My car engine blew and I'm not sure when I'll get a new car. Do I still need to carry some type of car insurance or should I cancel my policy?

Talk to your insurance company about the situation and ask if you should instead get a non-owners car insurance policy. This type of policy provides liability protection and is geared to people who don't own cars but frequently rent cars or borrow vehicles from friends and relatives.

Generally, a non-owners policy is about half the cost of a standard car insurance policy. Non-owners insurance is meant to provide liability protection to cover other people's damage and injuries if you cause an accident. It does not include such optional coverages as collision, comprehensive and towing and rental car reimbursement. Additionally, non-owners insurance does not usually include a deductible, unless uninsured/underinsured property-damage coverage is required in your state. That coverage pays for damage to a vehicle if you're hit by an uninsured/underinsured driver.

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A non-owner's policy provides liability protection when you rent cars, and secondary coverage if you borrow an insured friend's car. In the latter case, your friend's insurance would pay out first if you caused an accident using the borrowed car, and your non-owners policy would kick in if damage exceeded your friend's liability limits.

You can't get insurance quotes for non-owners policies online. Instead, you have to contact insurance agents and insurers directly to inquire about prices.

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