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

It’s a common question: “I want to add a driver or vehicle to my insurance. Do I need a new policy?” If you need to add a driver to your auto insurance policy, there are a few things you need to know. 

We’ll break down how insurance additions work, including adding someone to car insurance temporarily and whether you even need to, and how adding drivers and vehicles can impact rates. We’ll also discuss how to compare auto insurance quotes before you add a driver or vehicle.

Before you learn all about how to add a driver to your insurance, see how much you could be saving. Enter your ZIP code to compare auto insurance rates from top companies today.

Do you need a new policy to add a driver to auto insurance?

If you’re adding a new driver to your policy, there’s no need to start a new policy. All you have to do is contact your insurance company and have the driver added. Some insurance companies will let you do this online or through a mobile app, while others will require a phone call.

To add a driver to your policy, you’ll need a few things:

• The driver’s name and birthdate
• Driver’s license number
• Social security number

If you have more than one car, you will also need to choose which car the new driver will be rated on. What that means is that that particular driver is the one that most affects the cost of insurance for that car.

If you’re adding a teen driver, you’ll save money by having them listed as the driver of your least valuable car.

A driver listed on your policy can drive any car in the household, and will be covered but needs to be rated on a specific car. If you only have one car, the new driver will have a potential impact on the car insurance rates for that car. Let’s discuss that a little more.

Does adding a driver increase your insurance rates?

Adding a driver might increase your auto insurance rates. It depends on the driver. If you get married and add your 35-year-old spouse with a clean driving record to your policy, the odds are good that you won’t see an increase. Your rates might even go down in the right circumstances.

If you’re adding your 17-year-old, brace yourself. Your rates will go up by quite a bit. That’s because teen drivers are high-risk and likely to cause a claim. Your insurance company will protect itself from that financial risk by charging you more for insurance. Take a look at some average rates for a 17-year-old below.

As you can see, the company you choose will make a big difference. If you’re insuring a new driver on your policy it’s a good idea to shop around and see if another company can beat your current insurer’s rates.

Does my car insurance cover other drivers even if they aren’t on the policy?

The answer to this question lies in the answer to another common car insurance question: does insurance follow the car or the driver?

Auto insurance follows the car, not the driver. This means that your insurance will cover other drivers, even if they aren’t on your policy, for occasional use of your car.

The operative word here is “occasional.” Most insurance contracts require that every person in your household has to be listed on your auto insurance policy. This allows the company to rate you correctly for the risk you present. A licensed driver who lives in your home has to be on your insurance unless you can show proof that they have insurance of their own.

If someone else is driving your car on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to consider adding them to your insurance. This can apply to a nanny, for example, who is using your car to transport your children. Your insurance company could deny a claim if it’s discovered that you didn’t list a regular driver of your car on the policy.

Do I need a new policy to add another vehicle?

Insurance companies usually assign an individual policy number to each car on your policy, and each car can have its own level of coverage. However, you can still have all of those vehicles be on one account, one bill, and one payment.

Adding a vehicle isn’t like starting a new policy altogether because you won’t have to go through the application process. A new car can usually be added over the phone or online in a few quick steps.

Adding a vehicle will change what you pay for insurance, as you’re now insuring another car. If you replace one car with another, your rates will be impacted by differences in the vehicle as well and could go up or down.

How do I add a driver or vehicle to my insurance? The Bottom Line