Overhaulin'

Lapsed car insurance and I was out of the country?

I need car insurance... Progressive was the cheapest until I realized that they would double it just because I was out of the country. My car was not driven at all and I didn't drive while I was overseas. I was in Egypt for 2 years and the car needs to be insured in KS. What is terrible is I never lapsed coverage once since I was 16!! What should I do?

Public Comments

1. you dont have to pay for periods that have lapsed, unless you didnt' cancel the insurance
2. Go look for another insurance company. Progressive is, in my opinion, a rotten company. I had only one dealing with them and I decided that I wouldn't ever insure with them for any reason. I would rather spend more money with another company. What they are trying to do to you is just another example of why one shouldn't deal with progressive. What did you do in Egypt for two years? My wife and I visited Egypt several years ago for three weeks. We loved it.
3. You were foolish to let it lapse. You should have called them to cancel the policy. Since it lapsed, you will now have a tougher time buying insurance and when you do find an insurer, it will be very expensive. NEVER simply let an insurance policy lapse or run out. You MUST always cancel in writing to avoid trouble and expense later. Letting a policy lapse also causes a big negative hit on your credit rating.
4. You may be stuck with the higher rates for awhile. Most insurance companies need to see continuous coverage for the past three years for lower rates. Call around to multiple companies to compare rates. In my experience, Progressive and Geico have always had the highest quotes. Personally, I would avoid them.