Does Car Have To Be Registered To Me To Get Insurance

Information technology's not a common scenario, but there are some reasons why you might desire to insure a auto you don't actually own — maybe it belongs to a family member, merely you're the but ane driving information technology. Generally, whoever is the titled owner of a car needs to be the one to insure information technology. Car insurance companies want to make sure the chief policyholder has what's chosen insurable interest in the car they're insuring.

Insurable interest essentially means you have a reason to insure a vehicle. If you're the car'southward possessor, the reason is self-evident: The auto is your investment, so you have a stake in keeping information technology from beingness damaged or destroyed.

Merely it'due south harder to prove your insurable interest if you don't actually own a vehicle. When yous're trying to insure a vehicle y'all don't own, auto insurance companies will exist wary of fraud, and be far less likely to allow you lot to accept out a policy. But, while opening a policy on a car that yous don't ain is rare, that doesn't mean you don't have options.

Primal Takeaways

Y'all typically cannot insure a motorcar y'all don't own, considering yous don't have what'south chosen "insurable interest" in the car
One alternate pick is to co-championship the car and add yourself as an possessor
You can also look into non-owner insurance, which will embrace y'all for liability while driving a car that isn't yours

Tin can I insure a car I don't own?

As mentioned, it'due south typically incommunicable to insure a automobile that you lot don't own because insurance companies desire you to testify yous have insurable interest in the car. If you can't testify you accept a fiscal stake in the vehicle, it'southward unlikely that you will be able to find an auto insurance visitor willing to cover you.

How to prove insurable interest

In club to evidence your insurable interest, when you apply for auto insurance you may need to submit your car's registration or your motorcar's championship, also called a pink skid, which is an official document that says who owns a vehicle. But if you lot don't own a motorcar, then it's harder to show to an insurance provider that you lot have a legitimate reason to insure it.

Other coverage options for a car that's not in your proper noun

Barring exceptional cases, it will not be possible for you to insure a car you lot don't own. However, you may have a few alternative options.

one. Co-title a car

Co-titling a vehicle means you lot're adding an boosted owner to a car. Each state'southward Section of Motor Vehicles (or equivalent organization) has specific requirements for doing this, but in order to add an owner to a car, you'll likely need to jointly apply for a new title.

This usually involves filling out a class with the names and data of both drivers who volition exist listed on the title, paying a fee, and going to the DMV in person to sign the new championship. If the car in question was purchased with a loan that hasn't been fully paid off, so you'll need to notify the lienholder and run into if it's possible to add an additional owner to the title.

But once you're added to the title as a co-owner of a car, you're gratuitous to become an insurance policy on that vehicle. As an possessor, you can be the primary policyholder. Merely whatsoever other owner should besides be listed on the car insurance policy.

2. Adding a named insured to an auto policy

If you alive with someone and oftentimes bulldoze their vehicle, say a roommate or family unit member, an insurance visitor may crave you to be added as a named insured on their auto policy, or vice versa. Typically, every driver in a household should exist added equally named insured on a policy. Y'all may be able to add together a new named insured to your policy online or over the telephone.

quote

Get a not-owner's policy, because you don't own the car.

Non-owner insurance

While y'all may not be able to insure a car you don't ain, if you lot'd like to protect yourself as a driver you tin look into something called not-possessor car insurance. Ideal for drivers who frequently hire or borrow cars, non-owner insurance is a kind of pared-downward auto insurance policy.

Policygenius home and auto expert Fabio Faschi suggests that anyone trying to figure out how to insure a car they don't own should get non-owner insurance instead. "Get a non-owner's policy, because you don't own the automobile," Faschi said. "Nosotros'd want to comprehend y'all for liability, but the vehicle itself has to be insured by the possessor."

Non-possessor insurance oftentimes only includes liability coverage, the courage of almost insurance policies. Y'all can sometimes add together personal injury protection, which covers your own medical expenses if you cause an accident, or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which covers you if yous're in an accident acquired by a driver without insurance, or whose insurance won't comprehend the full extent of the damage.

But non-owner insurance doesn't include the kind of coverage that'southward designed to protect your vehicle, like collision and comprehensive coverage, because at that place'due south no vehicle to protect. Still, if you find yourself ofttimes driving a car that doesn't belong to you lot, getting non-possessor insurance may be a more realistic option than trying to become a machine insurance policy for a car that's not in your name.

FAQs

Do you need insurance to drive someone else'southward machine?

Car insurance typically follows the auto, not the driver. If the owner of the car gives you permission to drive information technology, you'd be covered by their auto insurance policy under what is called "permissive use." If you alive with the possessor of the car, an insurance company may require you to be added to their auto policy. If you bulldoze other people'south cars often, you lot may want to consider purchasing a non-owner car insurance policy.

Tin I register a car without insurance?

Depending on what state y'all live in, you'll need to show proof of insurance when registering your motorcar at your state's Department of Motor Vehicles or equivalent bureau. You typically have 30 days to send proof of insurance, which can be your insurance ID carte, auto policy declarations page, or digital insurance carte du jour. Fifty-fifty if yours is one of the two states that don't require auto insurance, there may nonetheless be steps you lot have to accept before you can drive your new car.

Can insurance and registration be in different names?

Depending on what state you lot live in, if you're able to prove insurance interest in a vehicle and buy a policy for information technology even though you're not the owner, then the registration and insurance tin can technically be under different names, but for the same vehicle. Simply, as nosotros mentioned, it'south pretty hard to accept out a policy on a car you don't own, and many insurance companies may just pass up to write a policy for anyone who is non the vehicle's owner.

Authors

Anna Swartz is a managing editor and auto insurance expert at Policygenius, where she oversees our car insurance coverage. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic.com, besides as an associate writer at The Dodo.

Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Expert

Fabio Faschi is a licensed property and casualty insurance amanuensis. His expertise on home and auto insurance has been featured on Forbes, Consumer Diplomacy, Realtor.com, Apartment Therapy, SFGATE, Bankrate, and Lifehacker.

Questions most this page? Email us at editorial@policygenius.com.