Can I add someone to my car insurance who doesn't live with me?

Life would be so much easier if we could just add our friends and family to our car insurance policy and split the costs. But unfortunately, paying for insurance rates is not like paying for a Netflix subscription. Car insurance coverage is necessary for all drivers but has its own set of rules. Even if other people drive your car, you need to check if you can add them to your policy.

Insurify is here to help you figure out who you can add to your own insurance. In most cases, companies will require that people on the same policy all live at the same residence. In any case, our auto insurance comparison tools can help you get side-by-side comparisons of car insurance rates from the best companies to make sure that your loved ones don’t go uninsured.

Cheapest Car Insurance Companies for Multi-Driver Policies

No one should have to run the risk of going without insurance, coverage, or peace of mind. Insurify put together a list of the cheapest car insurance companies for policies with multiple drivers. This way, if you want someone to drive your car, you can do so knowing they’re safe.

See More: Car Insurance Quotes

Who Your Car Insurance Covers

In most instances, a driver’s insurance policy will cover just them. Since there are always coverage limits to a policy, the main rule of thumb to follow is that anyone who lives at your address and uses your car can and should be included on your car insurance policy. In most cases, this is a family member, partner, or in some instances, even a roommate.

But what happens in special cases where you need to cover someone you don’t live with? This can be a child in college who uses your car when they’re home. Sometimes, we let our friends and other adults use our cars, too. Or what happens if you’re going through a divorce and are unsure of which spouse should be responsible as the policyholder for your dependents?

It may be helpful to talk to an insurance agent to check your options for who your policy covers, especially in these special situations. There are a number of exclusions when it comes to auto insurance coverage and you do not want to be left paying out of pocket in the event of an accident or covering medical expenses if you are not the person driving your own vehicle.

Many insurance companies allow roommates to share a policy, even if they use separate cars. The main rule here is that both cars are parked at the same address. Insurers can also provide coverage for using a friend’s car, but only if everyone is listed on the same address and on the same policy. Other people you let drive your car count as excluded drivers and are not covered.

In other cases, you can purchase a special add-on to your car insurance policy called permissive use. This means that you give your permission to let another person—who does not live at the same address as you—drive your car. For example, if you let your friend borrow your car while you are away on vacation and you bought permissive use, then they are covered.

The main thing to know is that your car insurance policy covers you and not your car. Unless you’re on your friend’s insurance, then you are not covered when you drive their car. Every state law requires anyone driving to have a valid driver’s license, but auto insurance is not required. Make sure that whoever you let drive your car is covered by your policy or their own.

There are dangers of letting other people use your car. Policy limits exist, and these limits make it difficult to get the coverage you need when someone else causes property damage or gets into a car accident with your car. Even worse, people who drive your car and are not covered will not be helped if they need to pay for medical bills or other accident-related expenses.

It is important to consider getting multiple types of coverage for not only yourself but for anyone else you put on your policy. This way, you all have access to primary coverage in the case of an accident. Different insurance carriers have different options of customizing your auto insurance policy to your lifestyle.

Examples of coverages you can consider are:

Liability coverage: This protects the policyholder against claims from injuries and damage. Liability coverage helps you against legal costs in case you are found responsible for medical payments, property damage, or other accidents.

Collision coverage: This helps you pay damage caused by an accident. Collision coverage can help cover the costs of repairing or replacing your car from a car accident or if you back into a fence.

Comprehensive coverage: Essentially, this covers everything other than collisions, like fire and theft.

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Who You Can Add to Your Car Insurance Policy

Before adding anyone to your car insurance policy, you should be aware of how it can impact your deductible. Insurance providers take the driving history of everyone on the policy into account, so if you add your teen driver who has been in three accidents, expect your insurance premium to rise significantly. Try to check that whoever you add has a good driving record.

In any case, there are special exceptions for people you can add to your car insurance policy even if they don’t live with you. Here’s a list of people you can—and cannot—add to your existing car insurance policy:

• Students away at college: If your child is away at college but uses your car when they come home, you can usually keep them on your policy. This may be a benefit, too, because many insurance companies offer discounts for students when they are away at school and when they get good grades.

• A significant other who lives far away: In a long-distance relationship but you let your partner drive your car when you’re together? While most insurance companies do not allow adding someone who lives at a different address, some companies make an exception for partners who live apart.

• Caretakers and babysitters: Some families let their caretaker or nanny use their car for different things, like picking kids up from school or running errands. You should consider adding these people to your policy since they frequently use your car. Talk to an agent if you have questions because sometimes, caretakers might need to buy their own policy.

• Drivers you cannot add: Unfortunately, insurance companies have rules, and sometimes, it is almost impossible to add the people you want to your policy.

You cannot add just any friend to your policy. If you have two different cars parked at two different addresses, your insurance company will probably not insure them. You can buy a policy with your roommates, but this follows the rule that you must live at the same address.

If your child is an adult and has moved out, then you cannot add them to your policy. Again, this follows the rule that they no longer live at your address and they park their car at their own residence. Check with an insurance agent regarding what options are available if you co-own the same car, though.

See More: Cheap Car Insurance

Tips for Cheapest Multi-Driver Car Insurance

Adding another driver to your policy has its pros and cons, but comparing quotes can help you make sure you are doing everything to get the cheapest possible rates—no matter who you’re adding.

Check That They Have a Good Driving History

Car insurance companies will always take the unique driving history of each person on the policy into account. If you add your roommate who has gotten into three car accidents in the last year onto your policy, then chances are, you will see your premium skyrocket. The easiest way to save on your car insurance premium is by ensuring everyone has a clean driving history.

Consider a Multi-Vehicle Discount

If you add an additional driver who also has their own car to your policy, then you will most likely pay less than if you had two separate policies. This way, you do not constantly have to worry about coverage for or damage done to your own car.

Look Up Student Discounts

Policyholders with students, rejoice! In those tricky situations where you might have a child away at college who uses your car when they’re home or you and your partner are divorced and unsure of which policy your child should be on, many insurance companies offer student discounts, including benefits for students away from home or good grades.

Shop Around for Car Insurance

The easiest way to save money on your car insurance policy is by shopping around for the cheapest rates! The same person can get a variety of costs just by collecting quotes from different insurance companies. Insurify is the best place to collect and compare multiple quotes to make sure you’re getting the best, most affordable car insurance rates.

See More: Best and Worst Sites to Compare Car Insurance

Finding the Cheapest Car Insurance for Your Multi-Driver Policy

It can get tricky trying to add your loved ones to your car insurance policy. In any case, no one should run the risk of driving uninsured. Multi-driver policies are great options for adding people—typically those you live with—to your policy.

If you want to find the best rates, Insurify has you covered. You can compare the cheapest car insurance quotes from hundreds of different insurance companies in a matter of minutes, and all for free. Get your free quote today!

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