Can You Get Insurance on a Car that You Do Not Own?

Often the situation arises where you may need to be an insured driver without owning a car. Just because you do not own the car does not keep you from purchasing insurance on it. You can also buy a policy to cover you for whenever you drive a car.

If you have a car borrowed for an extended period of time, it is best to buy insurance.

When someone is kind enough to give you the use of their car, it is a nice thing to at least cover the insurance costs for the car. This not only is a good way to say thanks to the owner, but it also gives you peace of mind in knowing that the car is adequately insured. In this case, you would buy the insurance just for the car that you are using. The policy is written much in the same way as if you owned the car. The cost for this type of policy is typically on the level of a policy that a car owner purchases.

You can buy non-owned auto insurance.

This type of policy is not linked to a specific car. It also is designed to cover costs that are not covered or fully paid by the car owner's policy. Usually, non-owned auto insurance is expected to pay after all other insurance policies are exhausted. In this way, non-owned auto becomes a safety net for you in case there are costs that might fall back to you to have to pay. In some instances, a claim may be ineligible for coverage on other policies, but the non-owned auto insurance will still pay the bills.

As a driver, you can buy auto insurance to take care of you when you rent a car.

This insurance can be purchased through the car rental agency or on your own. If you intend to only need insurance for a few days per year, it is best to go ahead and buy the policy offered by the rental company. However, if you rent cars frequently or borrow cars to drive, it is a good idea to just go out and buy your own policy. By doing this, you are covered all the time. It also has the benefit of being cheaper by buying a six month or annual policy.

You may need to insure a car that you do not own or drive.

Parents are frequently in a situation where older children need help. This is especially true during a child's college years. It is possible that a son or daughter could purchase a car but not be able to afford the insurance. In this case, the parent may choose to buy a policy to cover the vehicle to give financial assistance to the young adult. Obviously, you could purchase the insurance yourself or pay the premium for the child. However, you may find that your financial picture will save money on the policy and choose to obtain the policy in your name on his or her car.