How to Request to Cancel a Car Insurance Policy

Auto insurance is a contract and must be managed properly.

Auto insurance is a contract between you and your insurance company. Many companies automatically renew the policy after it expires unless they hear otherwise from you; however, cancel the policy personally, rather than letting it lapse. Notify your company properly and obtain written confirmation to protect yourself from future problems and payments. Verify that your company allows you to cancel the policy before the expiration date without penalty; if not, then wait until the expiration date to cancel it.

Things You'll Need

• Current policy or policy number
• Insurance agent contact information
• Fax machine or email

Instructions

1. 

   Call your insurance company.

   Call your car insurance agent or company. Say you would like to cancel the policy and ask where to send the cancellation notice. Ask if there are early cancellation penalties; if there are, wait until the policy expiration date to cancel. Tell the date you would like the policy cancelled and that you will be sending a request letter shortly.

2. Write your cancellation letter. An example is, "To (insurance company), please cancel the car insurance policy for (your name), (policy number), effective for 12:01 a.m. on (the date you would like the policy cancelled). Please send confirmation that this will be cancelled to (your fax, email, or address)." Sign and date the letter.

3. Email or fax your cancellation letter to the number or address the insurance agent gave you. Check for a confirmation on your fax, or a return on your email.

4. Obtain confirmation of the cancellation from your agent or company. Keep this for your records in case the company does not properly process the cancellation. If you have your payments automatically withdrawn from a bank account, verify that the billing has been stopped by reviewing your account the following month or call your bank to stop it yourself.

References

• Insurance.com: Switching Insurance