Non-owner car insurance

What is non-owner car insurance?

Non-owner car insurance protects you if you cause an accident while driving a vehicle you don’t own. It’s a secondary coverage that pays for damages above and beyond what might be covered through the car owner’s primary insurance.

Understand when you need non-owner car insurance

Here are several reasons to consider purchasing non-owner car insurance:

• You can’t afford a car but still need to drive
  Not having a car doesn’t mean you don’t need car insurance. If you still plan on getting behind the wheel, a non-owner policy will protect you on the road.
• You’re temporarily between vehicles
  While you can technically cancel your previous auto insurance policy, swapping it for a cheaper non-owner car insurance policy keeps you under continuous coverage, helping you avoid lapses in coverage and potentially saving you money in the long run.
• You need an SR22 
  If your state requires insurance coverage for drivers who don’t own a car but have incurred major violations such as DUI or DWI, a non-owner policy is an affordable, responsible way to satisfy that requirement. Learn more about what happens when you get a DUI/DWI and what to do if you need to get an SR22 or an FR44 in Florida and Virginia.

• You borrow your friend’s car from time to time
  If you plan to drive someone else’s car every now and then, it’s smart to have basic liability coverage in place. And depending on where you live, basic liability coverage might be required.

You may not need a non-owner car insurance policy if you share a household with someone who owns a vehicle you frequently drive. In those cases, you should be listed as a secondary driver on their policy.

What non-owner car insurance does—and doesn’t—cover

If you cause an accident while borrowing a vehicle, your non-owner car insurance policy would help cover damages to other people’s vehicles and property. The largest limitation is you wouldn’t have coverage if you were driving a vehicle you own or use often.

Non-owner car insurance doesn’t cover damages to the vehicle you’re driving, and typically doesn’t include coverage for your property or injuries you suffer in an accident.

How to buy non-owner car insurance

Minimum auto insurance requirements for car insurance vary by state—in fact, some states don’t actually offer non-owner car insurance policies. See what the car insurance requirements and options are for your state.