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Non-owner auto insurance in California costs $500 per year, which is $14 more than the rest of the country on average, according to a rate analysis by Insure.com.

In California, non-owner policies are available from companies such as Auto Club Enterprises (AAA), Farmers and Progressive.

Non-owner car insurance is a policy for people who don’t own a car but often borrow or rent a vehicle. It provides liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage in case you get in an accident while driving a car owned by someone else.

“Non-owner policies provide the minimum coverage required by the state, as well as some optional add-ons, but there are specific requirements by the insurance carriers to provide this coverage in lieu of a traditional auto insurance policy,” says Patti Clement, senior vice president of private client services at HUB International, a leading personal insurance brokerage.

Learn more about the various requirements, what non-owner insurance is, which companies offer it and how much it costs in California.

Key Takeaways

  • The average non-owner car insurance cost in California is $42 per month for a 40-year-old male with a good driving record.
  • Car insurance rates vary by age. For instance, a 16-year-old male in California pays an average of $1,278 for non-owner car insurance, whereas a 25-year-old male pays $587 a year for the same coverage.
  • Auto Club Enterprises (AAA) offers most affordable rates for non-owner car insurance in California at $269.

How much does non-owner auto insurance cost in California?

Insurers consider non-owner policyholders as less risky due to their limited access to a vehicle, and therefore, it’s usually less expensive to buy a non-owner insurance policy than full coverage auto insurance.

On average in the U.S., it costs a driver with a clean driving record and good credit score $2,578 a year for a 100/300/100 full coverage insurance policy-$100,000 for injuries you cause in an accident, up to $300,000 per accident, and $100,000 for property damage. In California, full coverage car insurance costs $3,444.

Alternatively, non-owner car insurance is $486 a year on average in the United States and $500 in California.

But various factors affect individual rates, such as where in state you live, your age and driving history and other factors.

Which insurer offers the cheapest non-owner insurance rates in California?

In California, Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)’s non-owner insurance policy is the cheapest at $269 a year.

At $802 a year, State Farm charges the highest rate for non-owner insurance in the state.

Experts recommend comparing quotes from many different insurance companies so that you can find the best rate available. The cheapest non-owner insurance policies in the state are listed below.

Cheapest non-owner insurance rates in California

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Table

CompanyAverage annual premium
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)$269
Farmers$339
Progressive$476
Mercury Insurance$492
GEICO$564
Nationwide$609
State Farm$802
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Cheapest non-owner insurance in California Cheapest non-owner insurance in California

How much is non-owner car insurance in California by age?

Age is an important factor when it comes to pricing. Statistically, young drivers are a higher risk because they haven’t been driving for long and are more likely to cause an accident than older, more experienced drivers. In California, a 45-year-old will pay an average of $492 annually for a non-owner insurance policy compared to a 16-year-old driver who will pay an average of $1,278.

Average non-owner auto insurance rates in California by age and gender

AgeRates for male driversRates for female drivers
16$1,278$1,278
17$1,196$1,196
18$1,115$1,115
19$856$856
20$818$818
21$677$677
22$649$649
23$630$630
24$589$589
25$587$587
30$516$516
35$508$508
40$500$500
45$492$492
50$481$481
55$483$483
60$489$489
65$498$498
70$540$540
75$580$580
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Which California cities have the cheapest non-owner auto insurance?

Rates differ from ZIP code to ZIP code. Insurers consider the number of thefts, collisions and vandalism in an area when calculating rates.

The tables below display the cities in California that have the least and most expensive non-owner auto insurance rates.

The 20 California cities with the lowest non-owner auto insurance rates

CityNon-owner car insurance rates
Los Osos$389
Mount Shasta$389
Yreka$391
Pacific Grove$399
Weed$400
Cambria$401
Solvang$401
Bishop$402
Arroyo Grande$405
Durham$405
Carmel-by-the-Sea$406
Los Alamos$407
Orcutt$408
Buellton$410
Big Pine$411
Avilla Beach$412
Montague$413
Morro Bay$413
Blue Lake$415
Pine Valley$415
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The 20 California cities with the highest non-owner car insurance rates

CityNon-owner car insurance rates
Tarzana$728
Beverly Hills$703
Van Nuys$689
Panorama City$685
West Hollywood$684
Northridge$682
Glendale$678
Universal City$678
Tujunga$669
Encino$665
Sherman Oaks$662
Reseda$658
Valley Village$652
Florence-Graham$652
Sun Valley$649
Canoga Park$645
North Hollywood$638
Los Angeles$634
Toluca Lake$632
Hoopa$630
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How much is non-owner car insurance in California’s 10 biggest cities?

The most populous cities in California have varying non-owner insurance rates. The cost of non-owner insurance in Los Angeles is the most expensive at $634; San Diego has the cheapest rates of the largest cities in the state at $481.

Non-owner auto rates in California’s 10 largest cities

10 largest citiesNon-owner car insurance rates
San Diego$481
San Jose$505
Fresno$506
Anaheim$510
Bakersfield$516
Sacramento$529
Long Beach$544
Oakland$549
San Francisco$550
Los Angeles$634
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How non-owner insurance rates in California compare to rates in other states

Non-owner auto insurance rates also differ from state to state. California’s average non-owner insurance rate is $500 a year, higher than the $486 national average.

Non-owner car insurance rates in the 10 most populous states

State NameAverage annual premium
California$500
Texas$564
Florida$668
New York$606
Pennsylvania$279
Illinois$518
Ohio$291
Georgia$510
North Carolina$681
Michigan$855
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What does non-owner auto insurance cover?

Non-owner auto insurance provides coverage when you are driving a vehicle you don’t own. “If someone with non-owner auto insurance is involved in an accident while driving a rental car or a friend’s car, the policy typically covers liability for damages and injuries to others,” says Golnoush Goharzad, a personal injury attorney in California.

An important caveat is these policies don’t cover damage to the car you are driving. “That would be covered under the car owner’s policy or possibly through optional insurance purchased from the rental agency,” Goharzad says.

Goharzad adds that non-owner auto insurance policies may provide extra coverage. “Non-owner policies may also provide supplementary liability over and above what the car owner’s policy covers, filling in gaps if the primary policy’s limits are exhausted.”

How to get non-owner auto insurance in California

Your driver’s license number and a credit or debit card are all you need to get a non-owner insurance policy.

To purchase a policy, follow these steps:

  1. Contact an auto insurance agent about the coverage
  2. Supply your basic driving history
  3. Review the information you receive on the insurers and rates
  4. Choose the policy that best meets your needs
  5. Put down a payment to begin coverage

Often, you’ll receive proof of insurance very quickly. Here are a few car insurance companies with their contact numbers to call for a non-owner insurance quote.

  • State Farm: 800-782-8332
  • GEICO: 800-207-7847
  • Progressive: 888-671-4405
  • Allstate: 800-726-6033
  • USAA: 800-531-8722

Methodology

Insure.com gathered rates from Quadrant Information Services for all 51 states, including Washington, D.C., to analyze non-owners auto insurance pricing.

This data is based on a sample driving profile of a 40-year-old male and female with a good insurance score and no violations, opting for a non-owners policy on a Honda Accord with a 12-mile commute and 10,000 annual mileage. We analyzed over 65 million insurance quotes from 195 companies (73 company groups) across 29,159 cities and 34,595 ZIP codes. The national average annual premium is $486.

Read more about our research standards and methodology.

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What our expert says

Q: Does a non-owner policy cover damage to your car?

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Golnoush GoharzadPersonal injury attorney, California.
These policies don’t cover damage to the car you are driving, Goharzad says. “That would be covered under the car owner’s policy or possibly through optional insurance purchased from the rental agency.”

Frequently asked questions

Who needs non-owner car insurance in California?

Non-owner car insurance is ideal for individuals who frequently rent cars or borrow others’ vehicles but do not own a car themselves. It’s also necessary for those who need to maintain continuous insurance coverage to avoid lapses.

Is non-owner car insurance available to everyone?

Non-owner car insurance is generally available if you do not own a vehicle, do not have regular access to a vehicle, and have a valid driver’s license. It is not available if you can be covered as a driver under another household member’s policy.

Can I get non-owner car insurance if I live with someone who owns a car?

If you live with someone who owns a car, you are generally expected to be listed on their car insurance policy. However, if you are not listed, non-owner car insurance could provide you with liability coverage when driving other vehicles.

What is the difference between non-owner and standard car insurance?

Non-owner car insurance only covers liability for bodily injury and property damage inflicted on others, not damages to the vehicle you are driving or injuries to yourself, which are typically covered under standard auto insurance policies.

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Leslie Kasperowicz
Managing Editor

 
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Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com.

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