Can I drive my mom’s car without my own insurance?

There are plenty of reasons you might need or want to drive your mom’s car: you just got your license, you’re home for a visit, or your own car is in the shop. You don’t want to be put into a situation where you’re thinking to yourself, “I’m in my mom’s car, but am I protected if anything happens?” Here’s what you need to know about driving someone else’s car without your own insurance. 

Can I drive my mom’s car without my own insurance? 

Most insurance policies allow you to drive someone else’s car without being named when you have permission from the policyholder. That means you can occasionally drive your mom’s car without your own insurance if she knows you will be driving the car.

However, if you plan to regularly drive your parents’ or someone else’s car — like for school or work — or, if you live at home, you’ll need to be a listed driver on the policy. Car insurance companies need to know all of a vehicle’s regular drivers to assess risk and auto insurance rates properly. This is a major reason why average monthly car insurance rates fluctuate. Every living situation is different, and a vehicle could have one driver or many depending on a household’s needs.

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If I am a teen driver can I drive my mom’s car?

If you are a teen and just passed your driver’s test, you can drive cars listed on your parent or guardian’s policy with their permission. You will have to be listed on the policy.

Regardless of whether you have your own car or plan to drive your mom’s, you’ll need to be named on their insurance policy. Since a newly licensed driver poses an additional risk to the vehicle, the insurance carrier needs to know about this change in the household.

Adding a teen driver to an insurance policy will mean higher rates. Compare auto insurance quotes for teen drivers to get the best rate for your family. Finding cheap auto insurance for a 17-year-old driver can become a little easier by shopping around.

Driving Someone Else’s Car Without Insurance as an Adult

As an adult, you can drive someone else’s car without being named on their insurance policy if it’s an occasional occurrence and the policyholder permits you.

For example, you can drive your mom’s car when you’re home for a visit, or borrow a friend’s car while yours is in the shop.

If you begin driving someone else’s car regularly, you should have the car owner add you to their insurance policy to prevent potential coverage issues in the event of a collision. So if you begin taking your significant other’s car to work or driving your roommate’s car frequently, you should join their policy to get the best coverage.

Understanding Insured Drivers vs. Insured Vehicles

Car insurance typically follows the vehicle, not the driver. Most policies list coverage for a specific vehicle, although insurance companies determine rates largely based on who will be driving the car.

Since additional drivers alter the risk to the vehicle, you need to let your insurer know when you’re letting someone else drive regularly.

Some insurance companies offer non-owner car insurance for people who don’t own a vehicle but drive other vehicles regularly. But what is non-owner car insurance? Non-owner auto insurance provides liability coverage when you’re at fault in an accident, regardless of the vehicle you drive. 

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The Bottom Line: Can I drive my parent’s car without my own insurance?

It’s okay to drive someone else’s car without your own insurance if you have the owner’s permission and occasionally drive it. If you regularly drive someone else’s car or live with them, ensure they add you to their policy.

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