What to know about non-owner car insurance in Ohio
Ohio law requires all drivers to have car insurance, regardless of whether they own a car.[1]
If you don’t own a car but frequently borrow or rent a vehicle, you can typically find insurance for drivers without a car. Rather than covering a specific vehicle, non-owner insurance covers the driver.
If you cause an accident in a borrowed car, non-owner car insurance covers the other vehicle’s repairs. It also pays for the other driver’s medical expenses and those of their passengers.
Non-owner car insurance requirements in Ohio
Every driver must carry the state minimum liability coverage in Ohio. The law requires anyone who drives a car to have the following minimum insurance coverage:[2]
$25,000 for bodily injury or death per person
$50,000 for bodily injury or death per accident
$25,000 for property damage per accident
If you don’t have at least the minimum coverage, you could lose your driver’s license — whether or not you own the car. Upon your first offense, you’ll lose your license until you get insurance and pay a $40 reinstatement fee.
If you have a second offense, you’ll lose your license for one year and pay a $300 reinstatement fee. A third or subsequent offense means you’ll lose your license for two years and pay a $600 reinstatement fee.[3]
Shop for Cheap Car Insurance in Ohio
Insurify partners with 120+ top insurers for real-time quotes
Who should get non-owner car insurance in Ohio?
Anyone who plans to drive a car in Ohio must have insurance, even if they don’t own a car. Ohio law states that it’s illegal to drive a car without proof of insurance.
Even so, around 18.5% of drivers in the Buckeye State are uninsured, according to the Insurance Research Council.
The following situations may call for non-owner car insurance in Ohio:
You regularly borrow a car. If you frequently drive a friend or family member’s car, make sure you have insurance. The owner can add you to their policy if you live together. If not, you’ll need to find your own insurance.
You frequently rent cars. Car rental companies offer rental car insurance and collision damage waivers. But if you don’t own a vehicle and rent cars often, it might be cheaper to buy a non-owner car insurance policy.
You use a car-sharing service. Like rental car services, car-sharing services usually offer basic liability protection. A non-owner policy increases your limits, offering extra protection.
SR-22 requirements in Ohio
Ohio requires drivers caught without insurance to carry an SR-22 form for one year after their citation. SR-22 insurance is a liability insurance policy with state-minimum limits and covers only the named driver.
The state may also require you to carry an SR-22 if a police officer catches you operating a vehicle impaired (OVI).
You can get an SR-22 from any Ohio-licensed insurance company. Once you purchase coverage, the insurer will file the SR-22 with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).
Ohio law requires insurers to let the BMV know if you cancel the SR-22 policy.
You can avoid the risk of being caught driving without insurance — and the SR-22 filing requirement — by buying a non-owner insurance policy and maintaining continuous coverage. Having an SR-22 can increase your monthly insurance premiums in Ohio from an average of $64 to $85.
Compare Quotes in Ohio to Unlock Lower Premiums
Check quotes from 120+ top insurance companies
Cost of non-owner car insurance in Ohio
Non-owner car insurance in Ohio costs an average of $28 per month, according to Insurify data. That’s 39% less than the national average of $46 per month.
Drivers in neighboring Indiana pay around $31 per month for non-owner insurance, while drivers in Pennsylvania pay about $38 per month for non-owner insurance, per Insurify data.
Non-owner coverage is also cheaper than liability-only and full-coverage car insurance rates in Ohio. A liability policy averages $64 per month in the Buckeye State, while full-coverage car insurance averages $117.
The table below shows the cost of non-owner car insurance in Ohio compared to the national average monthly cost.
Non-Owner Car Insurance | Average Monthly Cost |
|---|---|
| Ohio average | $28 |
| National average | $46 |
How to get non-owner car insurance in Ohio
To get a non-owner car insurance policy in Ohio, follow the steps below:
Gather your information. You’ll generally need to provide your name, address, and driver’s license number to apply for a non-owner insurance policy. Insurers may also consider your driving record and whether you’re a high-risk driver.[4]
Compare multiple quotes. Don’t just compare costs. Check coverage as well to ensure you’re comparing apples to apples.
Choose your coverage limits. Ohio requires drivers to have at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage, and $25,000 per accident in property damage coverage. You can increase your liability limits, and you can also add medical payments coverage (MedPay) or uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage if you choose.
Check the policy’s expiration date. If you have an SR-22, avoid letting your coverage lapse, as this could affect your license reinstatement.
Non-owner car insurance in Ohio FAQs
Understanding how non-owner car insurance in Ohio works can help ensure you have adequate coverage when you borrow or rent a car. See answers to frequently asked questions below.
How much is non-owner car insurance in Ohio?
The average cost of non-owner car insurance in Ohio is $28 per month, according to Insurify data.
Can you insure a car you don’t own in Ohio?
It depends. Some insurance companies will let you insure a car not registered to you, but others won’t, since you don’t have a financial interest. While a non-owner policy provides liability coverage for you when you’re driving a car you don’t own, it won’t cover the car against physical damage.
Which companies offer the cheapest non-owner car insurance in Ohio?
To find the cheapest non-owner car insurance in Ohio, it’s wise to shop around and compare quotes from multiple companies.
Sources
- Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. "Mandatory Insurance."
- Ohio Department of Insurance. "Ohio's Minimum Coverage Requirements for Auto Insurance."
- Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. "You Will Lose Your Driver License If You Drive Without Insurance."
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners. "A Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance."
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 250 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 500+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
- Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
- Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
- No additional coverage
- Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
- Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)