If I want to add a driver or vehicle to my insurance, do I need to start a new policy?

We know that understanding car insurance information can be complex. If you’re wondering, How do I add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?, you’ve come to the right place. We have the information you need to make a decision.

Is adding someone to car insurance temporarily an option? Does adding a driver increase your insurance? Does my car insurance cover other drivers? Read this article to find out.

Before we begin answering your questions about adding a driver or vehicle to your insurance, why not save on coverage by shopping around? You can get started today by entering your ZIP code into the tool on this page to obtain free quotes from companies in your area.

Should you buy new coverage when you’re ready to add a new driver or car to your insurance policy?

If you need to add a driver or car to your policy, you don’t have to purchase new coverage. All you need to do is contact your insurance company to add drivers and vehicles. However, buying new coverage when adding a new driver or car to your insurance policy could save you money.

Purchasing a new policy will allow you to compare rates from at least three companies to find the most affordable coverage with the additional driver(s) and vehicle(s). One way to do this is by entering your ZIP code into the tool on this page to obtain free quotes.

Can you add a new driver or car to your insurance policy?

The short answer is yes. When you’re ready for an insurance add-on , your insurance company will help you make the necessary changes to your policy. In many cases, you may even be required to add drivers to your policy if they use your car regularly or if they live with you.

If you get a new car, you’ll have to add it to your policy if you want to drive it. In most states, you’ll likely need insurance simply to register the vehicle. The amount of insurance coverage you need depends on where you live, as each state defines its own minimum liability coverage requirements (though it’s a good idea to buy more than the minimum coverage).

How do you add a new driver or car to your insurance?

The exact process may vary by insurance company, but in most cases, you’ll be able to call your car insurance company to add drivers and vehicles to your policy. Some companies may allow you to update the drivers and cars on your policy through the company website or app.

Regardless of the process, you’ll need some basic information to add a new driver or car to your insurance policy.

When you’re adding a driver, you’ll need the driver’s personal information:

• Name
• Age
• Marital status
• Address
• Occupation
• Driver’s license number
• Current driving record (i.e., any recent accidents or traffic tickets)

When you’re adding a vehicle, you’ll need the automobile’s characteristics:

• Vehicle identification number (VIN)
• License plate number
• Make
• Model

You may also need details like the mileage on the vehicle and its current condition.

How much will it cost to add another driver or car to your insurance policy?

The cost of adding another driver or car to your insurance policy varies, based on these types of factors:

• Your current rates
• The age, driving record, gender, credit score, etc. of the driver you want to add to your policy
• The number of vehicles already on your policy
• The value, the cost of repairs, and the likelihood of theft of the new vehicle

With an additional vehicle, you could qualify for a multi-vehicle discount that could help you maintain lower rates.

Your rates may not change much with an additional driver if they are over the age of 25 and have a clean driving record. However, if you’re adding a teen driver, your rates could increase by as much as 160%. This is due to the additional perceived risk of adding a young, inexperienced driver to your policy.

Keep reading to find out when it is — and isn’t — advisable to add another driver or vehicle to your policy.

Should you add another driver or car to your insurance policy?

Whether or not it’s a good idea to add a driver or car to your insurance policy depends on the situation. If the driver lives in your home and either uses or will use your vehicle regularly, you should probably add them to your coverage. If you purchase a new car, you’ll need to add it to your policy in order to register and drive it legally.

Is it ever a bad idea to add another driver or car to your insurance policy? If you’re concerned about how another driver in your home could affect your rates — or if you’re worried about them even driving your vehicle on occasion — it may not be a good idea to add them to your coverage. In this case, the safest thing to do may be to exclude them from your policy.

If you want to exclude a driver from driving your car, you can contact your insurance company about having them listed as an excluded driver on your policy. This means that they won’t be covered when driving any of your covered vehicles, although state laws may impact whether or not you can list excluded drivers.

When it comes to cars, it may not be appropriate to add vehicles to your policy if they aren’t driveable, are stored long-term, or require special coverage like classic car insurance.

Does insurance follow the car or the driver?

Technically, insurance follows the car rather than the driver. As a result, if someone who is not listed on your insurance drives your vehicle and is involved in an accident, your insurance will apply. However, insurance typically only covers incidental use of your car by drivers not listed on your policy, so if someone uses your vehicle regularly, it’s probably a good idea to add them as a named driver.

Add a Driver or Vehicle to My Insurance: The Bottom Line

You aren’t required to buy a new policy when adding a driver or vehicle to your coverage. Instead, you can call your insurance company — or log into the website or app — to modify your policy and add drivers and vehicles. The effect on your rates will vary based on the risk level of the driver and the details of the vehicle type.

If you’d prefer to purchase new coverage when adding a driver or vehicle to your policy, it could save you money because you’ll be able to shop around for the best rates. In that case, you can enter your ZIP code into our rate comparison tool today to access free quotes from top companies.

Frequently Asked Questions: Adding a Driver or Vehicle to My Insurance

If you’re still wondering about how, when, and why to add a driver or vehicle to your car insurance policy, read these frequently asked questions for more information.

#1 – Is it a good idea to add your roommate to your car insurance policy?

If your roommate uses your vehicle regularly, it’s a good idea to add them as a listed driver on your policy. Another option is to share an insurance policy, but only you and your roommate can decide if this is a good idea.

#2 – Should you include drivers who don’t live with you on your insurance policy?

Generally, you won’t be able to include drivers who don’t live with you on your insurance policy. If someone who doesn’t live with you occasionally drives your vehicle, they’ll be covered under incidental use. However, if they use your car regularly, you may need to contact your insurance company to find out if they can be added to your policy.

#3 – Is it ever a bad idea to add another driver or car to your insurance policy?

Adding a high-risk driver could negatively impact your rates, causing them to increase. And adding another vehicle to your policy could mean a multi-vehicle discount, but according to the Insurance Information Institute (III), cars can also unfavorably affect your insurance rates. If the vehicle you’re adding to your insurance is expensive, a high theft target, costly to repair, etcetera, it could mean higher rates.

You won’t be able to legally drive a vehicle if you don’t have insurance coverage, so you’ll need to add any vehicles you own to your policy. However, only you can decide what’s affordable, based on your budget.