Can Someone Register A Vehicle For Insurance If Their Name Isn't On There

Information technology's non a common scenario, but in that location are some reasons why yous might desire to insure a car you don't really own — perhaps it belongs to a family member, merely you lot're the only one driving it. Generally, whoever is the titled owner of a motorcar needs to be the one to insure information technology. Car insurance companies want to brand certain the primary policyholder has what's chosen insurable interest in the car they're insuring.

Insurable involvement essentially ways you have a reason to insure a vehicle. If you're the automobile's owner, the reason is self-axiomatic: The machine is your investment, so yous have a stake in keeping it from being damaged or destroyed.

But it's harder to show your insurable interest if you don't actually own a vehicle. When you're trying to insure a vehicle you don't own, car insurance companies will be wary of fraud, and be far less likely to allow you to take out a policy. But, while opening a policy on a machine that yous don't ain is rare, that doesn't mean you don't accept options.

Key Takeaways

You typically cannot insure a automobile you don't own, because you don't have what's called "insurable interest" in the machine
One alternating option is to co-title the auto and add yourself as an owner
You can besides look into non-owner insurance, which will encompass you lot for liability while driving a car that isn't yours

Can I insure a machine I don't own?

As mentioned, it'due south typically impossible to insure a car that yous don't own considering insurance companies want y'all to evidence y'all accept insurable involvement in the motorcar. If you can't prove you have a financial stake in the vehicle, information technology'southward unlikely that you will be able to observe an motorcar insurance visitor willing to comprehend you.

How to prove insurable involvement

In order to show your insurable interest, when you apply for car insurance you may need to submit your car's registration or your car's championship, likewise chosen a pink slip, which is an official certificate that says who owns a vehicle. But if y'all don't own a car, then it'south harder to bear witness to an insurance provider that you accept a legitimate reason to insure it.

Other coverage options for a car that's non in your name

Barring exceptional cases, it volition not exist possible for you to insure a auto y'all don't own. All the same, you may have a few alternative options.

1. Co-title a automobile

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

This usually involves filling out a grade with the names and information of both drivers who will be listed on the title, paying a fee, and going to the DMV in person to sign the new title. If the motorcar in question was purchased with a loan that hasn't been fully paid off, then you lot'll need to notify the lienholder and see if it'south possible to add an additional owner to the championship.

But once y'all're added to the championship equally a co-owner of a car, you lot're free to get an insurance policy on that vehicle. As an owner, you tin exist the primary policyholder. But whatsoever other possessor should likewise be listed on the car insurance policy.

2. Adding a named insured to an auto policy

If you lot live with someone and frequently drive their vehicle, say a roommate or family unit member, an insurance company may require you to exist added as a named insured on their car policy, or vice versa. Typically, every commuter in a household should exist added equally named insured on a policy. Yous may exist able to add a new named insured to your policy online or over the telephone.

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Become a non-possessor's policy, because yous don't own the car.

Non-possessor insurance

While you may non be able to insure a car you don't own, if you'd like to protect yourself as a driver you lot can look into something called non-owner car insurance. Platonic for drivers who oft hire or borrow cars, not-owner insurance is a kind of pared-down car insurance policy.

Policygenius abode and auto expert Fabio Faschi suggests that anyone trying to figure out how to insure a auto they don't own should become non-owner insurance instead. "Get a non-possessor'southward policy, because you don't own the car," Faschi said. "We'd want to cover you for liability, but the vehicle itself has to be insured by the owner."

Not-possessor insurance often simply includes liability coverage, the backbone of near insurance policies. Y'all can sometimes add personal injury protection, which covers your own medical expenses if you lot cause an accident, or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which covers yous if you lot're in an accident caused by a driver without insurance, or whose insurance won't comprehend the full extent of the impairment.

But not-owner insurance doesn't include the kind of coverage that'south 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 oft driving a car that doesn't vest to yous, getting non-owner insurance may be a more realistic option than trying to get a auto insurance policy for a machine that's non in your name.

FAQs

Practise you need insurance to drive someone else's automobile?

Motorcar insurance typically follows the car, not the commuter. If the possessor of the car gives you permission to drive it, you'd be covered by their motorcar insurance policy nether what is called "permissive utilise." If y'all live with the possessor of the motorcar, an insurance company may crave you to exist added to their auto policy. If you drive other people's cars often, you may want to consider purchasing a non-owner motorcar insurance policy.

Can I register a car without insurance?

Depending on what state you live in, you'll need to evidence proof of insurance when registering your automobile at your country'due south Section of Motor Vehicles or equivalent agency. You typically have 30 days to send proof of insurance, which can be your insurance ID card, motorcar policy declarations folio, or digital insurance card. Even if yours is one of the two states that don't require auto insurance, there may still exist steps you accept to take before you can drive your new car.

Tin can insurance and registration be in dissimilar names?

Depending on what state you alive in, if you're able to prove insurance involvement in a vehicle and buy a policy for it even though you're not the possessor, then the registration and insurance tin technically be under dissimilar names, but for the same vehicle. But, as we mentioned, it's pretty difficult to take out a policy on a car yous don't own, and many insurance companies may just decline to write a policy for anyone who is not the vehicle's possessor.

Authors

Anna Swartz is a managing editor and car insurance adept at Policygenius, where she oversees our car insurance coverage. Previously, she was a senior staff writer at Mic.com, too as an associate author at The Dullard.

Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Expert

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

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