I'd like to purchase a car insurance policy because I'm a traveling nurse and frequently fly to new destinations and rent cars. What kind of car insurance should I buy?

You're smart to think about this and weigh your options. You can purchase liability insurance from the rental car company each time you travel to a new location, but considering how frequently you rent cars, a non-owners policy might be more cost-effective in the long run.

A non-owners policy provides liability protection. It does not usually include comprehensive, collision, towing and rental reimbursement and other optional coverages. There is usually no deductible unless your state requires uninsured/underinsured property-damage coverage. Uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage pays for damage to your car if an uninsured or underinsured driver crashes into your vehicle.

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Typically car insurance rates for a non-owner policy are about half the premium price of a standard auto insurance policy, but prices vary depending on location and how much liability protection you want.

A non-owner's policy would also provide liability protection if you borrowed a friend's car. In that case, the friend's insurance would pay out first if you caused an accident, and then the non-owners policy would kick in if the damage exceeded your friend's liability limits.

Call insurance companies and agents to compare prices for non-owners policies; unfortunately, car insurance quotes for non-owners coverage are not available online.

Meanwhile, you still might want to purchase a collision/comprehensive damage waiver from the rental car company, which releases you from financial responsibility if the rental car is damaged or stolen. In addition, check to see whether your credit card offers free rental car coverage, and get the details of the coverage in writing.

For more, see car insurance for drivers who don't own vehicles.