No wheels? You may need car insurance anyway and here’s why.

Just because you don’t have a car, doesn’t mean you don’t need insurance. In fact, you can buy a specific type of insurance designed for people who sometimes drive but don’t own a car of their own. Non-owners car insurance is a smart choice in a few situations that you should know about.

Who Buys Non-Owner Car Insurance?

This kind of car insurance is well named. It’s for people who have a driver’s license but don’t own a car. This insurance is affordable because it doesn’t cover the car, it just covers you, the driver, for liability. It also assumes that because you don’t own a car, you don’t drive often. The policy usually pays for damages or injuries caused to someone else if you caused an accident while driving.

When Do You Need Non-Owner Car Insurance?

Now that you understand what non-owners car insurance pays for, you probably have an idea of when it might come in handy. If you drive a car that doesn’t offer coverage for you as a driver, you need your own policy. This can be true if you share a car with a roommate.

Non-owners car insurance can also be a smart buy for those who borrow or rent cars frequently. This often applies to city dwellers who can drive but don’t own a car because parking space rents are high. A non-owners policy gives you the comfort of knowing you have insurance, rather than paying for liability from a rental agency or wondering what coverage may exist on a car you borrow from a friend.

Proof of Car Insurance

Some people need a non-owners policy because they were caught driving without car insurance. The state can require you to buy car insurance that meets state financial responsibility laws or else give up your drivers license. You must file a form to prove you have the required insurance, often called an SR22. The form is standard in many states.

Not Always an Option

You should know that the insurance company might refuse to issue a non-owners policy if you have regular access to a car that could potentially cover you as a driver, such as one owned by a family member living in the same household. In that case, you would need to ask your relative to add you to their existing car insurance policy.

A non-owners policy will not cover anyone but you under any circumstances. These policies follow the driver, not the car.

Let Active Insurance Help

Let Active Insurance help you get the non-owners coverage you need, whether you rent a car, drive a friend’s car frequently or rent cars. We’ll help you find the right policy for you. When you call us, you talk to someone right away who will work hard to find you the coverage you need. Give us a call at (773) 278-9700.