Car Insurance Without The Car

Did you know that you can have auto insurance without even having an automobile? Welcome to the world of non-owners insurance. Non-owners insurance, which may also be referred to as a named operator or named non-owner policy, is a type of insurance that provides policy level coverage to one driver. Since there is no car on the policy, physical damage coverages are not available and instead the policy is limited in coverage options typically to liability, uninsured motorist, and medical payments coverages. You may be asking why on earth you would ever purchase a non-owners insurance policy. Here are a few reasons:

• You do not own a vehicle, but use other people’s automobiles frequently: If you own a vehicle, you are not eligible for a non-owners policy. However, if you do not own a vehicle, but often borrow the cars of friends or families, a non-owners policy may be a good fit for you. You cannot always be certain that the owner of the vehicle you are driving has an insurance policy that covers you, or one at all for that matter. By maintaining a non-owners policy, you are ensuring that you cover yourself for liability purposes in the event of an accident.
• You are required to carry a state filing: Mistakes happen in life, and there are a few vehicular related mistakes, such as getting a DUI infraction or driving without insurance, that can cause you to have to pay severe consequences with the state. One such consequence is a state filing, most commonly referred to as an SR-22. An SR-22 is a filing sent to the state that proves to them you have auto insurance. Getting an SR-22 becomes tricky if you do not have an automobile or car insurance. That is where a non-owners insurance policy comes into play. You can attach an SR-22 to a non-owners policy.
• To prevent a lapse in coverage: Insurance companies provide more favorable rates to those who have had continuous insurance without a lapse in coverage. Almost always, the longer you have had continuous insurance, the better your rate.  In situations where you total or sell one vehicle, and there is a short interim period while you are waiting to purchase another, this can mean trouble. You could be stuck paying for coverage on a vehicle you no longer have or be charged more when you get a new vehicle and start a new policy. An alternative to this is to get a non-owners policy in the meantime. Then when you have possession of your new vehicle, you will not be penalized for a lapse in coverage

In addition to being beneficial for the above situations, there are a couple of other general benefits of a non-owner insurance policy:

• Cost: Non-owner insurance policies are typically significantly less expensive than a standard insurance policy.
• Easy to change: While not every insurance company has a non-owners insurance policy available, the ones that do typically allow you to switch between a non-owner and standard automobile insurance policy relatively easily. Usually switching from one to the other only requires a change to your existing insurance rather than having to purchase a whole new insurance policy.

If you are in a situation where you think you may be in need of a non-owner insurance policy or want more information, contact us today, and we would be more than happy to review your insurance needs with you.