The Best Non-Owner Car Insurance in 2025

Non-owner car insurance is a type of policy for people who don’t own a vehicle but still drive occasionally. It provides liability coverage, meaning it pays for injuries or property damage you cause to others while driving a car you don’t own.

A non-owner policy includes:

• Bodily injury and property damage liability: Pays for medical expenses for other people if you cause an accident, and repairs to another person’s vehicle or property.
• Optional add-ons: Depending on the insurer and state, you may be able to include medical payments (MedPay), personal injury protection (PIP), or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which can help cover your medical bills or damages if the at-fault driver doesn’t have sufficient insurance.

Essentially, non-owner insurance offers protection from financial responsibility when you’re at fault in an accident — but only for damage or injuries you cause to others, not for the vehicle itself.

A non-owner policy is not a full replacement for a traditional auto policy. It does not include:

• Collision or comprehensive coverage: It won’t pay for damage to the car you’re driving — whether it’s a rental or a friend’s vehicle. Nor will it cover theft, vandalism, weather damage, or animal collisions.
• Coverage for vehicles you own or regularly use: If you have regular access to a car — such as one owned by someone you live with — you’re typically not eligible for a non-owner policy.
• Rental car damage waivers: Even though it covers your liability to others, it doesn’t pay for repairs to the rental car itself. You’d need a separate rental car damage waiver or credit card protection for that.

A non-owner policy is generally worthwhile if you frequently rent cars, use car shares (like Zipcar or Turo), or borrow a friend or family member’s vehicle whom you don’t live with. Non-owner policies are significantly cheaper than standard policies. You can expect to pay just 20 percent of the cost of a standard policy if you have a clean driving record and decent credit.

Here’s a deeper dive into why a non-owner’s policy could be worthwhile:

• Rental cars and carshares. While rentals and carshares include minimum liability coverage, these limits might not be enough in the event of a serious accident. Note however that a non-owner policy will not cover damage to a rental car, because it doesn’t include collision coverage.
• History of continuous coverage. Non-owner policies also help you maintain a history of continuous coverage, which helps keep your premiums low over time. If you decide to buy a car eventually, you’ll get cheaper premiums due to your insurance history.
• Additional coverage in a borrowed car. While insurance generally follows the car, if you get into an accident in a borrowed car, your non-owner policy provides additional coverage limits if the vehicle owner’s liability limits are insufficient.
• SR-22 filing. You might also need non-owner coverage if you need to file an SR-22 after a serious driving violation, like a DUI, but no longer own a car. A non-owner policy proves you hold liability coverage, satisfying SR-22 requirements.
• MedPay and uninsured motorist coverage. If a car hits you while you’re walking, biking, scootering, etc., a non-owner policy can help pay for your medical bills if you’ve added MedPay, PIP, or uninsured motorist coverage (availability varies by state).
• Fulfill driver’s license requirements. In some states, you need an insurance policy in order to get a driver’s license — even if you don’t own a car. A non-owner policy fulfills this requirement, allowing you to get a license.

Non-owner car insurance is an affordable, flexible way to stay protected on the road when you don’t own a vehicle. Whether you rent cars, use car-sharing services, or occasionally borrow a friend’s car, this type of policy provides liability coverage to protect yourself financially if you cause an accident. While it doesn’t include collision or comprehensive protection, it fills a valuable gap for drivers who need proof of insurance, want to maintain continuous coverage, or require an SR-22 filing.

Our top picks—USAA, GEICO, Progressive, Travelers, and State Farm—offer a great balance of cost, availability, and customer satisfaction for non-owner policies. Compare rates from at least three providers, then choose the policy that delivers the right coverage at the right price.

To identify the best providers for non-owner insurance, we evaluated companies based on four criteria. 

• Pricing (40%): We analyzed average annual premiums for non-owner insurance policies across different driver profiles nationwide. Our reviews account for average costs and potential savings opportunities based on factors like age, location, driving record, frequency of vehicle use, and available discounts specific to non-owner policies.
• Customer Experience (30%): From getting quotes and purchasing policies to making payments and adjustments, we assessed the end-to-end customer journey for non-owner insurance. Top insurers were identified based on criteria like user-friendly digital services, customer service ratings, claims satisfaction scores, and other service quality metrics.
• Claims Handling (20%): We evaluated companies’ claims handling processes by examining industry ratings like J.D. Power’s claims satisfaction scores and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ complaint index. Because drivers in this category don’t own vehicles, we weighted claims handling slightly less heavily.
• Coverage Options (10%): We valued insurers offering coverage options particularly relevant to non-owner insurance policyholders. This includes flexibility in liability limits, the option to add personal injury protection or medical payments coverage, and the ability to easily convert to a standard auto policy if the policyholder purchases a vehicle. 

Read more about our ratings and methodology.