120+ moreHugo is a relatively new car insurance company with a product that’s unique in the auto insurance industry. Hugo offers flexible, short-term car insurance.
You can buy coverage for as little as three days at a time, paying smaller amounts more frequently instead of all at once. There’s no down payment or up-front fees, and you can activate your policy instantly for fast proof of insurance.
Unfortunately, this car insurance company only issues policies in 13 U.S. states, and it only sells state-minimum coverage policies. Here’s a closer look at how Hugo car insurance works.
As of July 2024, Hugo offers one coverage option: Unlimited Basic. Hugo’s basic plan meets state-minimum liability insurance coverage requirements and is available in 13 states: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
You can buy coverage for three-day, seven-day, 14-day, 30-day, and six-month periods, adding as little as three days of coverage at a time and paying in “micropayments.” After creating an account, you deposit funds based on the payment schedule of your choosing.
If your account runs empty, Hugo will extend your coverage for up to three days to give you time to reload. You must request an extension within a week of hitting empty, and once it’s complete, Hugo will charge you for the days covered under the extension.
Besides the brief extension, you only have coverage if your policy is active and you have funds in your account. Failing to maintain coverage could jeopardize your vehicle registration and lead to higher insurance rates the next time you buy coverage. If you choose to cancel coverage, you can easily withdraw the remaining funds for any extra days through the Hugo website.
Hugo could be a good option if you’re looking for basic liability coverage with flexible micropayments or short-term coverage. The company also offers medical payments coverage (MedPay) in most states where it operates. Liability-only coverage might not be right for many drivers, so make sure you understand the policy before you buy it.
Most states require drivers to have minimum coverage to register a car, and Hugo provides rapid proof of insurance. If you want to pay for just a few days and let coverage lapse, keep in mind the state can revoke your registration. Drivers could also face a 9% rate increase after an insurance lapse of less than 30 days, according to Insurify data and analysis.
If you don’t need the flexibility of micropayments and intend to remain insured for longer periods, you might find the best rates with traditional insurers. If you lease or finance your car, your lender or leasing company will require you to protect the vehicle with full-coverage car insurance, which Hugo doesn’t offer.
You can no longer turn your Hugo coverage on and off without facing consequences. Hugo used to offer a Flex plan that included that feature but currently only offers its Unlimited Basic plan: state-minimum liability coverage you can buy in small increments with no down payment or fees up front.
Turning your coverage off with Hugo’s available plan is effectively canceling your coverage. If you let your coverage lapse, Hugo may have to notify your state’s motor vehicle department, which could revoke your registration. If you want to cancel your coverage to switch to another plan, you can withdraw any unused funds left in your Hugo account.
Hugo’s Unlimited Basic plan offers coverage that meets state-minimum liability requirements. It’s the only insurer offering policies as short as three days. Hugo doesn’t currently offer full-coverage insurance.
Unlike some pay-per-mile insurers, like Metromile, Hugo doesn’t use a telematics system to monitor your driving behaviors. While telematics programs can help safe drivers save money, policyholders may also experience rate increases for sharp turns or hard braking.
Hugo offers only two discounts, it’s not rated by industry-rating companies like AM Best, and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) has no information on the company.
AM Best, J.D. Power, and the NAIC don’t have ratings or customer complaint information for Hugo, but Insurify has collected reviews from Hugo customers. You can also check sites like Trustpilot and even Reddit to find out what others say about the company.
Drivers describe an easy process and flexible product, and they appreciate the payment options and instant proof of insurance. Some wish Hugo offered full coverage and a smartphone app. A few drivers found the coverage too expensive and reported difficulty contacting a representative by phone.
Hugo has more than 22,500 reviews on Trustpilot and an overall rating of 4.8 stars (out of 5). A noteworthy 89% of those reviews are five-star, indicating a great experience, and just 2% are one-star reviews. It’s worth noting that Hugo replies to negative reviews on Trustpilot and attempts to either rectify the complaint or explain what happened to cause the problem.
Here are recent and verified customer reviews that Insurify has collected.
Third-party accreditation organizations like AM Best and J.D. Power have yet to rate Hugo, but other ratings for the company are available.
Hugo’s rates can vary significantly depending on the state where you live and other factors.
Hugo’s monthly average is $195 per Insurify data, though drivers with Hugo are likely splitting up that cost into numerous micropayments. The national monthly average for liability coverage is $104, so Hugo isn’t the cheapest option if you can afford the more significant monthly payments.
Hugo’s rates, like others, vary based on factors like age, gender, location, and driving record. Teenagers and drivers with moving violations like DUIs or at-fault accidents typically pay higher rates, and Hugo’s average quotes reflect that.
The following table illustrates how Hugo’s minimum-coverage rates can vary based on driver factors. This table reflects the average monthly quote, which doesn’t have to be paid all at once.
Hugo’s best feature is its flexibility. You can buy and pay for only three days at a time, spreading out the premium into multiple micropayments.
It’s important to note, though, that if your leasing company or lender requires full coverage as part of your leasing or financing agreement, Hugo’s Unlimited Basic plan won’t offer enough coverage.
Here’s how Hugo’s monthly liability-only rates compare to some top competitors.
Location affects car insurance rates significantly because where you live can influence how likely you are to file a claim. For example, if your town has a lot of traffic congestion, you may be more likely to get into an accident.
Here’s how location affects Hugo’s average monthly quotes for liability coverage in some of the states where it’s available.