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The pandemic brought major shifts to the workplace as droves of employees began working from home for the first time. Working from home or getting a remote work position is more possible than ever. The good news is that working from home can save you a good chunk of change, too. If you’ve wondered how much money you can save working from home, we break down some numbers for you but it could be hundreds or thousands of dollars.

1. Lower car insurance rates

Working from home means driving less. If you drive less, you’re at less risk and therefore your car insurance rates may drop. During the pandemic, many major car insurance providers cut their premiums. 

But there’s a better way to lower car insurance rates when working from home and that is through pay-per-mile insurance. Using pay-per-mile auto insurance, a type of usage-based insurance, you’re only responsible for paying a low base rate and several cents for every mile you drive. 
 
On average, Metromile customers have saved $741* per year making the switch, based on survey data from new customers in 2018. You can take a look at your options, but working from home and driving less should mean lower car insurance rates as well.

2. Drop in commuting costs

Working from home means paying less in other commuting costs as well. In addition to lower car insurance rates, you can reduce costs for the following. 

• Public transportation. Instead of paying the fares for the bus or metro to get to and from work, you can now pocket that cash. In fact, close to half of the commuters in the U.S. reported using public transportation less due to the pandemic. An unlimited metro card in New York City costs $127 per month. Forgoing the unlimited metro card for a year would save you $1,524 per year. Cost-per-ride is $2.75. Let’s say you still needed to take three round-trip rides per week for a year. That would be $858, still saving you money. Many cities have fairly comparable rates, so eliminating this cost or only riding part-time you stand to save a lot of money. 
• Gas. Right now gas prices are on the rise and can add a lot to commuting costs. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Price Index Summary, the gasoline index increased a whopping 41.8% since July 2020. When you work from home, you can save a lot by filling up your tank less often than you normally would when driving to work every day. A Marketwatch article from 2018 estimates saving $444 in gas per year working from home full-time. 
• Car maintenance. The more you drive, the more wear and tear there is on your vehicle. There’s no way around that. But driving less by working from home can lead to fewer repairs or car maintenance issues. For example, you may need to get less frequent oil changes, fewer repairs, and have less likelihood of an accident. Let’s say you drove a lot before and got an oil change every three months. You may be able to cut back to twice a year, instead of four times a year, effectively saving you around $120 per year.
• Ridesharing costs. There’s a surge in ridesharing costs right now, so if you previously took Uber or Lyft to work you’re saving money by working from home. Statista has data for average ridesharing costs as of 2018, and New York commuters spent $84 per month. That would be $1,008 saved each year by cutting this cost out.

3. Not shopping as much

When you work in an office, you need to adhere to the dress code. That may mean buying suits, slacks, ties, dresses, jumpsuits, or whatever is appropriate for your workplace. Those clothes may not be cheap and caring for them with dry cleaning can add up. 

Women in particular may spend more money on makeup, nails, and hair to keep up appearances. Working from home can reduce some of those costs. Of course, you still need to wear clothes to work from home, but you may not have to wear the same things you’d wear every day at the office or pay as much for the care and cleaning of these items. A Marketwatch analysis estimates women save $400 per year working from home.

4. Dining out less

When you commute to work, sometimes you create rituals as part of the process or simply out of convenience. For example, you may hit up the local coffee shop on your way to work or dine out for lunch or get snacks on the go. A 2015 survey from Visa found that people spent an average of $2,746 on lunch each year. 

If you come home tired from a long day, you might order take-out. All of these costs can add up fast. When you work from home, you have more time freedom and can have more energy saved from not commuting. That can mean having slower mornings making your own coffee versus rushing out of the door and grabbing one on the way.

5. May be able to write off some things for taxes

If you’re a remote worker and are self-employed, you could be eligible to write off many parts of your home office. For example, the technology required for your office could be considered a business deduction. You could potentially write off a portion of your home office. It’s possible to write off $5 per square foot for up to 300 square feet, for a maximum of $1,500. Deductions reduce the amount you owe in taxes, but unlike credits, aren’t dollar-for-dollar. How much money that saves you depends on your tax bracket and income but let’s say you’re in the 15% tax bracket, you could save $225 per year.

Unfortunately, employees who work full-time from home aren’t eligible for the home office deduction. If you had a side hustle from home part of the time that may make you eligible. Whether you’re self-employed or an employee, any tax questions should be sent to a professional tax specialist who can help you with your particular situation.

6. Turning your home or the outdoors into your gym

Many gyms closed their doors during the pandemic. According to a 2021 Finder.com survey, 1.3 billion dollars is spent on unused gym memberships. During this time, you may have turned to your home or the great outdoors to be your gym. 

Instead of pricey memberships, contracts, and something that is a hassle-to-cancel, you could save money by ditching the gym and opting to work out from home or outside. For example, you could do bodyweight exercises at home or if you have weights or bands, can use them to get a workout in. You can also go biking, running, or hiking outdoors to break a sweat. According to RunRepeat.com, the average gym membership is $507 for the first year and $479 for the second. Ditching the gym for your home gym or opting to move outside could save you up to $507 per year.

The bottom line 

If you’ve ever been curious and thought just how much money do you save working from home, now you know it can be a lot. That number can vary depending on your lifestyle and cost of living but given the numbers mentioned above, you could stand to save up to $7,715/year. Being able to work from home can lead to a number of reduced expenses, fewer options and temptations to spend, as well as lead to more time and energy. As part of lowering your costs while working from home, see how much you stand to save by switching to pay-per-mile insurance.

— 

Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function. 

As COVID-19 hit in March 2020, everyone’s life changed. A big part of that was workplace changes as many employees shifted to working from home. As the Delta Variant is currently raging across the U.S., employers and employees alike are reviewing work from home options indefinitely or permanently. There are many reasons to work from home given the current pandemic and safety guidelines, but there are benefits of working remotely to consider as well. Here are the top 8 benefits of working from home.

1. Less time and stress commuting

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau as of 2017, the average one-way commute time was 26.1 minutes. So round-trip means spending about an hour per day in your car going to and from work. That’s a total of five hours per week — which doesn’t include the time you actually spend working.

On top of the time savings, one of the benefits of working from home is dealing with less stress from the commute. Let’s just say that being stuck in traffic, getting cut off, worrying about being late, and dealing with parking doesn’t help anyone’s inner peace. According to information from Keck Medicine of USC, longer commutes can lead to increased stress, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and higher blood pressure.

Working from home can give you more of your time back and lead to fewer stress-related health events.

2. Increased work/life balance

Work/life balance can feel elusive in some ways, but working from home makes it easier. Given the example above, let’s assume without commuting you’re able to have five more hours per week for yourself. You can spend that time as you like. 

Maybe it means slower mornings with a cup of coffee or reading your favorite book or getting a workout in before starting your day. Maybe it means sleeping in an extra 30 minutes or watching an episode of your favorite show while eating breakfast. One of the benefits of working remotely is that you have more time and also more control over your time due to fewer interruptions.

3. Boost in car insurance savings

If you’re driving less because you work from home, you should be able to pay less for car insurance as well. Many car insurance companies slashed their premiums during the pandemic for this reason. There’s no doubt that one of the benefits of working from home is driving less, so you want your car insurance costs to reflect that. 

If you’re working from home, one way to sustainably cut costs if you’re not commuting or just driving less, in general, is to opt for pay-per-mile car insurance. Through pay-per-mile insurance, you simply pay for the miles you drive. At Metromile, customers pay a base rate and a nominal amount per mile making it an affordable solution for remote workers.

4. Better for the environment

Aside from the pandemic, we’re also dealing with another crisis — climate change. We’re seeing very real effects with an increase of fires, volatile weather, and hotter temps. A big part of that is from greenhouse gas emissions. 

Driving less can help you save money on car insurance and gas but also has a broader impact on the environment as well. According to The New York Times, greenhouse gas emissions from energy and industry dropped more than 10 percent in 2020.

5. More money in the bank

One of the best benefits of working from home is having more money in the bank. There were fewer places to spend money as things were closed. Also, without a commute people could save money on gas, car insurance, parking fees, eating out, coffee out, clothes, and more. 

According to a study from the Economic Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, savings rates more than quadrupled going from 7.2 percent as of December 2019 up to 33.7 percent in April 2020. Having more money in the bank means more financial security and overall financial wellness, which can impact your mental wellbeing and levels of stress.

6. Location flexibility

In the before times you’d be tethered to a geographic location for your job. Of course, there are tradeoffs. For example, you may have to live in a metro area like New York or San Francisco to work in a specific sector or get opportunities, but you’ll also have to pay a higher price for the cost of living.
 
On top of that, you may only be able to visit your family during the holidays. One of the best benefits of working remotely is that you have much more location flexibility. That could mean working from a lower cost of living area, or working from your parents’ home or a friend’s home, or even traveling to a new city and exploring while still being able to do your job.

7. Higher productivity

One of the top benefits of working remotely is a boost in productivity. Though working from home can take time to adjust to, in the long term many employees find they’re interrupted less and can get more done when on their own. There may be fewer meetings or quicker meetings, less engaging in office drama or logistics, and more time to get the important work done. 

According to a 2020 FlexJobs’ survey, “51% of survey respondents indicate that they have been more productive working from home during COVID-19, and 95% of respondents say productivity has been higher or the same while working remotely.”

The reasons cited included fewer interruptions, more focused time, a quieter work environment, a more comfortable workplace, and avoiding office politics.

8. Improved mental health

There’s no doubt that the past year and a half has been extremely difficult for everyone. Lives and routines have been upended and the stress and anxiety of a pandemic have led to real mental health challenges. But one of the best reasons to work from home is to manage mental health. 

Those with mental health conditions may be able to better manage at home and with more privacy. According to an article on Mental Health America, the benefits of working remotely include supporting employees’ mental health. “Companies that give employees more control over when, where, and how they work through flexible work options are supporting the health and wellness of their workers and enhancing the company’s culture and productivity at the same time,” noted the article.

The bottom line

There are many reasons to work from home, such as a boost in savings, productivity, and mental health. If possible, work from home to take advantage of these perks and enjoy a better work/life balance. If you’re working from home, make sure you’re getting the most out of it and check out your rate for pay-per-mile auto insurance. 

You can get an online quote or check how much you could save if you switched by taking a free Ride Along™ trial from the Metromile app. You can earn additional savings of up to 15% off your initial Metromile quote (you’ll need to keep your current insurance provider to maintain coverage) in select states.

— 

Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.

The pandemic has affected everyone’s life in some way — especially when it comes to finances. Many employees faced reduced hours or layoffs as businesses shut down or closed permanently. On top of that, some people chose to opt out of working on the frontlines for health and safety reasons. All of these factors shifted the work landscape and put many older workers into forced retirement. According to the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis, a staggering 2.7 million older workers were out of the workplace as of January 2021.

The amount of workers makes up more than three times the amount projected to be out of the workforce otherwise. If you’re dealing with a forced retirement or feel pushed out because of the current situation, here are some ways to manage your finances and expenses.

If you have a pension, review your options

We know that not everyone has access to a pension these days, but if you do it’s important to review your options. If your employer does offer a pension, you may be able to choose from a fixed monthly payment or a lump sum of money. 

Make sure you understand how much you qualify for and understand how each option will affect your budget and lifestyle. For example, it may be better to budget with fixed monthly payments if you’re worried about overspending. 

However, a lump sum could help you pay off debt and have access to capital if you need to move or pay for large expenses. Check out your options, review the amount, and decide what is best for you.

Consider claiming Social Security benefits

Depending on your age, you may be able to claim Social Security benefits to help out during this time. However, you should proceed with caution and consider the short-term and long-term effects of doing so. 

You can technically qualify for Social Security benefits starting at age 62, but waiting longer can be beneficial. The full retirement age is 67 and if you wait until age 70, your benefit amount will increase. 

If you claim your Social Security benefits at age 62, your benefit amount will be 30 percent lower than at the regular retirement of age 67 and a whopping 70 percent lower than if you claim your benefits at age 70. Of course, you may not have the luxury to choose or wait any longer, but it’s important to know how claiming now or later will affect your payment amount and your finances.

Take out money from your retirement accounts

If you’re dealing with a forced retirement, then it might be time to take out money from your retirement accounts. You may have an employer-sponsored retirement plan such as a 401(k) or you may have an Individual Retirement Account, such as a Traditional IRA or Roth IRA. 

If you’re older than 59 ½ there’s some good news. You can withdraw funds from your retirement accounts without any penalties. If you take out money before that time, you’ll have to pay taxes on that amount. 

Be aware that taking out retirement withdrawals can boost your income on paper and lead to a higher tax bracket. That could ultimately affect your eligibility when it comes to certain benefits and credits.

Getting money from previous or other accounts

Like many people, you may have had multiple employers over your working life. That means you may have money in a previous 401(k) or an unclaimed pension. Start by contacting your former employer to see about recovering funds from your account. You can contact the human resources department to get started. If you know the administrator of the account, you can contact them as well. 

You can also check out resources like the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits as well as the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.  You can also check out MissingMoney.com by state.

Additionally, take an inventory of all savings accounts you may have as well as any brokerage accounts as well. 

Reduce your top expenses

Being in a forced retirement situation can be tough because of unexpected income loss while still managing expenses. That’s why it’s key to reduce your top expenses. For example, you want to focus on the following to cut down on costs. 

1. Housing. If you still have a mortgage, you may consider refinancing or making adjustments to your repayment plan if possible. If you rent, you may consider downsizing to a more affordable space or move to a new location with a lower cost of living. 
2. Healthcare. Your health is important, especially as you age and of course even more so during a pandemic. Fidelity found that a couple at age 65 may need to save about $300,000 for healthcare costs. You can also use BenefitsCheckup.org to see if you qualify for any programs or discounts. 
3. Car insurance. Dealing with forced retirement means staying home more and commuting/driving less. That can lead to huge savings when it comes to your car insurance premium. At Metromile, low-mileage drivers could potentially save close to a thousand dollars* per year by making the switch. Making the change to pay-per-mile auto insurance means only paying for the miles you rack up driving plus a low base rate. You get charged a low base rate and pay several cents for each mile you drive.

The bottom line

Being in forced retirement due to a global pandemic or lack of opportunities can be difficult to deal with. If you’re in that situation right now, check out your financial options and start making a plan to move forward. Getting your retirement fund money and saving on expenses will be key. To see about saving money, grab a free quote for pay-per-mile insurance to see how much you could save.

— 

Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.

*Average annual car insurance savings by new customers surveyed who saved with Metromile in 2018.

Swapnali Kulkarni was looking for a new role where she could see the impact of her work more clearly, one where things moved a little quicker. Working for a 15,000-person healthcare company, she felt removed from the users implementing her software.

“These projects were elaborate one-year projects that, by the time they went online, you’d have started working on something else. I didn’t really feel like I was making a change. I felt like I was not being seen,” Swapnali said. “I was looking for a smaller company where I’d be able to truly see the impact of my work and grow in my understanding of the customer experience.”

At Metromile, Swapnali’s role is fundamental to the business model, and the ways her contributions add to Metromile’s success are clear.

To provide drivers an insurance quote with Metromile, it helps to know how many miles you drive. But most people don’t know how many miles they drive, so Swapnali helped develop Ride Along™ for drivers who aren’t already Metromile customers.  

“We developed the Ride Along feature for people to get a quote. You just download the app, and it uses the data from a few weeks of your driving to give you an estimate of your monthly insurance cost,” she said. “I joined the company in December of 2019, and Ride Along started development in February 2020. I was more or less the only backend engineer supporting that project until near its release in June of that year. Even the CEO was talking about that feature! People are seeing what I’m working on in a way they didn’t before.”

Not only did she jump headfirst into challenging and high-visibility work, but she was also getting the kind of immediate feedback she’d been searching for.

“The customer experience teams were going out and working with actual customers and coming back with suggestions,” Swapnali said. “They’d suggest tracking slightly different data points, different tweaks we could make to improve the feature; I was getting that feedback almost immediately. It gave me a real sense of ownership.” 

The speed of change, feedback, and improvement at Metromile keep Swapnali on her toes, she said. Engineers can release updates to features as often as every week and get feedback from users immediately.

“That’s something that excites me as an engineer because it keeps me feeling challenged, looking for ways to make the product better.”

The speed and efficiency of product updates keep Metromilers happy and challenged at work, and it directly contributes to a better product and customer experience. Because engineers get user feedback so quickly, they’re able to make real-time improvements to products. 

At Metromile, Swapnali said she feels like a true contributor to her team’s successes. It’s gratifying to know you’ve improved a product in a tangible and measurable way, she said.

“I feel like my team and my projects are a very big pillar of what Metromile is. Potential customers first come in and experience my project. It’s what makes them decide if they want Metromile or not,” she said. “The price of the quote obviously matters, but so does the experience, the quote process. It’s so easy to uninstall an app if you have a bad experience; it’s the small things that can really matter when you have to make a decision. I feel that we’re the face of the company.”

Over the past year and a half, many Americans have moved homes, even temporarily, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased flexibility with work. Whether you have moved for a new job, convenience, a change of scenery, or to be closer to family, there’s one thing you want to make sure you do: check your auto insurance rate.

Many Americans are missing out on savings or paying too much now that their lifestyles and driving habits have shifted.

Here’s why now may be the best time to check your current car insurance rate and shop around.

Millions of Americans moved during the COVID-19 pandemic

There’s no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed many of our lives. It’s not just our health and social norms that have changed during this time. The pandemic has also created considerable shifts in workplace culture and moving trends. 

Many people went from commuting to an office to working from home. Remote work has opened up new ways of living and working and prompted people to move closer to family or escape cities with high rates of COVID-19 infection or living costs.

Nearly 16 million Americans moved from February to July 2020, according to MyMove.com’s Coronavirus Moving Study, and the trend is likely to continue.

Neighbor’s 2020-2021 American Migration Report projects the number of Americans moving in 2021 will surpass last year’s totals. The report found that 20% more people plan to move in 2021 than 2020, primarily for job flexibility and the desire for a lower cost of living.
Notably, job flexibility wasn’t as easily accessible before the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rise in remote work and flexible work schedules, people feel more confident they can work from home and seek new places to live.

Driving habits have also shifted because of the COVID-19 pandemic

With many people now working from home or staying at home because of shelter-in-place orders and other public health guidelines, how Americans drive has changed.

A December 2020 Pew Research study found that 71% of workers were performing their jobs at home full-time or most of the time. As a result, commuting is no longer as commonplace as it used to be, and when Americans travel for work, they may be driving differently.

When COVID-19 was first declared a pandemic in March 2020, the number of miles driven across the country dropped dramatically. Recent analysis of Metromile customers nationwide found that people drove 30% fewer miles between April and December 2020 compared to the same period from the year before. Similarly, cumulative travel in 2020 reduced by 5.4%, according to the Federal Highway Administration.

Pay-per-mile auto insurance can help

Your lifestyle can affect the price you pay for auto insurance. For example, if you moved to a new area and now park your car in a new ZIP code, your premium may change. If you drive less than you did before, pay-per-mile auto insurance could help you save money.

Pay-per-mile car insurance is a type of usage-based insurance that considers how much you drive.

People who drive less than the national average of about 37 miles a day (most Americans!) are low-mileage drivers and could save with pay-per-mile auto insurance.
Metromile could save you $741 a year on average if you’re a low-mileage driver, according to a 2018 survey of new customers who switched to Metromile and saved. With Metromile, you’ll pay a low monthly base rate and then a few cents for each mile you actually drive. Pay-per-mile auto insurance helps to give you control over the price you pay for your car insurance coverage.

The bottom line

If you’ve moved over the past year and a half, it’s time to check your car insurance rate. Your rate may change based on where you live and your driving habits, and you could score a lower rate. 

Get a free auto insurance quote with Metromile, and you can see how much you might save.

—

Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.

If you’re thinking of moving to Oregon or already have, you will need to register your car in Oregon. If you already live in Oregon and purchase a vehicle in the state, you’ll have to register it, too. Here is everything you might need to know to register a car in Oregon.

Why you need to register a car in Oregon?

If you’re an Oregon resident, you’ll need to register your car in Oregon by law. Drivers need to register their vehicles with the Department of Motor Vehicles. Doing so creates a link between the driver, vehicle, and the state.

Who needs to register a car in Oregon?

If you recently moved to Oregon or purchased a new or used vehicle, you’ll need to register your car in Oregon. You’ll need to go to the local DMV office to get the process started to register your car. 

In Oregon, you must get a new vehicle title or replacement title to register your car.

How to register a car in Oregon?

Whether you moved or bought a car in Oregon, you’re going to need to get set up with Oregon vehicle registration. The first step to get started is to title your vehicle in Oregon. 

If you’re wondering how to register a car in Oregon, here are the steps to get started with your Oregon Vehicle Registration. 

• Fill out an Oregon title application 
• Bring original ownership documentation
• Any lien releases 
• The bill of sale 
• Odometer disclosure 
• Any applicable fees, such as title fees and registration fees – you can check out the state’s fee calculator tool to get started 
• Requirements based on your vehicle or your situation 
• Provide proof of auto insurance 

If you moved from out-of-state to Oregon or purchased your vehicle in a different state, you’ll also need to:

• Get a vehicle identification number (VIN) inspection for $7
• Potentially get a Use Tax Certificate
• Proof of Oregon residency

In order to get your car registered in Oregon, you must provide proof of residency or eligibility. Typically, you need to live or stay in Oregon at least six months out of the year and pay taxes in Oregon. To provide proof of residency, you’ll need to fill out the Certification of Oregon Residency or Domicile and share documents, such as bank records or utility bills.

Since the title and car registration must happen concurrently, you can make an appointment with the Oregon DMV for a title. You have 30 days to transfer a title into your name or after moving to Oregon. 

If you purchased a vehicle in Oregon in the past 30 days, you need to fill out the bottom part of Form 6775. You’ll want to make copies of all your documentation for this process and mail the originals as well as any required fees to: 

Oregon DMV
1905 Lana Ave NE
Salem, OR 97314

The address may change, so we recommend visiting the Oregon DMV website for the latest information.

You may also need to pass a DEQ emissions test. If you have a newer vehicle, you may be exempt from this requirement. 
If you purchased a car at a car dealership in Oregon, the registration process is typically taken care of for you. But if not, you can follow the steps above and make sure you provide proper documentation to get an Oregon vehicle registration.

How much does it cost to register a car in Oregon?

The costs to register a car in Oregon depend on a number of factors. Here is a title fee chart and associated costs from the Oregon DMV website:

Here is a registration fee chart for passenger vehicles and associated costs from the Oregon DMV website:

Is proof of insurance required to register a car in Oregon?

If you need to register a car in Oregon, you must provide proof of insurance. In Oregon, it’s illegal to drive without liability coverage, and there are minimum insurance requirements you must meet.

The state minimum requirements for auto insurance in Oregon are:

• Bodily injury and property damage liability
  • $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage
  • $20,000 per accident in property damage liability coverage
• Personal injury protection
  • $15,000 per person
• Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage
  • $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident

You might also want to consider higher limits or additional insurance coverage, such as collision and comprehensive coverage for extra peace of mind.
When registering your vehicle, you’ll typically need to provide your auto insurance policy number. If you need auto insurance, you can check out Metromile’s pay-per-mile car insurance coverage to see if you can get a better rate than your existing insurer. Many Oregon drivers choose Metromile for their auto insurance coverage.

The bottom line

If you purchased a car or just made a move to Oregon, make sure you’re up-to-date with registering your vehicle and getting the minimum insurance coverage needed to be in good standing.

If you want to check your auto insurance rates to make sure you’re getting the best deal, get a free quote from Metromile and try pay-per-mile auto insurance.
Pay-per-mile insurance is usage-based auto insurance where your rate is based on how much you drive. You’ll pay a low base rate and then a few cents for each mile you drive. If you live in Oregon and don’t drive often or frequently use public transportation, you may be able to save with Metromile and pay-per-mile insurance.

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Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.

You’ll need to register your vehicle in Illinois if you’re a new resident or recently purchased a car. It’s an important step to make sure you’re up-to-date with your paperwork and responsibilities as a car owner. 

We’ve broken down what you need to do to get started with Illinois vehicle registration. Here’s how to register a car in Illinois and what you might need to know.

Why you must register your car in Illinois?

When you register your car in the state you live, you’re claiming ownership of that vehicle. Registering your vehicle creates a paper trail that connects you to your car and the state. So when you get pulled over, you can provide registration, car insurance, and identification to prove you’re the owner of the vehicle you’re driving. 

On top of that, registering your car is a legal requirement. If you don’t register your vehicle, you could end up with a fine. Registration is also how you can prove that you’ve paid any associated fees and taxes to be a driver on the road.

Who should register a car in Illinois?

If you own a vehicle and live in Illinois, you’ll need to register your car in Illinois. 

Typically the registration process is taken care of for you if you purchased a new car, but if you buy a used vehicle from a private owner, you may need to take care of it yourself. 

If you’re a new resident in Illinois, you’ll also want to update your paperwork and get Illinois vehicle registration. To do so, first, you’ll need to establish residency and provide documentation such as bank statements and utility bills.

How to register a car in Illinois?

If you need to register a car in Illinois, you’ll need to fill out paperwork and submit it to your local Illinois Secretary of State office. You can use the Electronic Registration and Title System to get your paperwork started and then print out the materials and head to your local office within a week. 

If you’d prefer, you can also submit your paperwork via the mail to:

Secretary of State
Vehicle Services Department
ERT Section, Rm. 424
(If Expedited Title, Rm. 629)
501 S. Second St.
Springfield, IL 62756

Fees may change, but currently, you’ll need to provide a money order or check for payment. For a standard vehicle, you’ll need to pay $150 for the vehicle title and $151 in car registration fees for a total of $301. 

If you’re a new resident in Illinois, you’ll have 30 days to register a car in Illinois after establishing residency. You’ll need to fill out and submit the Application for Vehicle Transaction(s) (VSD-190). 

Additionally, you’ll need to provide:

• Full name and address
• Odometer reading 
• Car info such as make, model, year, and more
• Information of any lienholders
• Car owner’s signatures
• Proof of residency in Illinois 

If you purchase a vehicle in Illinois and it doesn’t have a title or registration, you’ll need to fill out and submit the tax form RUT-50 if you bought your car from another individual. You must do this within 20 days. If you purchased the vehicle out-of-state, you’d need to fill out and submit RUT-25, as well as the Bill of Sale and any required sales tax.  ​

As part of the registration process, you may need to get an emissions test. If your car is newer, you’re typically exempt from this process, but you may be required to get an emissions test after four years.

Is car insurance required in Illinois?

All drivers in Illinois must have car insurance with liability coverage, which helps cover associated costs in the event of an accident or damages. Having proof of insurance in Illinois is required and must be shown as requested if you get pulled over.

The state minimum liability insurance requirements in Illinois are: 

• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage to cover injury or death
• $20,000 per accident in property damage liability coverage
• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage

Many drivers in Illinois choose to purchase higher limits and add comprehensive and collision coverage to help protect their vehicle, finances, and wellbeing.

If you need car insurance coverage, check out Metromile, which provides pay-per-mile auto insurance. Pay-per-mile auto insurance can be more affordable, especially if you don’t often drive because it’s based on your actual driving. Drivers can save $741 a year on average when they switch to Metromile, according to a 2018 survey of new customers who saved.

The bottom line

If you moved to Illinois or just bought a new or new-to-you vehicle, it’s important to register your car in Illinois. You’ll need to complete paperwork and pay the required fees to stay current with the state. 

As a responsible driver, you’ll also need to keep your auto insurance coverage up-to-date. If you don’t often drive, or if you drive safely, Metromile could be a fit for your lifestyle. 

You can try Metromile by taking a free Ride Along™ trial. Download the Metromile app from your favorite app store and get a free online quote. Then, drive as you typically would for about two weeks, and you’ll see your rate and how much you could save if you switched to pay-per-mile insurance with Metromile. (Don’t forget to keep your current insurance policy, so you have coverage during your trial.) Drivers in select states can also earn up to an additional 15% off their initial quote for demonstrating safe driving during the trial.

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Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.

Three years ago, Bella Li was one of Metromile’s first customer success engineers. She learned the ins and outs of the industry by developing improvements to Metromile’s products based on customer feedback that wasn’t included in the product roadmap.

“I gradually learned all the systems step-by-step. Insurance is a big product, more complicated than it looks from a customer standpoint,” Bella said. “I was a firefighter — resolving issues and working on corner cases. Later on, I got more into the product, and I got interested in writing more code, so now I’m a backend engineer.”

Bella had aspirations of working in the tech industry before she joined Metromile. The combination of a traditional product like insurance and the “techie” culture and product delivery made Metromile stand out.

“All the engineers are super friendly and willing to share. They helped me to ramp up and understand the product. I understood insurance, I have car insurance, but I didn’t know anything about insurance products,” she said. “So, learning all that was very interesting. And there’s the tech side of it, too, like the Metromile Pulse device that counts your mileage and can even help you find your car if it’s lost or stolen! Our product is smarter than traditional insurance offerings. Every insurance should have that.”

By design, the culture at Metromile encourages Metromilers to speak up, share ideas, and offer suggestions. It’s that culture that helped Bella go from customer success to backend engineer.

“As I’m getting more familiar with the products, I’ll give feedback to our project manager about things we can do differently or better, like how we’re expanding into new states. We have taken a lot of experience from the past forward,” Bella said. “They take that feedback and build it in as we’re expanding. It pushes me too; there are always new ways to look at things. I get bored if I’m doing the same thing all the time, so getting to learn new things and grow is really great.”  

A sense of ownership of projects and a tangible stake in company outcomes is key to employee satisfaction; Bella knows this first hand. Her previous roles at much larger companies were more “boundary-defined” without much room to go outside those boundaries.

“You feel like you’re just working on these small sections; you never get to see the larger picture. When you work on something, it’s not yours. You’re working on a very small part of a big team project,” she said. “At Metromile, it’s different. You have tasks, yes, but the boundaries aren’t so rigid; you can [reach] out in different places to solve the problem. I feel a real sense of ownership over the things I’m working on.”

While Bella has become a backend engineer, she continues the Metromile tradition of knowledge sharing and support.

“I still hear from people doing the customer success tickets; if they get stuck, they’ll come to me. I’m very happy to share and help them,” she said. “I feel like I can be a translator to the other engineers now, too. There are lots of codes and acronyms, so customer success can sometimes sound like another language. Sharing that knowledge is my favorite part of the job. I often realize that I know more than I thought.”

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We’re building a community of drivers who come to Metromile for the savings and stay for the experience. Our diverse team combines the best of Silicon Valley technologists with veterans from Fortune 500 insurers and financial services giants focused on using technology to reinvent insurance as a tool for financial resiliency.

Check out open positions at Metromile or give our pay-per-mile auto insurance a try by taking a free Ride Along™ trial from the Metromile app.

You’re ready to go; there’s just one problem: You can’t find your keys. If you’re in this situation, it can be frustrating and annoying. You might wonder, “Can I get a car key without the original?”

Here’s how to get a replacement car key when you’re locked out of your car and don’t have the original key.

Check your local dealership

You can get a replacement car key at the car dealer where you purchased your car.

Unfortunately, a replacement car key at a dealership can be pricey. Often, car dealers charge a premium for the service and may outsource this work to a locksmith. You can also consider going to a locksmith yourself.

Head to a locksmith

You can replace your lost car key at a locksmith, even if you don’t have the original key. Going straight to a locksmith may be more cost-effective than going to your car dealer, but you’ll need some information to make the process easier.

Gather your information

To get a replacement key from a locksmith, you’ll want to have the following information ready: 

• Make of the car
• Model of the car
• Year
• Car registration
• Title 
• Vehicle identification number (VIN)

The information will help the locksmith identify what type of key your car needs. You can find your car’s VIN on the dashboard on the driver’s side or the driver’s door. 
You’ll also need this information to prove that you’re the owner of the car. Before the locksmith gets started, they will need to ensure you’re the rightful owner of the vehicle.

Understand what type of car key you need

Different cars require different types of car keys. Often, the type of car key you need comes down to the year your vehicle was made.

If your car was manufactured before 1981, you can likely get a standard key at a locksmith or, in some cases, a hardware store. Older vehicles generally don’t have specialized electronic components, such as transponders or chips.

Vehicles made after 1981 generally have more advanced technology. A locksmith may need to create a transponder key. In this case, going to an automotive locksmith or your dealer will be your best bet. 

If you have a newer car, or your original car key was a key fob, you may need a smart key replacement. Key fobs communicate with your vehicle’s ignition and need to be close by to start your car. If you need a replacement, you’ll need to buy a new fob at your car dealership or an automotive store to get one programmed.

Go to an automotive locksmith

Getting a replacement key at your car dealership can work, but you could pay a lot more than if you had gone to an automotive locksmith.

An automotive locksmith can create a new key that works with your specific vehicle. On top of that, an automotive locksmith may be able to program your replacement key fob if that’s the issue.

Costs of replacing a car key

If you need a replacement car key, it’s going to cost some money. If you have an older car, you can replace your car key for $3 to $7. 

A new key can be more expensive if you have a newer car with an electronic key or another specialized car key. Replacement car keys with chips, transponders, or fobs can cost up to $250, depending on your area and labor costs.

The bottom line

If you lost your car key and don’t have the original, visiting an automotive locksmith may be an affordable option.

Metromile provides affordable auto insurance coverage, which can help keep your car costs low. You pay a low monthly fixed rate and a few cents for each mile you drive with pay-per-mile auto insurance. Drivers can save $741 a year on average, according to a 2018 survey of new Metromile customers who saved when they switched.

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Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.

While most states have minimum requirements for auto insurance, sometimes the coverage isn’t enough. Not every driver may be insured or have enough coverage. According to a 2021 study by the Insurance Research Council, one in eight drivers were uninsured.

Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can help protect you if you get into an accident with a driver who doesn’t have liability coverage or is underinsured. Here’s what you need to know about the car insurance coverage in California.

Why uninsured motorist coverage California is important?

California has minimum auto insurance requirements for every driver on the road. The minimum liability coverage in California is:

• $15,000 to cover the injury or death of a single person
• $30,000 to cover the injury or death involving more than one person or per accident
• $5,000 to cover property damage

But that doesn’t mean everyone is insured. It is estimated that 16.6 percent of motorists in California are uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council. So, when these uninsured motorists in California end up getting into an at-fault accident, things can get messy. 

To help combat this issue, California car insurance providers must legally offer uninsured motorist coverage and underinsured motorist coverage. You can decline these coverages by signing a waiver, though that might not be the best idea. 
You can opt for uninsured motorist bodily injury, which covers medical costs for you as well as any passengers if an uninsured or underinsured motorist hits you. There’s also uninsured and underinsured motorist property damage, which covers the cost of physical damages to your vehicle after an accident.

Is uninsured motorist coverage in California required if I have health insurance?

If your primary concern is potential medical costs after an accident with an uninsured driver, you might wonder if you need uninsured motorist coverage in California if you already have health insurance. 

While health insurance can help lower costs and provide care, health insurance can also have pricey deductibles and copays. On top of that, your health insurance may not cover all the services you might need after a car accident, such as a chiropractor. 

Getting uninsured motorist coverage in California can help ensure you get access to the funds necessary for your health and wellbeing.

Getting the right amount of uninsured motorist coverage in California

If you’re considering uninsured motorist coverage or underinsured motorist coverage in California, you probably want to know just how much you need or what is the “right” amount. 

According to the California Department of Insurance, uninsured motorist bodily injury limits are equal to your liability coverage limits. If you get general underinsured motorist insurance, you’ll be covered for a limited amount if there is bodily injury due to an accident with someone who doesn’t have enough coverage to cover all the costs. 

Uninsured motorist property damage coverage in California offers up to $3,500 to cover vehicle damages due to an accident with another driver who is at-fault and doesn’t have insurance. It’s important to note that if you have collision coverage, you may not need this. On top of that, this coverage pays out only in cases where the driver is identified. So, if they drive off in a hurry, you may be out of luck if you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident.

How underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage in California works?

Let’s say that you’re on the road and get T-boned by another car. It’s not your fault, but there are major damages to your car, and you want to get your neck checked out. You have car insurance, but the other driver doesn’t. 

If you have uninsured motorist bodily injury insurance, and the driver has no coverage, your medical bills and any passengers’ will be paid for up to your overall coverage limit. The same goes for uninsured motorist property damage coverage in California. 

If the other driver is underinsured and can’t cover all the costs, both the uninsured motorist bodily injury and uninsured motorist property damage coverage can pay the difference for your medical bills and car repairs if the other party’s insurance doesn’t cover all the costs. 

For example, the other driver could have minimum liability coverage of $30,000 for injuries to more than one person. Let’s say your hospital bill is a whopping $55,000, and your car repairs that are required to fix your car total $25,000. The total cost of the accident is $80,000, but the other person only has $30,000 in coverage. When you have underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage in California, you can get help covering that difference. 

With Metromile, you can file a claim with the Metromile app soon after the accident. If you purchased underinsured and uninsured motorist coverage, and your claim is approved, a check will be on its way to help cover the costs to repair any damage to your car or other eligible expenses.

Other ways to recoup costs if an uninsured motorist hits you

If an uninsured motorist hits you, your health insurance plan may cover costs related to your healthcare. If you have uninsured motorist coverage, your health insurance is legally entitled to any proceeds from the policy as part of something referred to as subrogation. 

One option to consider is medical payments coverage, sometimes referred to as “med pay,” which covers the cost of any injuries regardless of who is ultimately found at fault. These payments aren’t part of subrogation, but you should know that the limits may not be as extensive as you need. 

Your best bet is to get uninsured motorist coverage. You can also look into an umbrella insurance policy for additional coverage and protection. If needed, you may want to consult with a lawyer or financial advisor for additional support navigating your situation.

The bottom line

Getting into an accident can be jarring and frustrating. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage can help cover costs if you have to deal with an uninsured motorist or someone without enough coverage.

Metromile offers uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage so that you can stay protected.

Many drivers save money when they switch to Metromile and pay-per-mile auto insurance. Drivers can save $741 a year, according to a 2018 survey of new Metromile customers who saved, and they don’t have to sacrifice their coverage or experience. You can get a free quote to see whether you might save and how much uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage costs to add to your policy.

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Melanie Lockert is a freelance writer, podcast host of the Mental Health and Wealth show, and author of Dear Debt. She’s a cat mom to two jazzy cats, Miles and Thelonious, an amateur boxer, music lover, and needs coffee to function.