Metromile Car Insurance Pricing

Metromile is the cheapest car insurance provider in the U.S. with an annual average price of $662 per year, compared to the average annual rate across all providers of $1,070.47, according to the latest 2019 data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).¹ Metromile’s usage-based pricing system provides many perks for low-mileage drivers who drive less than 10,000 miles a year.

If you’re a Metromile customer, your rate will be broken down into two parts: a monthly base rate as low as $29 and a per-mile rate (a few cents for every mile driven).

Both rates will be personalized depending on different factors, including your age, your vehicle’s age, and your driving habits. Such driving habits include your average speed and time spent per trip, the times and days you drive the most, and your phone use while driving. Metromile collects this information using a telematic device called Metromile Pulse that plugs into your car’s onboard diagnostic port (OBD).

Here’s a sample rate:

Since your base rate is the product of your daily rate multiplied by the number of days in the month, you’ll save money during shorter months. And if you spend a period of time without driving, you will only be responsible for paying your monthly base rate.

Similarly, if you drive more than the typical number of miles to be considered “low-mileage” (about 10,000 miles per year, or 27 per day), your rates will not increase. Metromile does not charge you for any miles you drive over 250 miles per day or over 150 miles per day in New Jersey. So if you have to take a long road trip, don’t worry about the cost of your insurance.

Here’s an example of the money you could save with Metromile as a low-mileage driver:

• Safe driving discount: Metromile may reward you for safe and fault-free driving, typically for around 15 percent off. Avoiding cell phone use while behind the wheel is one way to demonstrate your safe driving habits and save money.
• Multi-policy discount: Once you buy car insurance with Metromile, you can save extra money by buying other types of insurance with Metromile’s parent company, Lemonade. Lemonade offers many different types of insurance that Metromile doesn’t, including renters, homeowners, pet, and life insurance.²
• Multi-car discount: You can add more vehicles to your policy to save money on your monthly base and per-mile rates with Metromile. This discount will kick in automatically when you add two or more vehicles to your policy.

Metromile Pulse Device

Once you buy a policy with Metromile, you will receive a small, wireless telecommunication device in the mail called the Metromile Pulse. This device plugs into your car’s onboard diagnostic port to collect your driving data, which is then securely transmitted to Metromile, allowing the company to measure your miles and calculate your monthly bill. The Pulse device even connects to a mobile app (explained in detail below), so you can access your driving data in real-time.

Of course, there will be times you’ll need to unplug the device, such as while getting your car serviced. It’s okay to unplug your Pulse device for a short time; just remember to plug it back in! If Metromile doesn’t receive a signal from your car, you’ll get an email reminding you to plug your Pulse device back in.

If your car was made before 1996, it might not have an OBD port. Fortunately, Metromile offers adapters that can support some electric vehicles (like Teslas) and older cars. If you are unsure whether your car is compatible with the device, contact Metromile to determine your eligibility.

Currently, Metromile provides auto insurance policies to drivers across eight different states:

• Arizona
• California
• Illinois
• New Jersey
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• Washington

If you decide Metromile isn’t for you, you may cancel your policy at any time by contacting the company — without paying any cancellation fees. Either use the Metromile website’s 24/7 chat line or call customer service at (888) 242-5204. However, make sure you remember to return your Pulse device to Metromile within 30 business days using the provided pre-paid envelope so you don’t have to pay the $100 penalty fee.

Today, Metromile stands as a leading pay-per-mile auto insurer among the many companies that offer mileage-based insurance. Below is a brief timeline of Metromile’s history and how its goals of transforming the auto insurance industry came to be:

• 2011: David Friedberg and Steve Pretre founded Metromile in Redwood City, California. They strived to offer low-cost insurance to low-mileage drivers using a simple telematics mile-tracker device. American General Insurance Company underwrote all policies.
• 2015: Metromile’s headquarters moved to San Francisco while opening new offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Tempe, Arizona. It began providing insurance to four states: California, Illinois, Oregon, and Washington.
• 2016: Metromile expanded from four to seven states, adding New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. It also began underwriting its own policies.
• 2019: Metromile expanded to a total of eight states with the addition of Arizona.
• 2022: Lemonade, Inc. acquired Metromile, supporting its ability to continue offering drivers affordable and straightforward car insurance.³

Pay-per-mile car insurance is growing in popularity as more and more people work from home. Specifically, the number of US adults who work from home rose from under 6 percent of the U.S. population in 2019 to almost 18 percent in 2021.⁴ Without our daily commutes, many of us are likely overpaying for our car insurance.

As one of the first companies to offer mileage-based policies, Metromile creates personalized policies to fit the lifestyles of low-mileage drivers. If you are someone who doesn’t drive enough to warrant expensive auto insurance, it’s time to rethink your provider and your policy.