Can Someone Else Insure My Car

Can Someone Else Insure My Car

Are you asking yourself, “Can someone else insure my car?” It’s evident that any vehicle needs to be insured to be driven around, and most policyholders are the registered owners. However, what if you can’t insure your car due to several reasons? What happens then? Can somebody else do it for you?

Honestly, getting insurance for a vehicle that you don’t own might be a bit tricky. And it even becomes trickier if you and the vehicle owner live in different places. But the good news is that there are several ways to get auto insurance for somebody else’s car legally.

Getting added as an additional owner

Co-titling is arguably the most straightforward method towards insuring a car that doesn’t belong to you. However, doing that can be easy or complicated, depending on your state. The Department of Motor Vehicles in every state will spell out some specific requirements before transferring the registration of a vehicle.

First of all, you and the registered owner will have to apply for another car title jointly. You’ll be required to fill out a form with your names and other vital information. After doing that and paying the fee, you will sign up for the new title. However, if the vehicle in question has an outstanding loan, you’ll first have to notify the lienholder to get an okay to add another owner to the title. Now you’re even allowed to become the primary policyholder of the car.

Buy a non-owner insurance

If the co-titling process is too complicated for you, you can opt for a non-owner insurance cover, also called non-owned vehicle insurance. Basically, this kind of insurance is quite similar to the standard auto insurance policy. But unlike the comprehensive plan, non-owner insurance cover is mostly limited to liability coverage. It covers bodily injuries and property damage that you may incur in case of an accident.

However, this coverage leaves out vital protection policies because it doesn’t insure your vehicle. For example, you won’t get collision coverage, regardless of who caused the accident. Also, there is no comprehensive coverage, which ensures that you get compensated in case anything happens to your car when it’s not being driven. The cause of the damages can be falling objects, extreme weather, vandalism, etc.

Become a registered keeper

When applying for car insurance, you will need to prove your insurable interest first. To do that, you’ll have to provide your car’s registration or title, also referred to as a pink slip. In short, this is an official document with all the details about car ownership. But if you’re not the registered owner of the car, it might become difficult for you to prove the reasons why you want to insure it. That’s why it’s advisable to be accompanied by the registered owner.

In some scenarios, you can become a registered keeper of the car. A registered keeper is a person whose details appear on the vehicle’s logbook or registration certificate. For instance, if you’re driving a company car, your name will appear as the registered keeper. That’s because you are the one responsible for maintaining and driving it, despite not owning it. You can also do that if you have the following relationships with the owner:

• Spouse, partner, or civil partner
• Parent
• Car leasing company

So if you want to become the registered keeper of the vehicle, the current owner will first have to request a name and address change in the logbook.

Get a Drive Other Cars Cover

Another option is to get a drive other cars policy, also known as a DOC cover. You might even already have it if you have comprehensive insurance on another car. That’s because some auto policy providers include a third-party cover for the holder to drive other people’s cars. The DOC cover is, however, only applicable if:

• You are 25 years old and over
• You are not the registered car owner
• The vehicle is not on hire

If your comprehensive car insurance includes a DOC cover, it’s typically for emergencies and not regular driving. Therefore, it’s advisable to carefully crosscheck your car insurance to confirm if you have a DOC cover included. That’s to avoid rejection of any possible claims in the future.

Car Insurance and Young Drivers

When you’re shopping around for the best car or truck for your teenage kid, it’s vital to keep their safety in mind. This means that you’ll have to cover for your adolescent child’s insurance expenses. And unlike health insurance, auto insurance doesn’t set an upper limit on the driver’s age who is being covered by his/her parent’s insurance. Better still, some insurance companies might require you to provide the list of qualified drivers in your household.

Another option is to work out an agreement with another party where you’ll cover the insurance costs without necessarily owning the policy. For instance, if you’ve bought your wife a brand new convertible, the premiums can be paid by you, while she’s the registered car owner.

Learning to Drive Using Someone’s Car

Sometimes you might be practicing to drive in someone else’s car. If that’s the case, their insurance company can include you as a learner driver in their policy. Therefore, if the unfortunate happens as you learn, you can claim the car owner’s policy. Usually, you will get the same cover level as a registered driver.

Avoiding Problems When Buying Auto Insurance for Someone Else’s Car

When you successfully find a car insurance company that’s willing to provide a non-owner coverage, honesty is a must. Ensure that you tell them the real story that is surrounding your situation. If you lie, you are risking to be denied the policy, any future claims, and even worse, the company can decide to sue you. Also, you should provide all car ownership details and if possible, the registered car owner should go with you to the insurer.

Another thing, you should carefully read and understand the policy’s terms and conditions. There might be some specific conditions in the policy. Moreover, ensure that the policy ownership issues are clear to avoid any arising complications during payments. Some insurance companies are notorious for raising unnecessary issues during the actual claim. So, do your research very well.

Therefore, the next time you come across the, “Can someone else insure my car?” question, you already have the answer. Just remember that it can be a bit tricky to buy insurance coverage for a car whose owner you don’t work for or live with. Still, you can buy a non-owner insurance policy until you get a DOC cover or co-title the car.