Will Allstate Insure a Car That’s Not In My Name?
Last Updated on September 15, 2023
Like most insurers, Allstate will only insure a vehicle if you have an insurable interest in that vehicle. Generally, that means the vehicle needs to be in your name.
Allstate does, however, offer non-owner car insurance. A non-owner car insurance policy provides you with liability coverage for any vehicle you drive, although it’s not designed to cover a specific vehicle.
Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about insuring a vehicle that’s not in your name through Allstate.
Key Takeaways:
- Allstate requires an insurable interest, typically ownership, to insure a vehicle. Exceptions exist, but some states disallow insuring a vehicle not in your name.
- Allstate offers non-owner car insurance for those who drive but don’t own a vehicle. This insurance is secondary, covering expenses after primary coverage.
- If you don’t own a vehicle, you can be added to the owner’s policy, add the owner to yours, or co-title the vehicle. However, Allstate’s non-owner insurance can’t fully insure a vehicle not in your name.
Allstate Requires Insurable Interest to Issue a Policy
To insure a vehicle with Allstate, you must have an insurable interest in that vehicle. In most cases, that means you own the vehicle.
If you want to insure a car that’s not in your name, then you must prove to Allstate that you have an insurable interest in that vehicle. Generally, Allstate doesn’t allow you to do this. However, it may be possible in some situations.
Some states prevent drivers from insuring a vehicle not in their name, even if they have insurable interest.
For all of these reasons, you generally cannot insure a vehicle that’s not in your name with Allstate or any other insurance company.
Allstate Offers Non-Owner Car Insurance to Drivers Without a Vehicle
If you want to drive with car insurance but don’t own a vehicle, then you can buy non-owner car insurance with Allstate.
Allstate offers non-owner car insurance, which covers you when driving rental cars, occasionally driving a friend’s car, and using ride-sharing services.
Non-owner car insurance functions as secondary insurance. The vehicle you’re driving still requires primary insurance – say, from the rental car company or owner of the vehicle. Non-owner car insurance covers any expenses remaining after primary coverage is used up.
Non-owner car insurance could be the right choice in some situations, including:
- You occasionally borrow vehicles from friends or family members and want to be covered
- You regularly or occasionally rent cars or use ride-sharing services
- You’re between cars or have a suspended license but want to maintain continuous insurance coverage
How to Get Insurance on a Vehicle You Do Not Own
Allstate does not typically allow you to buy car insurance on a vehicle you do not own. However, there are ways to get valid insurance coverage even if you don’t own a vehicle.
Here are some of the ways to get insurance even if you don’t own a vehicle:
Get Added to the Owner’s Insurance Policy: If you regularly drive a specific vehicle, then you should be listed on the owner’s insurance policy. Ask the owner to add your name to their insurance policy – especially if you drive the car frequently or live in the same household. In fact, most insurers require you to add any licensed driver living at the same household to your policy.
Add the Car Owner to Your Own Insurance Policy: In some cases, Allstate allows you to add the car owner to your own insurance policy as an additional interest, and then add the driver’s vehicle to your policy. Contact Allstate for help navigating this situation.
Get a Co-Title or Adjust the Registration: Some states allow you to co-title a vehicle, splitting ownership between multiple parties. You can adjust the registration, transferring the registration wholly or partially to you, then contact Allstate to insure the vehicle. Because the vehicle is now in your name (wholly or partially), you have insurable interest and Allstate should issue a policy.
Generally, the easiest way to get insurance on a car that’s not in your name is to contact the owner of the vehicle and get added to their insurance policy – especially if you drive the vehicle frequently, live at the same household as the owner, or are the primary driver of the vehicle.
How Allstate Non-Owner Car Insurance Works
Allstate, like most insurers, offers non-owner car insurance.
Non-owner car insurance functions as secondary insurance. As long as you have a valid driver’s license and do not own a vehicle, you should be able to buy non-owner car insurance.
Non-owner car insurance follows you – not a specific vehicle. In fact, non-owner car insurance only covers your liability and does not include collision or comprehensive coverage for a specific vehicle. Instead, the vehicle’s primary coverage provides these coverages, and your non-owner car insurance covers any remaining liability.
Let’s say you rent cars regularly for work even though you don’t own a vehicle. You might buy a non-owner car insurance policy with Allstate. That non-owner car insurance policy includes bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage. While driving the rental car, you cause an accident. The other car has $15,000 of damage and the other driver requires $25,000 worth of medical treatment. The rental car company’s insurance policy may cover some of these costs, while your non-owner car insurance policy covers any remaining costs. Without non-owner car insurance, you would have to pay these costs out of pocket.
Ultimately, Allstate’s non-owner car insurance covers bodily injury and property damage liability when driving a vehicle you do not own, but it cannot replace primary insurance on a vehicle, nor can it fully insure a vehicle that’s not in your name.
Final Word on Allstate
Allstate, like most insurers, will generally not insure a vehicle that’s not in your name.
You need an insurable interest in a vehicle – like ownership of the vehicle – to buy insurance. If you don’t have an insurable interest in that vehicle, then Allstate is unlikely to provide you with a policy. Many states also prevent you from buying insurance on a vehicle you do not own.
However, Allstate does offer non-owner car insurance, which covers property damage liability and personal injury liability on vehicles you drive. You can only buy non-owner car insurance if you do not own a vehicle.
To learn more about Allstate’s non-owner car insurance and how it works, or to explore your insurance options toady, contact Allstate.
