Recently I was talking to a young lady and it came out that she was not a licensed driver though she had had her learner's permit for quite some time. When I asked her why she hadn't completed the process she explained that she did not want to pay for car insurance. She was under the impression that once she had her regular driver's license she was required to purchase car insurance even though she neither owned a car nor had regular access to one. This didn't seem right to me so I did a little investigating.
It turns out that most state's car insurance requirements extend only to cars with a small exception. That exception is SR22 auto insurance. If you are required by your state to carry SR22 auto insurance that means that you are considered a high risk driver. This sort of requirement is usually associated with DUI situations or drivers that have had an excessive number of accidents with no insurance coverage. In these types of situations the SR22 auto insurance must be purchased (and verified by the issuing insurance company) before you will be allowed to drive again and this requirement will remain a requirement for up to three years. Generally speaking, SR22 auto insurance is probably something you don't want to have to deal with.
It turns out, though, that it is possible for someone who both does not own their own car and does not have regular access to a vehicle to voluntarily purchase a non owner's SR22 auto insurance policy. This is not, however, a requirement of any state and it only provides enhanced liability coverage should you be in a serious accident while driving a borrowed car or a rental car. Collision damage to the car you were driving and the other vehicle(s) involved will be covered by the car insurance that the car owner has purchased. So if the SR22 auto insurance is not required why buy it? For one thing it may make someone feel better about loaning you their car. If, as a non vehicle owner, you frequently rent cars it would give you the flexibility to decline the Loss Damage Waiver coverage that the rental agency offers, though you should still provide Collision Damage coverage.
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