, another usage-based insurance option.
By enrolling in this program, John receives a discounted premium based on his limited mileage. Compared to traditional auto insurance, John’s premiums are reduced by around 20%, resulting in substantial savings throughout the year.
Case Study 3: Low-Mileage Discounts
Sarah is a full-time telecommuter and rarely needs her car for work purposes. She lives close to essential amenities and enjoys walking or biking whenever possible. Her low annual mileage makes her eligible for low-mileage discounts with her insurance provider.
By negotiating a custom policy that caters to her minimal driving needs, Sarah saves around 15% on her auto insurance premium. This cost-effective approach allows Sarah to enjoy the benefits of comprehensive coverage without unnecessary expenses.
Enter your ZIP code below to compare cheap insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Mary Martin
Published Legal Expert
Mary Martin has been a legal writer and editor for over 20 years, responsible for ensuring that content is straightforward, correct, and helpful for the consumer. In addition, she worked on writing monthly newsletter columns for media, lawyers, and consumers. Ms. Martin also has experience with internal staff and HR operations. Mary was employed for almost 30 years by the nationwide legal publi...
Published Legal Expert
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about legal topics and insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything legal and insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by experts.