Non-Owner Car Insurance in Washington: What You Need to Know

Non-owner car insurance offers coverage to Washington drivers who don’t own a car or need filler insurance to avoid a coverage lapse.
Written by Jaya Anandjit
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
background
Non-owner
car insurance
costs Washington drivers an average of $675 per year. If you don’t own a car but you drive often or you want to avoid a lapse in coverage after selling your vehicle, non-owner car insurance is a wise and affordable option.  
Non-owner car insurance provides liability coverage and medical payments coverage to Washington drivers who don’t own a car but drive often. Whether you borrow vehicles, purchase rentals, or use car-sharing services, a non-owner policy can go a long way to keep you protected at an affordable price. 
Here’s everything you need to know about non-owner car insurance in Washington state, including coverage, costs, companies, and how you can get it.
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What does non-owner car insurance cover? 

In Washington, you can get non-owner car insurance that covers liability insurance,
personal injury protection
,
medical payments coverage
, and
uninsured motorist coverage
. Non-owner policies are tied to an individual rather than a vehicle and act as a safety blanket for the vehicle owner’s auto insurance policy. 
Car insurance policies in Washington must meet the state’s requirements, which include $25,000 of
bodily injury liability
per person, $50,000 of bodily injury liability per accident, and $10,000 of property damage per accident. These basic liability limits are fairly low, so if you get into an at-fault accident and the owner of the vehicle you’re driving only has minimum liability insurance, you could face some pretty hefty repair bills and even medical damages out of pocket.
Non-owner insurance can help you avoid paying out of pocket for an accident in a vehicle that's not yours, especially if you select higher coverage levels than the minimum. Keep in mind that you cannot add
collision
and
comprehensive coverage
to your non-owners insurance policy—these types of coverage are limited to a vehicle you own.

Average cost of non-owner car insurance in Washington

Non-owner car insurance policies are pretty affordable in Washington. Typically, drivers with
clean driving records
pay an average of $675 per year for non-owner coverage. If you have any major moving violations on your record like a DUI, you can expect to pay closer to $1,155 per year. 
On average, non-owner car insurance coverage is cheaper than standard car insurance policies, especially when compared to the cost of a full-coverage plan. If you don’t own a car but want to maintain your insurance to avoid a coverage lapse, paying for non-owner car insurance can also help you save money in the long run. 

The best Washington auto insurance companies for non-owner car insurance

Nationwide
,
GEICO
, and
State Farm
are the only three companies that offer non-owner car insurance across the country, so you can start by comparing quotes from these three. With that said, they aren’t the only insurance providers that offer non-owner coverage in Washington. 
Washington residents can also purchase non-owner car insurance policies from
Progressive
, USAA,
Travelers
,
Farmers
, and
MetLife
. Many insurance companies in Washington also support high-risk drivers who require non-owner SR-22 insurance. In fact, most of the providers listed above offer coverage for non-owners with SR-22 forms!
To help you begin your comparison shopping journey, the table below highlights average monthly and yearly costs for non-owners policies from some of the most affordable providers in Washington.

Cheapest Washington non-owner car insurance companies

Company
Average annual premium
Average monthly premium
Average annual SR-22 premium
Average monthly SR-22 premium
GEICO
$319
$27
$658
$55
Progressive
$353
$29
$425
$38
State Farm
$459
$38
$459
$38
USAA
$237
$20
$506
$42
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Who needs a non-owner car insurance policy?

Non-owner car insurance policies can help you manage the following situations: 
  • Non-owner car insurance can protect your wallet from serious financial liability if you regularly drive another person’s vehicle
  • If you rent vehicles or use car-sharing services (e.g. Zipcar), non-owner car insurance can keep you protected on the roads alongside your rental car insurance. 
  • If you need to purchase
    SR-22 insurance
    to get your driver’s license reinstated, a non-owner car insurance policy is the best and most affordable way to fulfill your SR-22 requirements.
  • If you plan to be without a car temporarily, non-owner insurance can help you avoid a
    lapse in coverage
    (which could raise your future insurance premiums). 
If you drive your friend’s car from time to time, you don’t necessarily need non-owner car insurance; your friend’s policy will protect you in case of an accident. And if you only rent cars for vacations once or twice annually,
rental car insurance coverage
should be good enough.
Pro Tip For Washington drivers who frequently use someone else’s car: be sure to ask the vehicle owner about their car insurance policy! You should always know how much coverage applies to the vehicle you’re driving, regardless if you’re driving it once or several times a week.

How to get non-owner car insurance in Washington

As long as you have a valid driver’s license under your belt, you can reach out to car insurance companies to get non-owner auto coverage in Washington. Be sure to compare quotes from multiple providers—or better yet, use a comparison shopping app to access quotes from multiple providers at once.
“You must get this app! It’s my first time getting my own insurance, so I called a few companies myself. Their rates priced me around $600/month. I used
Jerry
and my rates went down to $250/month. I’m so happy!” —Melissa C.
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