There are many consumers unsatisfied with their current auto insurance companies for a variety of reasons. Some feel they’re overpaying, have had a bad experience with customer service, or feel they have been treated unfairly when they made a claim.
Although unsatisfied, many consumers feel they’re stuck with their current auto insurance company until the policy expires. What they don’t realize is that auto insurance is not a contract and can be cancelled at any time.
Many questions that arise include: “Is auto insurance a contract, what happens if I cancel?” or “Will I be sent to collections if I cancel my policy?” The answer to the first question is NO. Auto insurance is not a contract; however, policyholders must be aware that there is the possibility that there may be an amount due after cancellation. This can be due to either unpaid earned premium, cancellation fees (range in the area of $15-$50), or policy fees (usually range from $10-$40).
Many believe that whatever months are left in their term will be owed. For example, if one purchased a 12 month policy in January and cancelled in March, they would owe from March through the rest of the 12 month period. This is not the case since the insurance companies cannot charge for time they were not at risk, in other words, “unearned premium”.
Sometimes cancelling a policy can result in an amount due and the amount must be paid or it may end up as a collection; however, some may find it beneficial even to cancel their current policy and pay whatever fees remain and switch to another insurer which will save them money every month or even provide the expected service.
For example, if someone is left owing a cancellation fee of $30, plus earned premium of $47 dollars, they would owe a total of $77 dollars. This may be worth it if they cancelled to find another insurer which is saving you $20 per month. This means in a little over three months they would recover your fees and would start saving money thereafter for years to come.
Sometimes there is no money owed and even better, sometimes there is money owed to the policyholder, it just depends on the circumstances. The best and easiest way to find out is by contacting the carrier and asking them what fees to expect, if any, upon cancellation.
If you are unsatisfied with your current company for any reason, complete an auto insurance comparison from leading carriers by visiting OnlineAutoInsurance.com. This way you can compare companies by price, brand or even financial strength and even buy car insurance online.
