All About Non-Owner Car Insurance in North Carolina

A North Carolina non-owner auto insurance policy offers liability protection and helps you to avoid a lapse in insurance coverage if you don’t own a car.
Written by Andrea Barrett
Edited by Jessica Barrett
Non-owner car insurance
is a good option for North Carolina drivers who frequently rent vehicles or use car-sharing services or drivers who need proof of insurance to reinstate their license. It provides liability coverage that helps pay for damages and injuries if you’re involved in an at-fault accident while driving a borrowed or rented vehicle.
  • Non-owner minimum liability car insurance costs an average of $1,557 annually in North Carolina.
  • North Carolina non-owner SR-22 insurance is a good option for drivers who are required to have SR-22 insurance but don’t own a vehicle.
  • You’ll need to contact an individual insurance provider directly to purchase non-owner car insurance—or use an online insurance comparison tool to find and compare quotes.

The average cost of non-owner car insurance in North Carolina is $1557

Average cost of minimum liability insurance in North Carolina
Average cost of non-owner insurance in North Carolina
Average cost of non-owner SR-22 insurance in North Carolina
$1216
$1557
n/a
Methodology: Jerry conducted an extensive insurance provider review survey and based on the results, we calculated the average cost of minimum insurance quoted for a single car and driver with a good driving record in North Carolina and the average cost of non-owner and non-owner SR-22 policies quoted in North Carolina.

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

Why it’s less: 
  • Non-owner car insurance only offers liability coverage.
    Liability-only auto insurance
    policies cover the cost of damage to the other party’s vehicle in a car crash, so it’s cheaper than purchasing a
    full coverage policy
    that would also cover the damage to the policyholder’s vehicle.
  • Non-owner insurance rates are often lower than standard liability-only policies, too—likely because car insurance companies assume less risk for a driver with limited vehicle access than someone who drives frequently.
But as with any insurance policy, how much you pay for non-owner insurance will vary based on factors such as age, where you live, coverage limits, insurance and claim history, and driving history. 
To find the best rate for your non-owner car insurance policy, it’s a good idea to request quotes from multiple providers before you commit to one. You can also use a
trusted car insurance broker
and online comparison tool like
Jerry
to simplify the process!

5 major auto insurance carriers in North Carolina offer non-owner insurance

When it comes to finding the best rate for a car insurance policy, it pays to shop around and
compare car insurance quotes
. A handful of the big insurance providers in North Carolina offer non-owner car insurance—but that doesn’t always mean they’ll deliver the best rate. 
Of the 10 largest insurers in North Carolina by market share, just five offer non-owner policies: 
  1. USAA
    (for military members, veterans, and their families)
North Carolina drivers can also find non-owner insurance policies from providers like
National General
,
GEICO
,
Travelers
, and
Kemper
.
Need to know: Insurers in North Carolina won’t offer non-owner auto insurance quotes online—you’ll need to call an insurance agent to request a free quote.
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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

North Carolina non-owner insurance is a supplemental liability policy

Non-owner car insurance is a liability-only policy that covers bodily injury and property damage for the other party involved in an accident. 

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

Whether you’re a rented or borrowed car, the standard car insurance policy—either the vehicle owner’s personal or
rental car insurance
—should offer you coverage. If you’re involved in a car crash, the primary policy will take effect to cover the damages before your non-owner policy kicks in. 
If the cost of damage from the accident exceeds the coverage limits on the primary policy, you’ll be left to foot the remainder of the bill. Unless the car is old and not worth much, the cost of vehicle damage and medical bills are high and you can quickly exceed the state-mandated limits.
Non-owner insurance usually pays up to your policy limits—usually the
North Carolina minimum insurance requirements
—for any remaining vehicle damage or medical expenses after the primary policy is maxed out.
The minimum insurance limits in North Carolina are as follows:
  • $30,000 in
    bodily injury liability
    per person
  • $60,000 in bodily injury liability per accident
  • $30,000 in uninsured motorist coverage per person
  • $60,000 in uninsured motorist coverage per accident
  • $25,000 in uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident 
Here’s an example:
Let’s say you borrowed your friends Mercedes for the week. While you and your partner were on your way home from dinner, you accidentally hit a parked car swerving to avoid an animal. The crash resulted in significant damage to the other vehicle, declaring it a total loss.
Your friend has insurance that follows North Carolina’s minimum state requirements, so her policy would pay $30,000 in medical expenses for each person in the other vehicle who was injured, with a $60,000 cap for the accident and $25,000 for the property damage to the other car. 
But since you have a non-owner policy with the same liability limits, your insurer will pay the remaining costs for property damage and medical bills up to the same amount.
Even as a secondary policy, only having the minimum state-mandated limits leaves you vulnerable to out-of-pocket expenses. That’s why we recommend increasing your coverage limits—the monthly add-on cost is low compared to what you could pay if you’re involved in an accident. 
Note: As with most liability-only policies, non-owner auto insurance generally doesn’t require a deductible.

Non-owner SR-22 insurance in North Carolina

Most states require high-risk drivers to file an SR-22 certificate—an SR-22 is a financial responsibility insurance certificate certifying a driver carries the minimum liability coverage required by law in their state. 
In North Carolina,
SR-22 insurance
isn’t required. Instead, drivers may need to file a DL-123 to have their license reinstated.
A DL-123 may be required for North Carolina drivers convicted of any of the following traffic violations:
For
high-risk drivers
, non-owner insurance is the cheapest and easiest way to provide proof of liability insurance coverage required to reinstate a driver’s license. Even if you don’t own a car, you still need liability insurance—and this policy is the ideal way to meet North Carolina’s driving laws. 
Need to know: North Carolina doesn’t offer
non-owner SR-22 insurance
, but high-risk drivers will still need to purchase minimum liability insurance to drive legally.
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FAQs

North Carolina requires anyone wanting a driver’s license to have proof of liability insurance that meets the state-mandated limits. Although they don’t require drivers to have a non-owner insurance policy, they do require insurance—and for drivers who don’t have a car but still drive, non-owner car insurance is the best and cheapest option. 
The average cost of non-owner car insurance in North Carolina varies depending on factors like age, driving record, insurance and claim history, location, and more. That said, non-owner insurance is generally cheaper than standard insurance for drivers who don’t own a car.
Non-owner car insurance is meant for exactly that! If you don’t own a vehicle but frequently borrow or rent cars, having this insurance provides you with liability insurance that meets North Carolina’s requirements—at a much lesser cost than traditional liability insurance.
This coverage will protect you against out-of-pocket expenses for injuries or property damage resulting from an at-fault crash.
Whether you’re driving your own car or someone else’s, all drivers in North Carolina must have auto insurance coverage that meets the state’s minimum requirements. This means $30,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $30,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability per accident, along with uninsured motorist coverage of the same limits. 
If you don’t own a car, having non-owner auto insurance is the cheapest option.
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