Anamarie Waite, Car Insurance Writer
@anamarie.waite
No, your car insurance and registration don’t have to be under the same name. Although most states do not have this legal requirement, many insurance companies will not allow you to take out a policy for a car that is not registered in your name. Even if you do manage to get insurance, the claims process will be very difficult.
If you do need to insure a vehicle that is not titled in your name, you’d need to prove you have an “insurable interest” in it. That means you would be affected financially if something happened to the car.
Insurance for a car not registered to you
You might want to insure a car that isn’t registered to you because you frequently rent or borrow one. But even if you have regular access to the same vehicle, you can’t insure it on your own. Instead, you should be a listed driver on the owner’s insurance policy, which serves as the primary insurance in the event of an accident.
You could also get additional liability coverage by purchasing non-owner car insurance if you don’t own a car.
Someone else insuring a car whose title is in your name
If your insurance company has reason to believe your car was insured by someone else for fraudulent reasons, they will deny payment for your claims. If you have several accidents or traffic violations, you can’t just get a friend or family member to insure your car so the premiums are cheaper. Insurers fully investigate claims, and any discrepancy between the names on the policy and the title will be explored before any claims are paid out.
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