Hugo is a relatively new car insurance company focusing solely on car insurance services. It features a Pay as you go service which allows drivers to only pay when they drive. The company is very clear about what it covers and gives you a clear preview of its policies before committing to a quote.
With Hugo’s micropayment policy, you can buy a flexible customizable plan and pay for as little as 3 days. In addition, drivers can save more money by turning off their Hugo car insurance when they don’t need it. However, if you need more than its basic coverage, your premium can quickly go up.
Hugo’s auto insurance bundle features Flex, Basic, and Full plans. If you drive less than 5 days per week, their Flex plan may well suffice your car insurance needs. Few incentives like cash rewards are available for eligible drivers who drive safely and refer friends and family.
Hugo currently underwrites its car policy in just a few states in the US, (Indiana, Arizona, California, Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas).
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About Hugo car insurance
Hugo started rolling out its beta version of Flex in Illinois in August 2020. But officially launched its Full service about a year later, before expanding to other states.
Currently, Hugo car insurance is available only in 13 U.S. states: Indiana, Arizona, California, Alabama, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. But its full plan coverage (Flex, Basic, Full) is only available in Illinois and California.
Drivers can pay their premiums for as little as 3 days as opposed to the traditional monthly premiums charged by insurance providers.
Hugo car insurance coverage
Since different needs mean different coverage, Hugo offers three different plans to fit each driver’s unique needs and budget.
Flex Plan
Hugo’s Flex plan is ideal for people who typically drive less. The Flex plan is a pay-per-day liability policy, which allows you to buy 3, 7, 14, 21, or 30 days of coverage at a time. Since drivers only pay when they use the road, they can turn on and off their coverage and save money on days they don’t drive.
Other quick features of this plan include:
- No down payment or fees
- Refill anytime you want
- Instant proof of insurance
- Turning OFF your insurance and paying $0
- Instant turn ON
- Meets state requirements
One notable downside of the Flex plan is that towing and roadside assistance are not available.
Basic Plan
The Basic plan is best for drivers who drive more. Unlike the Flex plan where drivers can instantly turn on and off their car insurance, the Flex plan greatly limits drivers on how often they can turn on their insurance. You can buy 3, 7, 14, 21, 30 days, or 6 months of insurance to start.
Medical coverage and accidental death coverage are available and also included in the Basic plan. But towing and roadside assistance are not yet available.
The Basic plan has all the quick features of the Flex plan except that you can’t instantly turn on your insurance in this plan.
Full Plan
For Drivers who want comprehensive or full coverage, this plan will be best for them. The Full plan covers beyond liability coverage and also includes rental insurance, comprehensive, or collision coverage. In addition, drivers can add additional coverage like towing and roadside assistance which is unavailable with the Flex and Basic plan.
Quick features of the plan include:
- Full coverage for your vehicle and passengers
- Same-day claims pay
- Earn cash rewards
- Meets state requirements
Highlight of Hugo Car Insurance features
- No down payment: With Hugo, drivers can pay as they go with a $0 down payment.
- Flexible micropayments: With flexible micropayments, drivers can pay very small and get affordable insurance coverage for specific, short-term needs.
- No upfront fees: You don’t have to pay any initial or upfront charges when you purchase an insurance policy with Hugo, you only pay your insurance premium.
- Overdraft protection: Drivers can avoid lapses in their coverage and avoid spending more by simply turning off their insurance when their balance is empty.
- Meets state requirements: All Hugo’s car plans meet the minimum state requirement laws.
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Discounts
Hugo does not offer discounts to drivers. But plans like the Flex can help drivers tailor their auto insurance needs to meet their budget by buying coverage for as little as 3 days and also turning it on and off when needed.
Consumer complaints
While Hugo may only be new in the auto insurance market, it has received chunks of positive reviews from users. However, some users have reportedly complained of slow response from support.
“No live representatives to talk to. So if you have a problem and need a real person’s help you will not get that at Hugo. Plus the prices aren’t that much better than other insurance companies. It’s actually more. Only perk is you can pay by the day. Definitely meant for the financially challenged individuals. But overall I wouldn’t give Hugo more than 1 star”, a user said.
Hugo currently has a 4.8 rating on Trustpilot from 13,170 total reviews.
Consumer experience
Website: Hugo has a mobile-friendly website where you can easily get quotes and obtain other necessary information and policies about their service. You can use the site to perform important services like checking your policy documents, turning on and off your insurance, managing your policies, and performing all other account-related activities.
Claims: Drivers can file an auto claim using Hugo’s website and get real-time updates about the process.
How to sign up on Hugo and get an instant quote
Getting a quote from Hugo is quick and typically takes a few minutes to get one. Get a quote today by visiting their website.
How do I turn my insurance on and off?
If you have a Hugo Flex Plan, quickly log in to your account. Tap the On/Off toggle button on your account dashboard. With the Flex plan turning on again is instant.
When you turn your insurance off, your coverage will turn off at the end of your current 24-hour coverage period. Also, to turn it on again, you must have at least 1 day of coverage in your account.
Note that this feature varies by state and is only available in Illinois and California.
If you have a Basic or Full Plan, you can turn off your policy by logging in to your account and then tap on My Policy. There, you can now turn off your policy.
Keep in mind that when you turn off your policy with the Hugo Basic and Full plan it is a policy cancellation, read that again.
Hugo rates comparison with other insurance companies
| Company | Average Monthly Rate |
|---|---|
| Hugo | $162 |
| Geico | $167 |
| Progressive | $173 |
| State Farm | $186 |
| Nationwide | $182 |
| Company | Pay-as you-go | Roadside assistance | Rental car coverage | Accident forgiveness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hugo | Yes | No | No (Only Hugo Full) | No |
| Geico | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Progressive | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| State Farm | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Nationwide | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Here is a comparison of Hugo’s average rate, and services with other major auto insurance companies:
From the table, Hugo is the only auto insurance company that offers a pay-per-day plan to drivers, but greatly falls short on other important features like road assistance, rental, and rental car coverage.
Pros and Cons of Hugo auto insurance
Pros:
- Flexible payments
- Quick online quotes
- Instant proof of insurance
Cons:
- Lacks towing roadside assistance on Basic and Flex plans
- Not available in all states
- No mobile app
Can drivers get Financial Responsibility Filings or SR-22s on Hugo?
No, Hugo does not carry out SR-22s or file Financial Responsibility for drivers.
How to file a car insurance claim with Hugo
If while driving, you get into a car accident. Your car is damaged, and it’s not your fault; another driver hit you and you need to file a claim for compensation to cover the medical and damages, quickly visit the Hugo website.
Tap on the Help button located at the bottom right corner of the website. Different options will pop up, now click on File a claim, and then follow the onscreen instructions to connect with a claims specialist.
If you are filing a claim against a Hugo member, simply provide your policy number in the required field for more instructions.
Also check: Car Insurance Lawyer For Accident Claims| Find One Near You
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Hugo car insurance legit?
Yes, Hugo car insurance is a legitimate car insurance company. All of its insurance policies meet minimum state laws in the 13 U.S. States they operate and have also received licenses to run. Hugo is Backed by Founders Fund and Canaan.
Does Hugo insurance have roadside assistance?
Yes, Hugo’s comprehensive policy comes with additional perks like towing and roadside assistance. This is only available on Hugo’s Full plan.
Does Hugo work with Uber, Lyft, or other food delivery services?
No, unlike the Toggle car insurance where drivers can get extra rideshare coverage, Hugo’s policies do not extend to rideshare driving or food delivery on app-based services like Uber, Lyft, or DoorDash.
Does Hugo insurance cover Georgia?
Yes, Hugo insurance coverage is available in Georgia and some other states in the U.S.
Does Hugo report to DMV?
When you turn off and cancel your policy, Hugo will be obligated to notify the DMV of a lapse in your insurance coverage. This is applicable in Hugo’s Basic and Full plans.
So it’s advised you don’t turn off your car insurance on those plans.
Does Hugo have an app?
No, Hugo does not presently operate a mobile app. But the company is promising members of one soon.
Which Hugo plan is best for me if I drive less?
Drivers who do not drive more often can benefit from Hugo’s Flex plan. This bundle gives you liability coverage while allowing you to turn on and off your insurance on days you don’t drive.
Can I get full coverage?
Yes, but only if it is available in your state. If you don’t see this tab on your account, then it is not yet available for your state.
Is Hugo good at paying claims?
Much is yet to be known about Hugo being good at paying out claims. However, since it has positive reviews from several review sites like Trust Pilot, we can presume the company can be good at that.
Also, Hugo has a Same day claims pay policy which means, you can expect to be paid for your claim the same day you file it. Note that this policy is only available in the Unlimited Full plan.
