Home Car insurance Coverage Can I insure a car that isn’t in my name? Can I insure a car that isn’t in my name? Written by: Cynthia Bowman Cynthia Bowman Cynthia Paez Bowman is a personal finance writer with degrees from American University in International Business and Journalism. Her work has been featured in MSN, Brex, Bankrate, Freshome, The Simple Dollar, GOBankingRates, and more. Cynthia is based between Las Vegas and Europe. In her spare time, she travels throughout Africa and the Middle East helping women entrepreneurs develop and grow their businesses. | Reviewed by: Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service. | Updated on May 2, 2023 Why you should trust Insure.com Quality Verified At Insure.com, we are committed to providing honest and reliable information so that you can make the best financial decisions for you and your family. All of our content is written and reviewed by industry professionals and insurance experts. We maintain strict editorial independence from insurance companies to maintain editorial integrity, so our recommendations are unbiased and are based on a comprehensive list of criteria. Insuring a car is typically simple enough. You buy a vehicle, shop around for car insurance and get coverage for your car. But there are times when things get more complicated. For example, you may want to insure your partner’s or teen’s car, which is in their name and not yours. So, can you insure a car you don’t own? If so, how? If not, what are the alternatives for car insurance? Follow along — we’ve got you covered. Key Takeaways You cannot usually get car insurance on a vehicle that is not in your name, but there are exceptions. Non-owner insurance is an option for people who don’t own a vehicle but want to be covered with liability coverage in case of accidents. If you are not a car owner but would like to be insured on it, it may be easier to get added as an additional insured on their auto insurance policy. Can you insure a car you don’t own? Most often, the answer is no, but this relies on the insurance company and its specific policies. But first, let’s talk about ownership. When it comes to car insurance, legal ownership isn’t about who paid for the car. The owner of the car is on the registration and title of the car. A standard auto insurance policy is only written in the name of the person who has legal ownership of the car. Insurance companies view this ownership as an insurable interest, a motivating factor in keeping the vehicle in good condition. Along with that, many states prohibit a vehicle’s registration in a different name than is on the proof of insurance. Therefore, you cannot usually get car insurance on a vehicle that is not in your name, but there are exceptions. Adding a car to your insurance policy if it’s not in your name So, when can you insure a vehicle that is not in your name? After all, it’s not a very common scenario. Some reasons why you might be inquiring about getting insurance on a vehicle you don’t own include: You’d like to add the vehicle owner’s name to your existing policy. You have a financial stake or insurable interest in the car. You’re related to and/or live in the same household as the vehicle owner. Someone is moving in with you, and you may share the vehicle. In some of these scenarios, there are more feasible alternatives than trying to insure the car you don’t own. We will get into the alternatives next. Though most major insurers will not sell you an insurance policy on a car that is not legally yours, some major insurers, like Progressive, say they will. How to insure a car you don’t own Insuring a car other than your own can be difficult, but there are a few ways that can help: Share the same address with the car owner If you live at the same address as a car owner, it’s easy to be added to their insurance policy. The vehicle owner just needs to contact their insurance company and tell them that they would like your name to be included in their auto insurance policy. Adding your name to car owners auto insurance Adding yourself to the title of a car can be difficult and expensive if you don’t own it. But to get insured you will have to show proof to the insurance company that you are dependent on this vehicle in order to get supplementary coverage from the insurer, but not all insurance companies offer these types of plans. Adding vehicle owner to your policy You may consider adding the vehicle owner’s name to your insurance policy. This way, you can make sure that it will be covered in case of any accidents or damage. QuickTake Minimum car insurance requirements by state Non-owner car insurance: How to get car insurance if you don't own a car What is liability auto insurance? 15 things you didn't know your car and home insurance policies cover How auto theft investigators work - and how to hire your own What is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage? Car warranties versus auto insurance How Does Gap Insurance Work and Do You Need it? Do you need full coverage on a financed car Do you need the VIN number for the insurance quote? Veterans and military guide to insurance 5 questions to ask your car insurance agent The secret life of your car's VIN "Stacking" your UM/UIM auto insurance coverage 10 things that aren’t illegal but should be SR-22 insurance: What is it and how does it work? Auto insurance: How to make sure you’re not underinsured Full coverage auto insurance: What it costs to get covered Will my car insurance still cover my vehicle if I had it towed out of the road after hitting a deer? I have a witness to the event. Double-car insurance dilemmas How to cut your car insurance bill in half 12 things you don't know about car insurance that could cost you Untangling your insurance during a separation or divorce My wife was half asleep when she went out to scrape snow and ice off her car. She used a snow shovel, not realizing she picked up the one with the sharp metal blade at the end, so she scratched the car all over. Will her car insurance cover the damage? My car was rear-ended and totaled but it was paid out by my insurance company and I am left with a balance on my car. Can I make a claim with the other drivers insurance company to pay the balance? As I was backing out of the driveway I hit a parked car that was parked beside the curb in the street causing what looked like mild damage. My vehicle had no damage. Will I have to pay a deductible? Don't let other people drive your car Taking the slow lane by storm: Insurance for low-speed vehicles Car insurance for blind drivers (you heard that right) Would I lie to you about car insurance? Only if it pays off Insuring your tricked-out, souped-up car See more > Alternatives to insuring a car you don’t own If you have trouble convincing your insurance company to insure a car you don’t own, there are workarounds to consider: Buy non-owner car insurance Non-owner car insurance is car insurance for drivers who don’t own a car. If you plan on borrowing a car regularly, non-owner car insurance will provide liability coverage for any vehicle you drive. Liability insurance pays for damages you cause to third parties, which may be enough for your needs, but it won’t cover the vehicle against loss or damages if you’re at-fault in an accident. recommend first seeing about being added as a driver to their policy.” Non-owner car insurance acts secondary to the car owner’s insurance policy. And if you drive someone else’ car regularly, you can ask the owner to add you as a driver to their policy. If you’re not the owner of the vehicle but want to make sure you have liability coverage to supplement whatever the owner of car has, non-owner insurance can be an option with affordable insurance rates. Ask to get added to the car owner’s insurance policy Instead of trying to buy car insurance for a car you don’t own, it may be easier to get added to the owner’s auto insurance policy instead. This scenario only works if the vehicle owner is your roommate or family member who lives with you. Most car insurance companies are more willing to add an additional driver to an insurance policy than to insure a car that’s not in your name. Become a co-owner or owner on the title Depending on your state, you may be able to get added as a co-owner on the vehicle’s registration. Once you’re on the title and registration, you’ll get a new title and be able to get an insurance policy on the vehicle. As an alternative, consider asking the title bearer to transfer the vehicle ownership over to you. The titleholder must own the car outright or pay it off in full first. Many states allow the gifting of a vehicle, saving you sales tax. However, it’s best to double-check this method with an accountant. You may save on sales tax but end up subject to a federal gift tax on the car’s value. Rely on permissive use If you’re planning to use the car occasionally, you don’t need an insurance policy if the owner already insures it. Insurance policies give non-owners of vehicles permissive use, which means licensed drivers who have been given permission to use the vehicle every now and then are covered without being named on the auto insurance policy. Can someone else insure my financed car? Although someone else may be able to insure your financed car, the bank or lending institution is the primary lien holder. Any insurance checks or payouts would be paid to the financing company. Can someone else register my car in their name? Although someone else may be able to insure your financed car, the bank or lending institution is the primary lien It all depends on the state. Generally, someone else may be able to register your car in their name, but only if you give them permission. You may also add a co-owner to your vehicle registration, showing both your names on the title. Frequently asked questions Can I get insurance on a car that is not in my name? Typically, you cannot insure a car you do not legally own unless your insurance company is willing to consider something other than registration as insurable interest. Some companies, like Progressive, are an exception to this rule. Can you get insurance for a car not registered to you? This depends on the insurance company as well as the information you have regarding the vehicle you’re trying to get. For those who want to get car insurance but do not own a vehicle, there are some exceptions. The basic requirement is that you have ‘insurable interest’ in the vehicle; however, many states and auto insurance companies will still refuse cover for people with no ownership of the car. Does a vehicle have to be in your name to insure it? In most cases, it will be difficult to insure a car that is not in your name. But you can co-title a car or add someone as an insured to your auto policy. Can someone else insure my car if the title is under my name? Generally, no. A person cannot get an auto insurance policy on a car that they do not legally own unless they can prove to the insurance company that they have an insurable interest in the vehicle. This story is contributed by Shivani Gite. Cynthia BowmanContributing Researcher | . .Cynthia Paez Bowman is a personal finance writer with degrees from American University in International Business and Journalism. Her work has been featured in MSN, Brex, Bankrate, Freshome, The Simple Dollar, GOBankingRates, and more. Cynthia is based between Las Vegas and Europe. In her spare time, she travels throughout Africa and the Middle East helping women entrepreneurs develop and grow their businesses. In case you missed it Best Car Insurance Companies of 2023 Car insurance rates by state: The most expensive and cheapest states for car ins... Full coverage auto insurance: What it costs to get covered A complete guide to car insurance for seniors A complete guide to adding a teenager to your car insurance policy What to do after a car accident that’s not your fault Total warfare: What to do when your auto insurer totals your car Car insurance claims: Who gets the claims check? Buying and insuring a used car: Most and least expensive models to insure in 202... The Best Car Insurance for Bad Credit of 2021 The best car insurance companies for speeding tickets Car insurance after a DUI Guide to Car Insurance Discounts Proper insurance coverage for college-bound children How to read (and actually understand!) your auto insurance policy Car Insurance Companies New driver insurance grace period: What you need to know How much do insurance agents make Autonomous cars: 5 delightful and 5 distressing things Busted! Part 1: How insurance companies spot bogus claims Insurance options for rideshare drivers 10 things that are illegal but shouldn’t be 1/1 Get instant quotes now ! Please enter valid zip Get quote