Adding a New Driver to Your Insurance

You probably will not be the only person to ever drive your car whether you let your friend, family, or even a mechanic, someone other than yourself will be behind the wheel of your car at some point. So you may be wondering whether you need to add another driver to your car insurance.  

If the person only seldom drives your car and you don’t live with them, you do not need to add them to your car insurance but if they live with you and have a license, you may need to add them to your car insurance policy.

When do I add a driver to my car insurance?

Each insurance company is different with different policies and some have certain policies about who you need to add to your insurance and who you do not need to add.

To be completely sure, it is a great idea to check with your insurance company for anyone who may be driving your car.

Generally, though, car insurers will want people added to your insurance if they live with you, regularly drive your car, and are licensed. This can include any roommates, teens, spouses, and anyone else who shares a household with you.

There are insurance companies who also require you to add on people who use your car for a long period, but who don’t live with you. This can include nannies, home healthcare workers, or anyone else who uses your car often but doesn’t live with you.

This is why you should check with your car insurance company to check with who you will be needing to add to your insurance.

When don’t I need to worry about adding another driver to my car insurance?

If someone who does not live with you uses your car from time to time for just one trip at a time, you do not need to add them to your insurance.

This is because car insurance policies have a “permissive use” policy written. This means occasional drivers should be covered if an accident occurs. But it is still good to check to see if your car insurance company will handle claims that are made by non-listed drivers of your car.

For the most part, insurers also don’t require you to add on drivers who you live with but who are not related to you and have their own car insurance. This would include any roommates who have their own car, own insurance, and who occasionally borrow your car.

When should I not add a driver to my car insurance? 

 We now know that anyone who is in your household, has a license, and who has access to your car should be included on your policy but when is it a bad idea?

If you know that adding someone to your policy will raise rates and you know they won’t drive your car, then call your insurance and list them as an excluded driver. 

What about teen drivers?

If you have teen drivers in your household, you should add them to your policy. It’s cheaper than if they were to get their own car insurance policy.

If you have teen drivers in your household, add them to your policy. It will cheaper to add them than if you were to have their own car insurance. But the cost of your insurance will go up.

What happens when a non-covered driver gets into an accident in your car?

Knowing that rates can be raises, it can be tempting to avoid putting a driver onto your insurance but that isn’t the best idea. If someone gets into an accident in your car and the insurance company finds out they should have been put down as a secondary driver, you can face consequences.

What will happen and what the consequences are depends on the fine print of your insurance policy and you should check with them what their consequences are.

There are insurers that will cover the accident but you have to pay all the premiums and there are times where they require the payment to be paid all at once.