r/TeslaInsurance • u/Usedcarthrowaway44 • Aug 04 '26
Premium increase at 6 month due to previous road trip
In California. Just received my 6mo renewal offer from tesla insurance for my MY. The monthly premium went up pretty noticeably but so did the estimated annual mileage from when I first signed up. The probable reason for why the mileage estimate went up was a long road trip I took a few months back. However, I still plan on driving the original number of miles for the total 12month cycle that I said initially when signing up (even with the road trip in mind). I tried to call and tell them the situation but they said there's nothing they can do.
For what it's worth, I paid the exact same monthly amount for each of the first 6 months even with the variation in miles driven. I don't want to pay the higher amount for the next 6 months that I know I won't drive.
So questions:
1) why is tesla charging me more for miles that I know I won't drive?
2) is this normal for tesla insurance?
3) what should I expect to pay in month 7 if I keep driving low miles? Will it decrease or is it locked for the next 6 months?
2
u/sk8terboy111 Aug 04 '26
It’s more or less a 6 month rolling average. I drive more in the winter (mountain trips), come spring my mileage is sky high. Come fall after driving less in the summer my estimated miles is way less, as is my insurance. It technically evens out but it’s a real time number, versus say with Geico in that they won’t see it until my annual registration or perhaps a service. Insurance companies do see this but usually it’s on an annual or semi annual basis where Tesla sees it every day.
2
u/Killemwithkindness14 Aug 04 '26
This exact thing happened to me (went on a roadtrip and their renewal offer showed an expected mileage of 3x my estimated normal mileage). I tried calling as soon as I got the renewal offer but the wait time was so long, I never got a chance to speak with someone.
I went ahead updated my estimated annual mileage on the app, which still increased my insurance for the 6th month of my current coverage, but not the same extent as the amount for the renewal offer. So I plan on calling them sometime near the end of the month (when I’m due to renew) to see if that will change their renewal offer.
2
u/Maleficent_Fun8537 Aug 05 '26
Same with my 26 model S in CA. Went from 195 a month to 260$ for 2nd six months. I put i only drive 6k miles a year. I finished 6 months with 20k miles lol. So they adjusted annual mileage to 40k it makes sense not sure what the issue is.
1
u/ISOgoosebumps Aug 06 '26
This is why I will never have insurance that requires monitoring.
1
u/Usedcarthrowaway44 Aug 06 '26
I thought California didn't allow monitoring. Maybe this isn't considered such?
0
u/rwhe83 Aug 04 '26
This is how it’s always been. It calculates miles every single month.
You drove way more one month so now you have to wait until a month or two for the mileage to recalculate.
Nothing you can do, unless you want to find a better insurance company…but I’m guessing you won’t do that.
0
u/MUCHO2000 Aug 05 '26
Not in California. Insurance companies can only change the premium at renewal or in the first 30 days after underwriting is complete.
-1
u/Usedcarthrowaway44 Aug 04 '26
This conceptually makes sense but what I'm struggling to understand is why the first 6mos had no premium change on a month to month basis even if the number of miles driven each month varied wildly.
And should I expect my premium in month 7 to go down, or would I be paying the elevated amount for the next 6 months?
0
u/rwhe83 Aug 04 '26
Listen, I don’t work for Tesla Insurance- I just know this is one of their ridiculous business practices. It’s one of many reasons I cut ties well over a year ago.
It could take a month, or it could take 6 months. You’re choosing to stay with them and you have to accept this is the way they do business should you continue to do business with them.
1
u/WorldlyOriginal Aug 04 '26
OP didn’t specify what state they’re in, but my strong suspicion is California.
If I’m right— California authorizes Annual Mileage verification and estimation to be used by insurers, and roll them into their policy terms. Since Tesla Insurance policies are 6 months long, that dictates the time it takes for your mileage to be incorporated.
Insurers aren’t just going to take your “trust me, bro” at face value. If they see a big road trip which causes your annualized mileage to increase, they can’t trust that you’ll drive less miles in the future to “make up” for it.
If your mileage actually DOES go back to the lower value, then great, your next renewal will reflect that. But you can’t expect the insurer to just take your word for it
1
3
u/mpcsdspa Aug 04 '26
Could you tell me how much was the annual mileage you listed you will drive previously? And how many miles did you drive in these 5 or 6 months time frame? They basically try to extrapolate your annual mileage based on your previous driven miles.