Suburban Car Share Alternative...

This weekend I rented a car from Enterprise since I had to cover a lot of ground and carry an equal amount of stuff. The rate was a VERY affordable $15 per day weekend special, and if you don't drive everyday almost enough to entice you to just rent all the time, except past a few days a month it becomes more economical to obtain your own car. The only way it was so cheap was that I was able to pass on the optional insurance due to my current car insurance that had not expired. Otherwise it would have been about $45 per day. So it got me thinking, is there a way to get car insurance without a car?

A call to my insurance agent revealed there is something called a "Named Non-Owner Policy" that provides liability insurance for you as if you owned a car. It's intended for individuals who may drive a company car instead of their own, and need some form of liability protection. The quoted cost is around $250 - $300 per 6 months ($40 - $50 per month), depending on your age and driving record.

So if you don't have a car share near by and need a car for more than 10 hours in a said weekend, you can create your own version of car share. Note that you should probably pick up collision when you rent the car since you will not have any coverage for collision, though check your credit card to see what coverages they offer.

Not nearly as socially progressive as car share, but a way to live with less car.