Auto insurance if I don't own a car?

[baydude]

I constantly drive different cars from friends and Zipcars in SF. If my friend has full coverage insurance on his car, what type of coverage will there be when driven by me? If I get in accident, what do I show?

Is there such a thing as auto insurance for someone who doesn't own a car but constantly drives other people's cars?

 

[_Rick_]

You want to make sure that whoever's car you're driving, the insurance covers your regular use. And then pay the owner of the car a share of the cost this option adds to their insurance bill.

Because, from what I know, it's always the car that is insured, for a certain driver. Might be different in the states though.

 

[Phynaz]

It is the driver that is insured, not the vehicle.

 

[Rakehellion]

The drivers is insured to the vehicle, so you'd have to fill out separate forms for each car. Insuring a Ferrari costs more than insuring a Honda.

 

[BoomerD]

It is the driver that is insured, not the vehicle.

Then why do different vehicles get charged different premiums?

YES, your insurance should cover you if you drive a different car...BUT, in most cases, the insurance on the vehicle SHOULD cover different drivers.

Each state has its own insurance laws...so YMMV.

 

[alkemyst]

Talk to your agent. In general you don't want to have a lapse in coverage or you can face ridiculously high rates for a year or two coming back.

I sold my car when I went to University of Florida for a couple years. It would have been cheaper to keep a basic policy for those two years than be re-rated when I bought another car.

 

[BoomerD]

http://www.insure.com/car-insurance...w-can-i-get-auto-insurance-without-a-car.html

 

[JPerk]

It is the driver that is insured, not the vehicle.

Not true. In CA at least, the insurance follows the car first. In a situation where you borrow a friend's car and have an accident, the friend's policy pays first and if their limits are insufficient, your policy pays second.

For the OP, you can get what's called a non-owners policy if you don't want to rely on the vehicle owners to maintain insurance, however, your non-owners policy would be secondary to the vehicle owner's policy. Just make sure you have been excluded by name on the policy.