Does adding a spouse increase car insurance?

Asked by: Dr. Bertrand Jerde  |  Last update: July 20, 2023
Score: 4.7/5 (19 votes)

Adding your husband or your wife to your car insurance will likely increase your premium, but it should be cheaper than having two separate policies unless your spouse has a poor driving history. Married couples generally pay lower rates per person because research shows that they aren't as likely to file claims.

Will my car insurance go up if I add my wife?

Your car insurance will go up if you add your wife to your policy and your insurance company views her as a relatively high-risk driver. Your car insurance rate will also go up if your wife has a vehicle that you are adding to the policy as well.

Is it cheaper to combine car insurance with spouse?

Auto insurance is cheaper when you are married than when you are single. Based on our analysis, for drivers in U.S., we found that full coverage car insurance costs $123 less annually for married couples than for single drivers — a 5% savings. Rates are the average annual premium for a full coverage policy.

Should you add your spouse to your auto insurance?

Adding your spouse to your policy ensures that you're both covered in the event of an accident. If you and your spouse have good driving records, a joint car insurance policy can save you money with lower premiums and a multi-car discount (if your insurer offers one).

Does adding a person to car insurance increase rate?

You can expect your auto insurance premiums to change if you add a driver to your policy. The change might not be an increase in your rates. In fact, it might bring your premiums down significantly, depending on the primary and secondary drivers on your policy.

How Modifications Affect Car Insurance

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Is it cheaper to add a second driver to insurance?

Adding a named driver to policy can reduce your premiums, as well as making it cheaper for the named drivers to be insured, especially if they're a young driver. Some insurers will allow you to add up to three named drivers to your policy.

How much does it cost to add people to car insurance?

If you need to add someone to your insurance policy and they are considered preferred auto or low risk, then you may find that they only cost you a one-off fee to amend the policy – which may be around $30 to $50. The monthly fee may then go up slightly or stay the same, but you will need to pay the fee either way.

Does being married affect car insurance?

Yes, marriage does affect car insurance, and in a good way, usually. Premiums can typically decrease because most married couples tend to be safe drivers.

Can you lie about marital status on car insurance?

Answer provided by

“Car insurance companies pull several reports when determining a rate for an insured. Your marital status is often a part of this. If you report on your application that you and your boyfriend are married but the underwriting department verifies you aren't, you could risk losing your policy.

Do you have to be married to be on the same car insurance?

If you are living together and sharing a vehicle, you do not have to be married to be on the same car insurance policy. But joint car insurance for married couples is more challenging. If you both own your own vehicles separately, you can still be listed on each other's policies but may not be able to combine them.

How does car insurance work for married couples?

Getting married, therefore, generally has a positive effect on your car insurance rates. Most auto insurance carriers offer a discount to married drivers. Even men under 25, who generally get stuck with the highest auto insurance premiums, receive a discount for being married.

Does getting married save on insurance?

Does Marriage Status Affect Car Insurance? Marital status doesn't affect your eligibility for car insurance, but it can affect your rates. Being married makes you statistically less likely to file a claim, and your insurance company should recognize this statistical fact by rewarding you with lower premiums.

Are joint car insurance policies cheaper?

Are multi car insurance policies cheaper? It can work out cheaper to insure all your cars on a multi car insurance policy, but there's no guarantee it'll cost less than separate policies. The price will depend on your own circumstances, as well as the other drivers listed on the policy.

Do I have to change my name on my car insurance when I get married?

If you get married while your car insurance policy is up and running, you'll need to let your insurer know - even if you don't change your name. You'll normally have to prove that you're married by sending over a copy of your marriage certificate.

Does relationship status affect car insurance?

According to the insurance companies, our marital status does have an impact on our car insurance, and can cause our insurance premiums to go up! Some drivers when they updated their insurers about getting divorced, their car insurance premiums went up hundreds of pounds a year.

Can I say I'm single on my car insurance?

If it's not accurate or you misrepresent yourself on an application, a car insurance company would deny you coverage. The only exception is if your car insurance company doesn't offer divorced as a marital status. It's unlikely that they wouldn't, but if so, listing your status as single wouldn't impact your policy.

Is it better to put single or divorced for car insurance?

If you're wondering whether there's any benefit to putting yourself down as single or divorced when applying for insurance, there typically isn't. Both are statuses are considered the same when your agent generates a quote.

Is it cheaper to be single or married?

A peek at their actual household expenditures shows, not surprisingly, that a married couple pays substantially less proportionally toward basic living costs than a single person.

Can you have 2 main drivers on the same car?

You and your partner can both take out separate policies for the same car. Car insurance policies are for both the vehicle and the driver, so it's perfectly fine, legal and common for two people to be insured on the same vehicle under separate policies. There are a few reasons why you might consider doing this.

Can my wife drive car?

There's no limit to how many people can drive the car, so any friends or family, who have your permission, are legally insured to drive it. This type of car insurance is far less common, as most people only have one, or a few, named drivers added to their existing policy.

Can I be second driver on my own car?

A named driver is not legally permitted to drive the vehicle more than the main driver, however. If the named driver drives the vehicle more than the main policyholder, this is against the law and will void the policy altogether.

What happens if an additional driver has an accident?

The main driver is responsible for ANY accidents by the additional drivers-- if you crash, the main driver's premium goes up regardless: it is as if they had crashed. Even if they remove the additional driver, their policy for the forthcoming years will be affected.

How does second driver insurance work?

Named driver insurance (sometimes called additional driver insurance) is cover for extra drivers added to your car insurance policy. It means the people you add can legally drive your car – you don't have to be in it either. Named drivers usually have the same level of cover as the policyholder.

Can you insure someone on your car who doesn't live with you?

Providers usually don't allow you to add a non-related driver to your policy who doesn't live with you. Typically, car insurance covers the vehicle's owner and family members in the same household.

What is the cheapest way to insure two cars?

Multi-car insurance covers more than one vehicle under the same policy. It offers the same features as a single-car policy, but gives you a discount for the second vehicle. This makes it one of the cheaper ways to insure more than one car.