Can I cancel State Farm by just not paying?

I paid for the first month already, but now I want to cancel and switch to a different company. If I don’t pay the next bill, will it automatically cancel or cause any issues like fees?

No, insurance doesn’t work that way. If you stop paying, they still have to insure you for a certain period before canceling, and you’ll end up owing for those days. It could even go to collections. Plus, a non-payment cancellation is a big red flag for future insurance. It’s best to secure your new insurance first and then request a cancellation effective on that start date. You might owe a bit extra, often around a month’s premium, but no one’s scamming you—that’s just how it works. Look up ‘short-rate cancellation’ if you’re curious.

That’s a really bad approach. Once you’ve set up your new policy, call to cancel the old one.

No, they’ll keep covering you until you formally cancel. They do this to prevent coverage lapses if someone forgets to pay. If you don’t cancel, they’ll keep billing you, and then backdate the cancellation once you show proof of new insurance, but it’s a hassle. Just call and make it official.

Why don’t you want to call?

EvansBrown13 said:
Why don’t you want to call?

This is my first insurance policy.

Ezra said:

EvansBrown13 said:
Why don’t you want to call?

This is my first insurance policy.

Fair, but that doesn’t really explain much.

Ezra said:

EvansBrown13 said:
Why don’t you want to call?

This is my first insurance policy.

It’s all good! They’re not going to be mad at you. How do you handle other calls that make you nervous? Just take a deep breath and go for it.

Get your new policy, call State Farm to cancel, and you’re done. It’s that simple. You can even wait until the bill date to avoid prorated charges. I handle cancellations all the time, and trust me, they’re not offended if you leave.

Just call to cancel. If you don’t, they’ll keep billing you until a final due date, and if ignored, it could go to collections.

Yes, but that’s not the best way to handle any bill.

I use an independent agent who shops for me and even took care of canceling my State Farm policy. It’s more convenient since they can check multiple carriers and walk you through everything. The commission is built into the premium either way, so you don’t pay extra for an agent. I saved around $100 a month for better coverage this way.

If you just ignore it, they’ll keep billing for a bit, then cancel and possibly send the balance to collections, which could impact your credit.

If you call to cancel, there’s no collection issue, and you’ll only pay for coverage until the cancellation date. Get your new policy first, then make the call.

You can, but it may not look good when getting new insurance. Best to call and cancel—they’ll usually refund any unused premium if you do.