Non-owner car insurance in California: Best and cheapest companies

Cheapest non-owner car insurance companies in California

Kemper offers the most affordable non-owner car insurance in California, with rates averaging $145. The second cheapest California non-owner insurer is Auto Club Enterprises (AAA). Average rates are $173.

Compare the cheapest non-owner car insurance companies in California below.

Company	Average annual premium	Average monthly premium
Kemper	$145	$12
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)	$173	$14
Farmers	$215	$18
Mercury Insurance	$304	$25
Travelers	$371	$31
Nationwide	$376	$31
Progressive	$384	$32
GEICO	$391	$33
State Farm	$440	$37
USAA	$197	$16

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Best non-owner car insurance in California

While Farmers is the top choice, Travelers and GEICO are also great options for non-owner coverage.

To find the best non-owner car insurance companies in California, we looked at several factors, including how many complaints each company receives, financial stability and average rates. We used rate data from Quadrant Information Services as well as third-party ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

The table below shows a comparison of the best non-owner car insurance companies in California.

Company	Average annual premium	J.D. Power	NAIC	AM Best	Overall score
Farmers	$215	810	0.80	A	3.58
Travelers	$371	810	0.49	A++	3.41
GEICO	$391	830	0.91	A++	3.29
Auto Club Enterprises (AAA)	$173	832	2.21	A+	3.24
State Farm	$440	826	0.70	A++	3.21
Nationwide	$376	794	0.64	A+	3.20
Progressive	$384	809	0.65	A+	3.18
Mercury Insurance	$304	794	0.84	A	3.09
Kemper Insurance	$145	736	2.16	A-	2.45

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Insurance.com's top choices for non-owner car insurance

Take a closer look at our top picks for non-owner car insurance in California

Farmers

Our number one pick for non-owner car insurance in California is Farmers. The average rate for liability coverage is $215. Farmers has an AM Best score of A and an NAIC complaint ratio of 0.8.

Travelers

Travelers is another great option for non-owner car insurance in California, with average rates of $371 per year. It has an AM Best rating of A++ and a low NAIC complaint ratio of 0.49.

GEICO

Our third pick is GEICO. GEICO rates average $391. Its NAIC complaint ratio is 0.91, and it has a rating of A++.

PEOPLE ASK:

Do I need California non-owner car insurance to drive a friend's car?

Probably not, unless you use the car a lot. If you only drive your friend's car occasionally, their insurance usually covers it under something called permissive use-as long as it's less than 12 times a year. Still, it's a good idea to check with your friend's insurance company just to be sure.

Average cost of non-owner car insurance in California

Non-owners car insurance in California costs $299. However, the rates may differ based on factors such as your driving record, age and coverage level.

Non-owner car insurance in California by age and gender

Whether you're looking for non-owner or standard car insurance, age and gender affect your rates in California.

Age is one of the most important factors that impacts car insurance rates. Younger drivers lack experience and are more likely to be in accidents. That means car insurance companies charge higher rates to offset claims.

Gender also plays a part in determining car insurance rates in most states. Males tend to be riskier drivers and have more injuries, leading to higher premiums.

Below are the average California rates for non-owner car insurance based on age and gender.

Age group	Female	Male
Teens (16-19)	$711	$710
Young Adults (20-24)	$420	$420
Adults (25-60)	$305	$305
Seniors (65-75)	$327	$326

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Non-owner vs. traditional car insurance

Non-owner car insurance is typically cheaper than standard car insurance since coverage is minimal. Non-owner car insurance only includes liability coverage, while owner car insurance can include a lot more coverage.

For example, non-owner car insurance in California doesn't pay for damages to the car you're driving or any injuries you sustain. Owner car insurance can include collision and comprehensive coverage to pay for vehicle damages.

Insurance companies assume that people without a car drive less often, and because non-owner car insurance works as a backup to the owner's policy, the risk of a claimAn insurance claim is a request you make to your insurance company for coverage after your car is damaged or you have an accident. You can file a claim online, by phone, or in writing. is much lower.

The table below shows a comparison of average yearly rates for non-owner and standard car insurance.

Non-owners state minimum policy	$299
Traditional state minimum policy	$551
State minimum car insurance limits	15/30/5

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What does California non-owner car insurance cover?

A California non-owner car insurance policy only gives you the basic coverage you need to drive legally. It meets all the minimum car insurance requirements in California. But it won't pay for any damage to the car itself.

Non-owner car insurance is secondary, so it will only apply after the car owner's policy limits are exceeded.

The bottom line: Non-owner car insurance in California

California drivers may need non-owner car insurance for various reasons, such as renting or borrowing a car. However, this type of coverage typically only offers liability coverage to pay for property damage or bodily injuries you cause to others. Coverage does not extend to you or the vehicle you're driving.

Non-owner car insurance in California costs an average of $299, with Kemper offering the lowest rates. Our analysis found that Farmers is the best overall choice. Keep in mind that your age, gender and driving record play a significant role in determining your insurance rates.

Shop around to find the best California non-owner car insurance available. Use the tool above to compare non-owner insurers in your area.

Methodology

Insurance.com analyzed non-owner car insurance companies in 2023 to find the cheapest and the best overall based on rates and third-party ratings.

Non-owner car insurance rates were fielded by Quadrant Data Services for a sample policy based on a 40-year-old driver with a clean record and good credit for a state minimum liability policy. These rates were one of the factors used to rank the best companies.

For additional data points in the ranking, customer complaints ratios were pulled from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaints database, where a score of 1.00 is considered the baseline and anything below is a low complaint volume while anything above is considered a high volume. Overall customer satisfaction ratings were drawn from J.D. Power's U.S. Auto Insurance Study, where companies are scored out of 1,000. Finally, AM Best financial ratings were used to indicate financial stability, where the best possible score is A++.