All about Non-Owner Car Insurance in Massachusetts

A Massachusetts non-owner auto insurance policy can provide extra liability protection while helping you avoid lapsed coverage.
Written by Melanie Mergen
Edited by Amy Bobinger
If you don’t own a vehicle but regularly borrow or rent cars, a
non-owner car insurance
policy in
Massachusetts
can provide you with supplemental liability insurance for extra financial protection when you’re behind the wheel. 
  • Minimum liability non-owner car insurance costs an average of $3746 a year in Massachusetts.
  • As a no-fault state, Massachusetts non-owner car insurance policies must include a minimum amount of liability insurance as well as personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist bodily injury insurance.
  • You’ll usually need to call a car insurance company or insurance broker directly to purchase non-owner car insurance. Seek out quotes from multiple providers to find the best coverage at the best rate.
  • Non-owner SR-22 insurance can help you meet Massachusetts SR-22 requirements if you need to do so but don’t own a vehicle.

The average cost of non-owner car insurance in Massachusetts is $3, 746

Average cost of minimum liability insurance in Massachusetts
Average cost of non-owner insurance in Massachusetts
Average cost of non-owner SR-22 insurance in Massachusetts
$2929
$3746
$3676
Methodology: Based on
Jerry
’s carrier review survey, we calculated
the average cost of minimum insurance
quoted for a single car and a single driver with a good driving record in Massachusetts, as well as the average cost of non-owner and non-owner
SR-22 policies
quoted in Massachusetts.

Non-owner car insurance rates are cheaper than standard insurance on average

Here’s why non-owner car insurance costs less: 
  • Non-owner insurance typically includes less coverage: A
    Massachusetts car insurance
    policy, as a default, will primarily consist of the state’s required coverage types, which include
    liability insurance
    ,
    uninsured motorist coverage
    , and
    personal injury protection (PIP)
    . It won’t include coverage tied to the vehicle itself since you’re not the owner, making this type of insurance cheaper than a
    full coverage policy
    .
  • Non-owner car insurance premiums typically cost less than standard minimum coverage policies, too: In part, this may be due to the assumption that a driver who doesn’t have their own vehicle will likely drive less than a driver who does, which can also come with less risk for the provider.
Just like with any car insurance policy, how much you’ll pay for non-owner car insurance will depend on a range of factors, like where you live, the coverage you choose, and your
driving record
.
Pro tip: To find savings on your non-owner car insurance costs, seek out quotes from at least three to five different car insurance providers before settling on a policy. You can also use a
trusted car insurance broker
like
Jerry
. Just give one of our agents a call to get your quotes!

Which of the biggest auto insurers in Massachusetts offer non-owners insurance?

Not all car major insurance providers sell non-owner car insurance policies in every state. You’ll often need to contact a car insurance provider or car insurance broker directly to inquire about non-owner
car insurance quotes
as well. 
If you’re looking for non-owner car insurance in Massachusetts, you can consider seeking out quotes from these providers:
  1. Metlife
  2. USAA
    (only available to
    veterans
    and current members of the military and their families)
If you have a particular Massachusetts provider in mind, ask a licensed insurance agent if they offer non-owner car insurance.
icon
Do you need non-owner car insurance?
You might need it if you:
You may not need it if you:
Sometimes borrow cars from people you don't live with
Rent cars frequently
Often use car-sharing services
Want to avoid a lapse in car insurance coverage
Need an SR-22 certificate but don't have a vehicle
Are getting your license in a state with an insurance requirement
Live with someone who owns a car
Rent cars infrequently
Have your own car
Don't plan to own a car any time soon
Learn More

Massachusetts non-owner insurance is a supplemental liability policy

As a default, non-owner car insurance is a liability-only policy, which means it only covers others’ damages and medical costs if you cause an accident. As a no-fault state, minimum liability policies in Massachusetts will include a couple additional coverage types, and you may be able to add optional coverage types to your policy as well.
  • Since Massachusetts is a no-fault state, your policy will also include PIP and
    uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage
    . You may also be able to choose from additional optional coverage types.
  • Non-owner car insurance won’t include coverage types that would be tied to a specific vehicle, like collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, or
    roadside assistance
    . The policy of the vehicle’s legal owner would need to have these.

A supplemental policy pays out after the primary coverage limits are met

Whether you're borrowing someone else’s vehicle or renting one, the vehicle should have primary coverage in place via the owner’s own car insurance policy or
rental car insurance
. In many cases, this policy is the car insurance that will apply first after an accident.
Your Massachusetts non-owner insurance is a secondary policy, which means it typically kicks in after the policy limits of the vehicle owner’s primary coverage have been met. This supplemental coverage could potentially save you heaps of cash, especially after more severe accidents.
Massachusetts car insurance policies must meet the following minimum coverage requirements:
  • $20,000 in
    bodily injury liability
    per person
  • $40,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
  • $8,000 in personal injury protection (PIP)
  • $20,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury per person
  • $40,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident
Here’s an example:
Imagine your sibling agrees to lend you their car so you can take a weekend trip. Said trip is going great—until you take a too-sharp turn on a winding road and end up colliding with an oncoming vehicle.
Let’s also say your sibling only has the minimum required amount of car insurance coverage. 
Fortunately, the other driver’s injuries were minor, but they did result in $10,000 in medical expenses, which your sibling’s policy is covering. However, their car, which was valued at $25,000, was totaled—but note that minimum property damage liability in Massachusetts only amounts to $5,000.
This is where having your own non-owner car insurance policy could be a lifesaver. If your policy also consisted of Massachusetts’s minimum requirements, your own insurance could cover another $5,000 in property damage, but you’d still be on the hook for that remaining $15,000. But if you chose a higher liability limit, it’s possible you might not have to pay any expenses out of pocket.
Scenarios like this are one of the reasons the experts at Jerry usually recommend opting for higher coverage limits. In many cases, it only adds several more dollars a month to your premium for significantly more financial protection. Speaking with an agent directly can help you determine the right coverage amounts for your situation—and what it will cost.
Note: Like most liability-only policies, non-owner auto insurance typically doesn’t require a
car insurance deductible
.

Non-owner SR-22 insurance in Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, the average cost of non-owner SR-22 insurance is $X. 
SR-22 insurance certificates generally aren’t required in Massachusetts, but there are some exceptions to this rule.
SR-22 requirements can apply after a number of serious offenses in other states, including:
If you’re subject to SR-22 requirements in Massachusetts but don’t own a vehicle, you might want to consider searching for a non-owner SR-22 car insurance policy. This can help you meet the necessary requirements for the designated period while also helping you avoid a
lapse in coverage
.
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FAQs

The average cost of non-owner insurance in Massachusetts is about $3746 a year. That said, the actual cost will depend on a range of factors, including your driving history, your location, and the coverage options you choose.
Generally speaking, high-risk drivers with numerous violations can expect to pay higher auto insurance rates than those with clean driving records.
You typically need to be the legal owner of a vehicle in order to insure it. If you’re borrowing someone else’s vehicle regularly and your intent is to insure the vehicle itself, you could ask the owner about adding you as a co-owner on the title.
You may be able to get a car insurance policy with a permit if the provider allows it. Some will only do so within a certain time period that you expect to earn your driver’s license. 
Young drivers may be covered by their parent or guardian’s car insurance if they’re added as a driver on the policy.
Massachusetts is a no-fault state. This means that all Massachusetts drivers are required to carry a certain amount of personal injury protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist bodily injury liability coverage.
Note that while uninsured motorist property damage and underinsured motorist coverage aren’t requirements in Massachusetts, they could provide you with additional financial protection if you were in an accident with an uninsured driver.
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