Non-Owner Car Insurance in Canada


Non-owner car insurance is available to Canadian drivers who do not own a car but regularly rent, borrow or use car-sharing services. In Canada, it’s illegal to drive without having a valid car insurance policy in place.
It’s essential to have a valid car insurance policy that covers liability to protect you in the event of an accident if you’re borrowing someone else’s car or renting one. With a non-owner car insurance policy, you are protected from out-of-pocket financial losses incurred from property damage or injuries caused by an at-fault accident.
The following is covered with a non-owner car insurance policy:
Non-owner car insurance does not provide collision or comprehensive coverage, as it covers the cost of repairing or replacing a personal car that you own.
Driver risk status: By purchasing a non-owner insurance policy, you protect your driver’s risk status. This is significant because car insurance companies regularly evaluate your risk level before providing you coverage, and the lower your risk, the lower your premiums will be. If you have a lot of gaps in your driving history without insurance, they may consider you a greater risk. Purchasing a low-rate non-insurance policy is a simple approach to keeping a positive status and enjoying a lower premium in the future.
The OPCF27 add-on to your current car insurance policy, also known as legal liability for damage to non-owned vehicles, allows you to add your existing coverage to a borrowed or rented car.
Rental cars often lack collision and comprehensive coverage, and the standard insurance limits for bodily injury and property damage claims may not be as high as you’d want. However, you can sign a waiver to absolve yourself of responsibility for car damages, but with OPCF27, you won’t have to.
With the additional endorsement, you can use your third-party liability and accident benefits from your car insurance policy on the insured car you’re driving. You’ll also get collision and comprehensive insurance, which means you won’t have to pay for all damages if you get into an accident in your non-owned vehicle.
Several car insurance companies offer non-owner car insurance policies. Do your research and find an insurance company that will provide you the lowest rates with the best coverage.
on American Express's website
Apply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).
The American Express Cobalt® Card is a versatile American Express card, whether you want points for travel or cash back.
American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer
The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer valued at $255.
Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.
You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.
You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:
American Express Cobalt® Card benefits
Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.
The 5X categories and where they apply
The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:
The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.
With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:
| Category | Points per dollar |
| Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) | 5 |
| Home food delivery | 5 |
| Restaurants and bars | 5 |
| Convenience stores | 5 |
| Streaming services | 3 |
| Service station | 2 |
| Transport | 2 |
| Travel | 1 |
| Other | 1 |
That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.
You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.
American Express Cobalt® Card insurance coverage
The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.
Travel insurance
Rental car insurance
Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.
Mobile device insurance
Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.
Purchase protection and extended warranty
Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.
American Express Cobalt® Card fees
Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.
American Express is not responsible for maintaining or monitoring the accuracy of information on this website. For full details and current product information, click the Apply Now link. If you apply and get approved for an American Express Card, we may receive compensation from American Express, which can be in the form of monetary payment.
2.5%
on National Bank's website
With Milesopedia, take advantage of an exclusive offer: your first-year annual fees are refunded with the National Bank World Elite Mastercard. This offer is exclusively available on the Milesopedia network, from June 30 to November 4, 2026.
The National Bank World Elite Mastercard is the best Mastercard credit card offered by NBC.
With this card, you earn up to 5 points per dollar on your purchases:
And since it’s a Mastercard, you can use it at Costco.
With this card, you have access to a $150 annual travel credit that you can use in any of these categories:
What’s more, you can enjoy access to DragonPass airport lounges and unlimited access to the National Bank Lounge at Montreal-Trudeau.
Finally, Milesopedia has named the National Bank World Elite Mastercard as the Best Travel Credit Card in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026.
® Mastercard and World Elite are registered trademarks, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated. National Bank is an authorized user.
® The À LA CARTE REWARDS logo is a registered trademark of National Bank of Canada.
® NATIONAL BANK OF CANADA LOUNGE is a registered trademark of National Bank of Canada.
® À LA CARTE REWARDS PLAN is a registered trademark of National Bank of Canada.
® Apple Pay is a registered trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Apple Inc. is not a sponsor of or participant in National Bank Mobile Banking Solutions.
® Google Pay is a registered trademark of Google LLC. Use of this trademark is subject to Google Inc. Permissions.
TM À LA CARTE TRAVEL is a trademark of National Bank of Canada. The À la carte Travel agency is owned by Transat Distribution Canada Inc. and holds a Quebec permit (No. 753141).
TM À LA CARTE REWARDS is a trademark of National Bank of Canada.
® THE TOTAL, THE CONNECTED and NATIONAL BANK are registered trademarks of National Bank of Canada.
* Mastercard® World Elite®
The National Bank® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card was voted best Mastercard credit card by Milesopedia in 2026, 2025 and 2024.
The National Bank® World Elite® Mastercard® credit card was voted best travel credit card by Milesopedia in 2026, 2025 and 2024.
Every year, Milesopedia reviews credit card offers from major financial institutions and establishes its Ranking based on over 150 criteria such as fees, welcome offer, minimum income required, number of points per category, account credits, insurance, airport lounge access, etc.
Table of examples of credit fees calculated over a 30-day period
| Annual interest rate | $500 | $3,000 |
|---|---|---|
| 22.49% | $9.24 | $55.45 |
| 20.99% | $8.63 | $51.76 |
| 13.2% | $5.53 | $33.16 |
| 9.2% | $3.78 | $22.68 |
*Variable interest rate in effect as of September 1, 2021.
2.5%
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