Paying for your Esurance policy

In most states, you can pay with a checking/savings account, debit card, or credit card.

After you select your payment option, you'll be able to change it by logging into your policy and selecting "Change Payment Info" in the "Payment Info" tab.

In most cases, your account will be charged automatically on an agreed-upon date. If you change your payment date more than once, you may be directed to give us a call to make the change.

Once your payment schedule begins, Esurance sticks to electronic payments because they're safe, secure, and easy. If you'd like to learn more about our secure online payment system, read our privacy and security commitment.

One more note: We don't currently accept bill pay through your banking institution.

Many Esurance customers have 2 options: pay all at once or pay monthly.

In most states, you can qualify for the Paid-in-Full discount if you choose to pay all at once. You'll also save on fees. If you choose to pay monthly, you'll be charged a small installment fee (typically around $6) per payment.

You can switch from monthly to all at once, or vice versa, anytime. Log into your policy and select "Change Payment Info" from the "Payment Info" dropdown to make the change.

If you switch from all at once to monthly, your monthly payments will begin after the current term expires.

If you switch from monthly to all at once, you'll be billed for the remainder of your current policy term.

Yes, in most states. Log into your policy and select the "Change Billing Date" option in the "Payment Info" tab to choose from a range of available dates, depending on your state. It takes only a minute.

If you'd like to discuss your payment options with one of our customer service representatives, give us a call at 1-800-ESURANCE (1-800-378-7262). You can reach us at these times.

Your payment selections will carry over to the new term unless you choose to make changes (which you can do online or over the phone).

If you pay monthly, the down payment on your new term will be collected so your insurance remains active and you don't have a gap in coverage. You'll get a renewal email prior to the start of your new term.

No, but you can change your future billing dates at any time. Esurance opts for automatic payments to help customers avoid a lapse in coverage and prevent uninsured driving.

Log into your policy and click on "Payment Activity" in the "Payment Info" dropdown to see your recent payment history. You can see a full invoice of each payment made.

After you receive your renewal notice (typically around 49 days before your next term begins, though this varies by state), you'll see the first payment invoice for your next term.

We process the new term's first payment before the term begins to ensure you don't have a gap in coverage. Your current payment method will automatically carry into the next term.

Insurance companies, Esurance included, typically require that you pay in advance (in other words, your monthly payment in August is for your policy in September) in order to ensure your policy is active should you need coverage.

Only if you choose to pay monthly. If you pay in full, the total amount will be charged to your account (rendering a down payment moot).

Down payments depend on your state and your individual policy, and in most cases they cover between 20 and 33 percent of your 6-month premium.

If you wish to discuss your down payment options, give us a call at 1-800-ESURANCE (1-800-378-7262).

If you pay in monthly installments rather than all at once, Esurance collects 16.66 percent of the policy premium, plus any applicable fees, 30 days before your new term's effective (or start) date.

Log into your account anytime to see your billing statements. Click "Payment Info" and open any PDFs in the "Payment Invoices and Notices" section to find info on your premium, your current payment, your billing date, and your upcoming payment schedule.

Payments are withdrawn automatically. Thus they're only considered late when your funds are insufficient or your billing information is inaccurate (meaning we couldn't process the payment). Inaccurate billing information can be as simple as an expired credit or debit card.

When this happens, we'll send you an email that details your options. You can make a late payment online or over the phone at 1-800-ESURANCE (1-800-378-7262).

Please note that there is typically a $10–$15 late fee added to late payments, depending on your state.

In most cases and depending on the status of your account, you have 25 days to make a late payment before your policy's canceled. You can view your payment schedule by logging into your account.

This depends on your state's policy. In many states, your insurance payments aren't factored into your insurance-based credit score. (Unless you live in California, Hawaii, or Massachusetts, your insurance-based credit score is one of many factors used to determine your future premium.)

However, because of the late fee charged with each late payment, you will end up paying more in the long term. If your payment is more than 25 days late, your policy may be canceled, which leaves you uninsured and causes a gap in your coverage history. Gaps in coverage can lead to higher rates when you get your next insurance quote.

This most likely means your payment is being processed and hasn't made its way through our system yet. If you'd like to confirm that your payment has gone through, log into your account or give us a call at 1-800-ESURANCE (1-800-378-7262).

Installment fees cover the additional processing costs of monthly payments. It's typically between $3 and $10 per payment, and in some states it's based on your premium.

If you choose to pay for your term all at once, you won't be charged an installment fee. You can change from monthly to all at once at any time.

This depends on your circumstances and on your home state.

If you choose to pay monthly, you'll be charged a small installment fee for each payment. And if you cancel your policy during the term, you may be charged a cancellation fee (typically either 10 percent of your remaining premium balance — "short rate" in insurance speak — or a flat fee between $30–$50).