Thanks to the rising cost of gasoline, increases in insurance rates, and rising car costs, many people are giving up their cars and using public transportation. But what if you want to rent or borrow a car for a long trip or vacation? Here’s how to get non-owner auto liability insurance, just for those times.

What is non-owner auto liability insurance?

It is car insurance for people who do not own their own car, but who occasionally rent or borrow one. Coverage includes:

* Bodily injury liability coverage that pays for any claim made against you, plus your legal fees, if you injure or kill someone.

* Property damage liability coverage that pays for claims made against you, plus your legal fees, when you damage someone else’s car or property.

If I borrow a car, won’t my homeowner’s insurance cover me?

It depends on how much coverage they have. If you cause an accident in someone else’s car and you exceed the amount of liability coverage they have, you will be responsible for the difference in damages. If you end up in the hospital and sue you, you could end up owing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Doesn’t my credit card insurance cover me?

It depends on the credit card. Some only provide coverage for certain types of cars, some limit the time of coverage, and some only provide comprehensive and collision coverage.

What about the coverage of the car rental agency?

The coverage you get from rental agencies may or may not provide liability coverage, or only provide a limited amount of coverage. Also, if you rent cars for more than 10 days a year, buying non-owners liability insurance is usually cheaper.