Do you need car insurance but don't own a car? Drivers who don't own a car need car insurance, too.
Non-owner car insurance is designed for people who need to be insured but don't own a car. It's affordable and easy to get, so there's no reason not to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Among the many types of car insurance, non-owner car insurance is the one for you if you don’t own a car. It typically costs less than regular car insurance because it only covers the driver's liability in the event of an accident.
Compared with a standard insurance policy, non-owner car insurance does not have a deductible, which means you don’t have to pay any money before your insurance company comes into play if you have to file a claim. It’s secondary coverage and commonly used to cover liability if you borrow, rent or share a vehicle and the car owner’s primary coverage isn’t adequate.
You can get non-owner car insurance for less than $500 a year. That's even less than the cost of most yearly cell phone bills.
Learn how a non-owner policy may benefit you and what it costs in each state.
What is non-owner car insurance?
Non-owner car insurance can be used by high-risk drivers who are required to buy a liability insurance policy to keep their driver’s license. But it is also used by drivers who don’t own cars and rent frequently or are trying to maintain continuous coverage.
A non-owner policy will generally cost much less than an owner’s policy. The average cost of a non-owners policy is $380. The low rate is because car insurance companies' risk is lower than that of a car owner who drives daily.
The premium amount is, however, dependent upon typical rating factors, such as your driving record and where you live.
How does non-owner auto insurance work?
Non-owner car insurance typically provides liability coverage, which can help protect the driver in the event of an accident. You can also purchase medical payments protection, personal injury protection and underinsured/uninsured motorist protection as additional coverages.
Although it is optional insurance coverage, it can be helpful for those who drive occasionally or do not have regular access to a vehicle. Non-owner car insurance acts as secondary coverage and kicks in if the vehicle owner's primary coverage isn't enough to pay for the damages.
Let's say you meet with an accident while driving someone else's car and cause damage worth $30,000. The car owner's primary coverage covers only $15,000 of the damage per their policy's coverage limits for property damage. In this case, you will be responsible for paying for the rest.
Can you get car insurance without a car?
Yes. Guidelines vary, but typically an insurer will require that you:
- Have a valid driver’s license.
- Do not own a vehicle.
- Some insurers also require that no one in your household owns a vehicle and that you do not have regular access to a car.
Why would you want a non-owner policy?
Here are four instances when you may want a non-owner insurance policy:
- As a car renter, the policy serves as primary liability coverage. However, you would still need to buy the collision damage waiver to pay for repairs to the rental car if your credit card company does not automatically do so.
- As someone trying to maintain continuous coverage, you are avoiding a gap in your insurance history that label you as a high-risk driver and result in higher rates when you buy your next car insurance policy.
- As a high-risk driver, the policy is typically needed to satisfy conditions to receive or reinstate a driver’s license. If you are required to file an SR-22 or FR-44 with the state – an insurance company’s guarantee that your coverage is current – a non-owner SR-22 insurance policy can satisfy that mandate even if you don’t own a car.
- You may own a car, but want to buy non-owner insurance to fulfill state obligations for SR-22 or FR-44 filings.
For ExampleIf you have a car and you're satisfied with your current insurer, but you need to file an SR-22 or FR-44 and your current company does not offer it, you can purchase a separate non-owner policy with another carrier to meet your filing requirements. The extra cost is typically very low because the supplemental non-owner policy isn't covering your car.
Who should not buy non-owner car insurance?
A non-owner personal auto insurance policy isn’t for you if:
- You own a car. In this case, purchase a standard owner’s policy.
- There is a vehicle in your household. Typically, in this situation, you would be required to be placed on the car owner’s policy as a driver to be covered instead of obtaining a non-owner policy of your own. This is especially true if your spouse owns a vehicle since an insurer may also consider that vehicle your property to insure.
- You drive a car regularly. If you don’t own a car but drive someone else’s frequently, you should be added to that person’s policy as a driver. If you're in full possession of the vehicle, find an insurer that will allow you to place a standard auto insurance policy on that vehicle.
- You are using a vehicle for business use.
- You don’t have a driver’s license and cannot obtain one within 30 days of starting a non-owner policy.
What does a non-owner policy cover?
Coverage under a non-owner policy includes:
- Bodily injury liability
- Property damage liability
Some insurers also offer as part of a non-owner policy:
- Medical payments coverage
- Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage
Because a car is not attached to a non-owner policy, you will NOT be offered the following types of coverage:
- Collision
- Comprehensive
- Rental reimbursement
- Towing and labor
- Custom parts and equipment coverage
A non-owner policy will not pay for repairs to a car you borrow. If you borrow a friend’s car, you need to verify that the owner has a policy that will extend to you as primary coverage.
Your non-owner coverage would pay only if the owner’s coverage limits are reached and then only to cover the damages inflicted on the person or vehicle you hit.
Does non-owner insurance prevent a lapse in coverage?
Non-owner insurance can help you avoid a lapse in coverage when you frequently drive but don't yet own a car. Preventing a lapse in coverage is smart because auto insurance companies typically charge you more for a policy after a period that you've had no insurance.
A lapse in coverage for a week up to 30 days will hike your car insurance rate by an average of 14%, or about $269 a year. More than 30 days lapse gets you a 22% increase, about $439 more a year.
How much does non-owner car insurance cost?
Non-owner car insurance costs $380 a year, on average, based on a CarInsurance.com rate analysis. However, depending on where you live and other factors, you may pay twice that, or half.
Expert's TipNon-owner car insurance is cheaper than normal insurance, but the costs vary from company to company. Costs tend to range from 10% to 80% of the price you'd pay for a standard auto policy, says Jarrett Dunbar, a spokesman for Nationwide.
Dunbar says that "much depends on how often the customer has access to a car, how that car will be used and what age the operator is."
Non-owner car insurance costs in your state
There can be significant cost differences by state and ZIP code. Here's a look at the average costs for non-owner car insurance by state:
| State | Average non-owner insurance cost |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $233 |
| Alabama | $364 |
| Arkansas | $232 |
| Arizona | $386 |
| California | $323 |
| Colorado | $333 |
| Connecticut | $509 |
| Washington, D.C. | $470 |
| Delaware | $720 |
| Florida | $759 |
| Georgia | $373 |
| Hawaii | $407 |
| Iowa | $193 |
| Idaho | $190 |
| Illinois | $385 |
| Indiana | $263 |
| Kansas | $280 |
| Kentucky | $522 |
| Louisiana | $366 |
| Massachusetts | $421 |
| Maryland | $355 |
| Maine | $235 |
| Michigan | $574 |
| Minnesota | $257 |
| Missouri | $315 |
| Mississippi | $350 |
| Montana | $298 |
| North Carolina | $926 |
| North Dakota | $220 |
| Nebraska | $241 |
| New Hampshire | $300 |
| New Jersey | $993 |
| New Mexico | $303 |
| Nevada | $414 |
| New York | $578 |
| Ohio | $230 |
| Oklahoma | $218 |
| Oregon | $483 |
| Pennsylvania | $337 |
| Rhode Island | $573 |
| South Carolina | $435 |
| South Dakota | $170 |
| Tennessee | $300 |
| Texas | $408 |
| Utah | $436 |
| Virginia | $336 |
| Vermont | $292 |
| Washington | $389 |
| Wisconsin | $248 |
| West Virginia | $293 |
| Wyoming | $216 |
How much is non-owner car insurance in California?
The average non-owner cost for California is $323. However, depending on your location, you may pay closer to $300 or nearly $600. Here's how the costs compare between cities in California:
| City | Average Non-Owner Car Insurance Cost |
|---|---|
| Chula Vista | $290 |
| Foster City | $294 |
| Salinas | $299 |
| Santa Rosa | $311 |
| Fremont | $312 |
| Oceanside | $318 |
| San Diego | $320 |
| San Jose | $323 |
| Bakersfield | $323 |
| Oxnard | $324 |
| Fresno | $325 |
| Modesto | $338 |
| Riverside | $338 |
| Irvine | $340 |
| Stockton | $342 |
| Oakland | $344 |
| Ontario | $350 |
| Santa Ana | $350 |
| San Francisco | $351 |
| San Bernardino | $354 |
| Sacramento | $357 |
| Anaheim | $358 |
| Pomona | $359 |
| Huntington Beach | $360 |
| Santa Clarita | $375 |
| Long Beach | $377 |
| Garden Grove | $382 |
| Los Angeles | $467 |
| Glendale | $515 |
Who has the cheapest non-owner car insurance quotes?
Among the major carriers surveyed, Auto-Owners has the cheapest car insurance rate, on average, for a non-owners policy. You'll see how major carriers compare on quotes for non-owner insurance.
| Company | Non-Owner State Minimum Liability Only |
|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $86 |
| USAA | $160 |
| Kemper Insurance | $273 |
| Geico | $296 |
| State Farm | $306 |
| Travelers | $343 |
| Nationwide | $428 |
| American Family | $500 |
| Allstate | $536 |
| Progressive | $593 |
| Farmers Insurance | $668 |
How do I buy a non-owner car insurance policy?
You apply a non-owner car insurance policy in the same manner as you would for an owner’s policy. Not all auto insurance providers offer non-owner policies because this is considered a non-standard policy.
You can contact local independent agents with access to multiple non-standard carriers or your state’s insurance regulator for consumer information on companies offering non-owner policies.
Suppose you have a non-owner insurance policy and you purchase a vehicle. In that case, you will need to let your insurer know immediately to change your policy to an owner’s policy that will cover your new car – or else you’ll be without coverage on the vehicle.
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Frequently asked questions: Non-owner car insurance
Methodology:
CarInsurance.com gathered rates for non-owner car insurance across all the states with the help of Quadrant Information Services. Non-owner insurance rates are based on the profile of a 40-year-old male driver with a good credit score and a clean driving record.
We analyzed non-owner insurance costs for major insurance companies that offer cheap rates and provide their services in more than 15 states.
