Can I Get Car Insurance Without a Credit Card?

Yes, you can get car insurance without a credit card. Nearly every U.S. auto insurer accepts other payment methods, including electronic funds transfer (EFT), debit cards, checks, and money orders. 

Not having a credit card won’t raise your rates, though having no credit history can, depending on your state.

Yes, nearly every major U.S. auto insurer accepts payment methods beyond credit cards. That includes State Farm, GEICO, Progressive, and Allstate, all of which accept EFT, debit cards, and checks.

Here’s how the most common options compare:

Electronic funds transfer (EFT)

EFT pulls your premium directly from your checking or savings account. It’s often the cheapest option because many insurers waive or reduce installment fees for automatic bank drafts. You’ll need your routing and account numbers to set it up.

Debit card

Debit cards work almost everywhere credit cards do, including online, by phone, or in an insurer’s mobile app. The money leaves your account immediately, so make sure funds are available on your payment date to avoid a lapse.

Personal check

Most insurers accept personal checks by mail or in person at an agent’s office. Allow several business days for processing, and don’t wait until the due date to send a payment.

Money order

Money orders work like checks but don’t require a bank account. You can buy one with cash at a U.S. Postal Service location, grocery store, or convenience store, usually for a small fee. Keep the stub as proof of payment.

Cash

Some insurers accept cash if you pay in person at a local agent’s office or an approved payment location. Always ask for a receipt, and never send cash by mail.

Digital wallets

Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal support varies by insurer, and payments usually run through the company’s mobile app. A digital wallet still needs a funding source, but that source can be a debit card or bank account rather than a credit card.

Not having a credit card won’t directly affect your car insurance rates. Insurers don’t consider how you pay. What can affect your rates is having little or no credit history, because most insurers use a credit-based insurance score to help price policies.

According to FICO estimates cited by the Insurance Information Institute, about 95% of auto insurers use credit-based insurance scores in states where the practice is allowed.¹ Drivers with no credit history are often grouped with drivers with poor credit and may pay more as a result.

The Federal Reserve’s 2025 Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking found 82% of U.S. adults have a credit card, meaning nearly one in five don’t.²

California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan generally prohibit auto insurers from using credit history to set rates, though the specifics vary by state.³ If you live in one of these states, your credit history, or lack of one, won’t factor into your premium.

Everywhere else, average premiums vary by credit tier. The chart below shows average annual rates for drivers with excellent, good, fair, and poor credit.

Luva lets you compare quotes from multiple insurers side by side, so you can see which companies work best for drivers without a credit history.

Yes, you can get car insurance without a bank account, though your options narrow to cash, money orders, and prepaid debit cards, and you’ll likely pay in person or by mail rather than through autopay.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) 2023 National Survey of Unbanked and Underbanked Households found 4.2% of U.S. households, about 5.6 million, have no checking or savings account, so insurers are used to working without one.⁴ An independent agent can point you to insurers in your area that accept cash or money order payments.

When you compare quotes through Luva, you can ask Lu to walk you through your application process.