Can I Add a Driver Who Doesn’t Live with me to my Car Insurance?

Sometimes, a girlfriend or a close relative may drive your car more than occasionally. It may be best to include them on your auto insurance policy and it may be possible. People often have concerns about who uses their automobiles and what is the situation with them. Once they are included on the policy as a listed driver, there will certainly be coverage and people don’t need to worry about it.

A few companies accept adding someone who doesn’t live with you to auto insurance and it is reasonably cheap. However, many companies may not add a driver who doesn’t live with you on to your policy. Then, you may need to check their definitions of permissive drivers, which can be extensive. Some companies describe anyone who drive your vehicle less than 25% of the time as permissive driver that allows plenty access. This may work out better if the person’s history isn’t clean and it would be expensive to add anyway.

So, it depends on the auto insurer if a person not living in the same address can be a listed driver or treated as an occasional driver. If you definitely want to include someone on your policy and your insurer doesn’t allow, you may need to switch.

There are various relationship arrangements that need to be taken into account and therefore, worth looking into it a bit deeper. If you feel that a close friend or boyfriend is using the vehicle more than on the off chance you should actually include them in your automobile insurance policy. This is the safer option.

Partners in a relationship should be disclosed and included in car insurance as listed drivers even if they don’t permanently live with the policyholder, especially when they have regular access to the automobile. Many states and insurers actually require spouses to be included on auto insurance policies, regardless of living arrangements. And today, many people have long term partners even though they aren’t married and many companies accept the view that people don’t have to be married to be committed partners.

This may actually work in your favor and you may not need to pay a lot more premiums. They don’t have everyday access to the auto like someone who is living in the same household but they are more than an occasional driver. The viewpoint you should take with these things is that it is material information for the purpose of premium calculations.

Appearing to be hiding information or not telling the full truth may jeopardize coverage and claims. You shouldn’t take the view that nothing will happen. If you think like that there is not much point in buying automobile insurance coverage as well. You should always assume the worst-case scenario. Think what would happen if someone had an accident with it. It would be a complicated case already that you don’t want other unknowns thrown into the equation, if you can help it.

Also, including someone on the vehicle insurance policy usually allows him or her better or at least guaranteed coverage. There may be questions about who are offered protections under a policy. Once they are named on the declaration page there is no such worries. And some car insurers may apply reduced Liability coverage limits and higher Collision and Comprehensive deductibles for occasional drivers.

You don’t need to wait for the renewal. You can add a new driver into your policy at any time and drop the person when you don’t need it anymore. Companies will calculate the additional premium or any refund and settle the difference with you pretty efficiently and easily.

Furthermore, you may need to insure relatives, who are coming over to stay in the house for a few days, for the duration of their stay. Since they will be staying with you and using the auto they may be considered as members of the household rather than guests. You should be able to add them for a limited period in cases just like this example.

Policyholders may worry about extra premiums when they offer new information to carriers. But you need to share important details concerning the way the car is used with your insurer in order to give them a chance to adjust their prices. Besides, the increase may not be as bad as you think. A few bucks extra payment doesn’t hurt you and makes sure you are protected well.

Another way of making sure other drivers you give permission to drive your auto is covered is to ensure your insurance policy has “permissive drivers” provision. Permissive drivers are other people who don’t normally live with you and have occasional access to your vehicle. The description of “permissive use” and its provisions may vary from one company to the other and in different states. So, motorists should check the limits and restrictions of such arrangements.