To drive with non-owner SR22 insurance, you need an insurance agent to write a non-owner insurance policy. They will then endorse an SR22 certificate to the policy and file it with your state DMV.
A non-owner policy is high-risk insurance for people wanting to reinstate their license without owning a car. Whether you have a minor violation like driving without insurance or a major DUI violation, SR22 insurance allows you to recover your driving privileges. If you keep the policy current for several years, the state will allow you to drive with non-owner SR22 insurance.
What’s the purpose of non-owner SR22 insurance?
The state considers you a high-risk driver if you’ve lost your driving privileges. So, you can think of the SR22 filing as a promise that you will carry state-mandated liability insurance continuously for a specific time. If your policy lapses during that time, the state considers the promise broken. The SR22 policy is also a “tracking system” for the insurance carrier to monitor its status. If it lapses, they notify the DMV by filing an SR-26 form, which results in another license suspension.
SR22 insurance is not a stand-alone policy that you can purchase by itself. It’s a uniform financial responsibility form endorsed to an existing auto or non-owner insurance policy. You can’t drive with a non-owner SR22 unless you have a valid license, and the car you borrow to drive has at least the state minimum liability insurance.
Can I drive any car with non-owner SR22 insurance?
Non-owner insurance coverage has limitations and exclusions. Your policy won’t cover driving a car owned by someone in your household or a vehicle you can drive regularly. This insurance costs less than a standard auto insurance policy because it has coverage restrictions and doesn’t insure a vehicle. You’ll need non-owner SR22 insurance if you borrow a friend’s car (someone outside your household) on an occasional basis. If you’re driving a borrowed vehicle and cause an accident, the car owner’s primary insurance pays claims first. If claims exceed the owner’s insurance coverage, your secondary insurance pays claims that exceed that.
Can I add another person to my policy?
No, a non-owner policy covers only one person. Coverage doesn’t transfer to another person; no one else can drive using your non-owner policy. In addition, you can’t transfer SR22 insurance coverage from one state to another if you relocate. A non-owner insurance policy must include your state’s minimum liability coverage requirements.
Can I add full coverage to a non-owner policy?
Non-owner auto insurance is liability-only and must have the state-required minimum coverage for bodily injury and property damage. You can add uninsured/under-insured motorist bodily injury, medical, and personal injury protection in states that offer those coverage options. (Some states require this additional coverage.) However, since a non-owner policy doesn’t insure a vehicle, you can’t add comprehensive and collision coverage.
When your state requires you to drive with non-owner SR22 insurance, talk with an UltraCar Insurance agent. We specialize in all types of SR22 insurance policies and offer quick filing of your certificate with no filing fees. Call or start an online quote today!
