Does Farm Bureau Have a Grace Period for Car Insurance?

Having continuous auto insurance coverage is extremely important for drivers. However, life can get busy and hectic, and sometimes a payment may be missed or late resulting in a lapse in coverage. Many drivers wonder if their auto insurance company offers a grace period for late payments to help avoid a lapse. So does Farm Bureau have a grace period for car insurance payments?

Unfortunately, most major insurance providers, including Farm Bureau, do not offer an official grace period for late auto insurance payments. This means your Farm Bureau car insurance policy will cancel immediately if a payment is not received by the due date.

However, understanding Farm Bureau’s billing practices, cancellation policies, and options for lapsed coverage can help you avoid the headaches of an insurance gap.

In this comprehensive guide, we will cover:

• Farm Bureau’s car insurance payment rules
• Consequences of a lapsed auto policy
• Steps to take if your Farm Bureau insurance lapses
• How to reinstate a canceled Farm Bureau policy
• Alternatives for coverage if reinstatement is denied

Does Farm Bureau Offer a Grace Period for Late Payments?

Farm Bureau car insurance policies must be paid in full by the listed due date in order to remain active. Farm Bureau does not have an official grace period that allows extra time to pay without consequences.

This is standard practice across most major insurance carriers. There are a few key reasons a grace period is not offered:

• State laws require insurance companies to cancel policies immediately for non-payment to avoid providing free coverage.
• Extending due dates for some customers but not others could be seen as unfair.
• grace periods would allow customers to pay only when convenient for them, leading to frequent lapses.

So if your Farm Bureau auto insurance payment is not received on time, your policy will lapse effective on the due date, leaving you without coverage.

However, Farm Bureau policyholders do receive an advanced cancellation notice when a payment is past due. This gives you warning before the policy officially terminates.

What Happens If You Miss Your Farm Bureau Payment Date?

Here is an overview of Farm Bureau’s billing and cancellation policies if you miss a car insurance payment:

• Billing notice: Around 30 days before your policy expires, you will receive a renewal notice with your upcoming 6-month or 12-month premium amount and due date.

• Due date: Payment must be received by the due date listed on your renewal notice, not simply postmarked by that date. Online payments via Farm Bureau’s member portal must be submitted by 11:59 pm on the due date.

• Cancellation notice: If payment is not made on time, Farm Bureau will send a cancellation notice indicating the exact date your policy will terminate for nonpayment. This gives you warning before the cancellation takes effect.

• Lapse: If your next payment is not received within the timeframe listed on the cancellation notice, your policy will lapse on the termination date with no grace period. You will be uninsured as of this date.

• Reinstatement: To regain coverage, you will need to request reinstatement of your policy and make the late premium payment. However, Farm Bureau is not obligated to reinstate a canceled policy.

Key Takeaway: Farm Bureau car insurance payments are due in full on the listed due date. Missed payments lead to policy cancellation after an advance notice is provided. There is no grace period for late payments.

Consequences of Allowing Your Farm Bureau Policy to Lapse

Some reasons drivers take the risk of letting their Farm Bureau auto insurance lapse include:

• Forgetting when the bill is due
• Hoping to save money temporarily
• Underestimating the consequences

However, the repercussions of having an insurance gap are significant. Here are some issues you may face:

• No coverage: If you have an accident or claim during the lapse, Farm Bureau will not cover any losses or liability. You could owe thousands out-of-pocket.

• Fines: Driving uninsured may lead to state fines and license/registration suspension in some cases.

• Rate hikes: A lapse will cause steep rate increases when you do get insurance again. Some insurers may even reject your application.

• Fees: You may have to pay expensive policy reinstatement fees and down payments when reapplying for coverage.

• Gaps in insurance history: Lapses stay on your record and make finding affordable insurance difficult for years.

A brief insurance lapse can lead to major headaches and increased costs down the road. Doing everything possible to maintain continuous coverage is wise.

What To Do If Your Farm Bureau Car Insurance Lapses

If you discover your Farm Bureau policy has terminated due to non-payment, take these steps right away:

• Contact your agent: Notify your Farm Bureau agent that your insurance lapsed immediately and find out your reinstatement options. Provide any new contact details if you moved.

• Ask to reinstate: Request that Farm Bureau reinstate your canceled policy if permitted in your state. This may involve paying the past-due premium, fees, and any new down payment required.

• Check eligibility for lapse forgiveness: Some states require insurers to allow one reinstatement per year without penalties if the lapse was 60 days or less. Ask your agent if this applies.

• Provide proof of continuous insurance: If you obtained new insurance during the lapse, submit that proof to avoid rate increases.

• Consider alternatives: If Farm Bureau denies reinstatement, you may need to switch providers. Start comparing quotes from new carriers immediately to avoid an extended gap.

Acting quickly is crucial when your insurance terminates unexpectedly. An expert Farm Bureau agent can advise you on next steps.

How to Reinstate a Lapsed Farm Bureau Car Insurance Policy

Reinstating a canceled Farm Bureau policy due to lapsed payments is possible in many cases. Here is how the reinstatement process works:

• Eligibility: Reinstatement rules vary by state. In general, Farm Bureau will only reinstate a policy canceled for non-payment if:

  • It is your first lapse within the last 12 months
  • You previously had the policy for more than 60 days
  • You request reinstatement within 15 days of the termination date
  • You pay all past-due premiums and fees owed

• Requesting reinstatement: Contact your agent immediately after a lapse and ask to reinstate. Provide updated contact details and your reason for the lapse.

• Paying past-due premiums: To reinstate, you must pay premiums owed from your last paid policy period through the cancellation date. This brings your policy current.

• Down payment: Farm Bureau may require a down payment equal to two months of premiums to reinstate and continue coverage.

• Reinstatement fee: You will likely need to pay a standard reinstatement fee, typically around $50. This covers administrative costs.

• Credit check: Farm Bureau may re-run your credit before reinstating alapsed policy. Poor credit could lead to a rate increase.

• New policy: If approved, Farm Bureau will issue a new policy with a new effective date and policy number. Your old policy will not be reopened.

Have your agent submit the reinstatement request quickly to avoid extended insurance gaps. Approval is not guaranteed, however.

What If Farm Bureau Won’t Reinstate Your Policy?

If you do not meet Farm Bureau’s criteria for reinstatement after a lapse, you will be denied and forced to find new insurance. Reasons reinstatement could be denied include:

• Multiple lapses or reinstatements within the last year
• Letting the policy lapse for over 15 days before requesting reinstatement
• Drastic reduction in credit score or new accidents/violations
• Failure to provide requested down payment or fees

If you cannot revive your Farm Bureau policy, your next steps are:

• Find alternate insurance: Shop quotes immediately from other top insurers to avoid driving uninsured. Online quotes and agents can provide fast coverage.

• Highlight prior insurance: Let new insurers know you had continuous coverage previously with Farm Bureau when applying. This helps minimize rate impacts.

• File an appeal: If you feel the reinstatement denial was unwarranted, submit a written appeal request to Farm Bureau management explaining your situation.

• Provide lapse proof: Show proof of continuous insurance if you had alternate coverage during the brief Farm Bureau lapse period.

• Consider high-risk options: If no standard insurers will issue a policy, your last resort is a state high-risk pool or car insurance company.

Having an alternate insurance plan ready is key in case Farm Bureau refuses to reinstate your lapsed auto policy.

How to Avoid an Auto Insurance Lapse

The best approach is to prevent Farm Bureau car insurance from lapsing in the first place. Here are some proactive tips:

• Note payment dates – Mark upcoming insurance bill due dates clearly on your calendar and set payment reminders.

• Select automatic payments – Sign up to have your Farm Bureau premium automatically withdrawn from your bank account. This guarantees on-time payment.

• Save premium amount – Start putting aside money each month to have