How do I get SR-22 insurance without a car?
You can get non-owner SR-22 insurance through most insurance companies, but it'll be more expensive than traditional non-owner car insurance.
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Joel Ohman
Founder & CFP®
Joel Ohman is the CEO of a private equity backed digital media company. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, angel investor, and serial entrepreneur who loves creating new things, whether books or businesses. He has also previously served as the founder and resident CFP® of a national insurance agency, Real Time Health Quotes. He has an MBA from the University of South Florida. Jo...
Founder & CFP®
UPDATED: Nov 22, 2022
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Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Nov 22, 2022
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
- Non-owner car insurance offers the basic liability insurance required by most states
- SR-22 certificates prove a driver carries their state’s required insurance coverage
- Many high-risk drivers must carry non-owner SR-22 car insurance to reinstate their driver’s license
You must get a non-owner car insurance policy to get an SR-22 certificate if you’re a high-risk driver without a car. An SR-22 certificate proves you have insurance meeting your state’s insurance requirements, which a non-owner insurance policy fulfills.
Since non-owner car insurance is less common insurance coverage, we’ll cover how to get non-owner SR-22 insurance from the best auto insurance companies, who needs this coverage, and how much it costs. Continue reading to learn more about non-owner SR-22 insurance.
Non-Owner SR-22 Insurance Explained
So what exactly is non-owner SR-22 car insurance? If you have to purchase this car insurance coverage, it’s a good idea to understand what it is and what it covers. If you don’t have a vehicle but need an SR-22 certificate to drive, you’ll have to purchase non-owner insurance to protect you when you rent a car or borrow a friend’s car.
Non-owner car insurance provides you with the liability car insurance coverage your state requires. The two types of liability insurance are bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. If you cause an accident, these liability insurances pay for the other parties’ medical and property damage bills.
However, liability car insurance won’t pay for damages to the car you were driving or your own medical bills. Instead, the owner’s car insurance covers the property damage costs if they have the correct coverage, and your health insurance will pay for your medical costs.
To qualify for non-owner SR-22 insurance coverage, you must meet the following requirements:
- You don’t own a car.
- You don’t live with someone with a car that you could drive.
- You don’t need an ignition interlock device to drive.
For example, if your partner or parents own a car, you live with them, and have access to the car, you’ll need to join their policy rather than purchasing a non-owner SR-22 insurance policy.
Who needs SR-22 insurance?
Some high-risk drivers need SR-22 certificates to drive. Some of the types of drivers who may need SR-22 car insurance include the following:
- Drivers caught driving without insurance.
- Drivers caught driving with suspended driver’s license.
- Drivers caught driving with an expired driver’s license.
- Drivers with several points on their driving record.
- Drivers caught driving impaired or under the influence.
Any serious driving infractions will result in drivers needing an SR-22 certificate to reinstate their licenses with the DMV. However, you’ll be instructed by the authorities when you need an SR-22 certificate. There’s no need to go out and purchase non-owner SR-22 insurance if you don’t need proof of insurance to drive legally again.
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How to Get Non-Owner SR-22 Insurance
There are some steps you must take to get SR-22 insurance without a vehicle. Whether you already have non-owner car insurance or recently lost ownership of a car, we’ll go over each important step to getting non-owner car insurance with an SR-22 certificate below.
Contact Your Insurance Company to File the SR-22
Can I get an SR-22 without a car? The first step to getting a non-owner SR-22 certificate is contacting an auto insurance company. If you already have a non-owner insurance policy, ask your auto insurance company to file the SR-22 certificate with your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Remember that the auto insurance company will likely charge a small fee for filing the SR-22 certificate, as there’s a filing fee with the DMV.
There’s also the chance that, as a high-risk driver, your auto insurance company could drop you as a customer. However, insurance companies must give drivers notice before terminating a policy, so drivers will have time to find new car insurance coverage.
If you don’t have car insurance, you’ll have to shop around at companies offering non-owner car insurance. Likewise, if you have a poor driving record, you may have to shop around at multiple auto insurance companies to find one willing to insure you.
When applying to different companies for non-owner car insurance, let them know you need an SR-22 certificate. Lying about your need for an SR-22 certificate can lead to you getting dropped shortly after becoming insured when the auto insurance company checks your driving record.
If you can’t find a company willing to insure you, you may have to apply for guaranteed auto insurance coverage through your state’s insurance department. However, we recommend this option as a last resort, as auto insurance through the state is usually much more expensive.
Keep Continuous SR-22 Coverage
Once you’ve found non-owner SR-22 insurance and purchased your car insurance policy, it’s vital to keep continuous coverage. Letting your car insurance coverage lapse, especially when you have non-owner SR-22 insurance, can lead to many more serious problems.
Consequences of going without car insurance include fines, suspended licenses, and more. Also, since an SR-22 requirement gets assigned to higher-risk drivers, letting car insurance lapse on an SR-22 non-owner insurance policy means higher fines, longer driving suspensions, and other stricter penalties.
Cost of Non-Owner SR-22 Insurance
How much is non-owner SR-22 insurance? Expect to pay more for non-owner car insurance if you need an SR-22 certificate. Car insurance companies charge high-risk drivers more, as there’s a higher chance that they’ll get in another accident and file another car insurance claim.
The exact amount your insurance rates increase depends on your car insurance company, but finding cheap SR-22 non-owner insurance can be challenging.
Your auto insurance rates also depend on why you need non-owner SR-22 insurance. For example, a DUI will likely raise your rates more than if you got caught driving without insurance, as a DUI is usually one of the worst driving infractions compared to at-fault accidents or traffic tickets.
How can I save on non-owner SR-22 insurance?
Expect higher car insurance rates if you need to get an SR-22 certificate. However, you could prevent your auto insurance from increasing too drastically by following the tips listed below:
- Apply for additional auto insurance discounts. There may be discounts you must apply for, like if your insurance company offers a defensive driving discount. You’ll need to pass the course and show the company your completion certificate to get the discount.
- Improve your credit score. If your insurance company considers credit score when setting rates, improving your credit score can help reduce your auto insurance rates at your next auto insurance renewal.
- Maintain a clean driving record in the future. Even though you’re a high-risk driver, your rates can drop after a year or two if you don’t get into accidents or commit traffic violations.
- Shop around at different auto insurance companies. The best thing you can do to reduce your auto insurance rates is to get quotes from multiple companies. A different company may be able to offer you a cheaper rate than your current one.
The most important thing you can do to lower your rates immediately is to shop around for quotes from different auto insurance companies. However, working on other tips, such as keeping a clean driving record, will reduce your auto insurance rates over time.
The Final Word on Non-Owner SR-22 Insurance
Even drivers without cars need car insurance to qualify for an SR-22 certificate and reinstate their licenses. Non-owner car insurance policies fulfill state insurance requirements, but drivers must pay more to get the SR-22 certificate filed and pay higher rates as high-risk drivers.
If you need non-owner SR-22 auto insurance coverage, use our free quote comparison tool to help you find the best auto insurance rates in your area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drivers need non-owner SR-22 insurance?
Several high-risk drivers may need SR-22 certificates to reinstate their driver’s licenses — for example, drivers caught driving impaired, without insurance, with suspended licenses, with expired licenses, and more. You’ll know if you need SR-22 certificates, as the state will instruct you to get non-owner SR-22 insurance to get your license back.
What will non-owner auto insurance cover?
Non-owner auto insurance includes the liability insurance your state requires, typically bodily injury and property damage liability insurance. If you cause an accident that injures other people, bodily injury liability insurance pays for their medical bills up to the policy’s limit.
Similarly, if you cause an accident that damages other people’s property, property damage liability insurance pays for the repairs up to the policy’s limit. It’s important to note that your own medical bills will not be covered, so you’ll have to rely on your health insurance.
Also, unless the car’s owner has collision insurance, repair bills for the vehicle you were driving won’t have coverage.
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.
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Joel Ohman
Founder & CFP®
Joel Ohman is the CEO of a private equity backed digital media company. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, author, angel investor, and serial entrepreneur who loves creating new things, whether books or businesses. He has also previously served as the founder and resident CFP® of a national insurance agency, Real Time Health Quotes. He has an MBA from the University of South Florida. Jo...
Founder & CFP®
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.