Should my wife and I combine car insurance?
Asked by: Dr. Jorge Hoppe DVM | Last update: May 8, 2025Score: 4.7/5 (62 votes)
Is it better to be married or single for car insurance?
Does being married get me better car insurance rates? Yes, married couples typically pay lower premiums than single people. In general, insurance companies view married people as financially stable and safer drivers.
Is it cheaper to have my wife on my car insurance?
Most auto insurance companies offer lower rates to married couples because they are often considered more stable and less of a risk than unmarried policyholders. Beyond an overall lower rate, auto insurance companies also commonly offer special discounts for those with multi-car or home-and-auto-bundled policies.
Can my wife drive my car if she's not on my insurance?
Yes, as long as that person is legally licensed to drive. In the USA, most if not all car insurance policies cover the occasional driver who is known by you and for which you give that person permission to drive your car. Be careful if you have a ...
Do you and your spouse have to be on the same insurance?
You have the option of putting both spouses on one plan or selecting two different plans. You can pick separate plans even if you're enrolling in the exchange with premium subsidies. To qualify for subsidies, married enrollees must file a joint tax return, but they don't have to be on the same health insurance plan.
How Married Couples Can Save on Insurance
Should you combine auto insurance with your spouse?
If you and your spouse have good driving records and no recent gaps in insurance coverage, you might save more overall by combining policies than by keeping them separate. You could save even more with a multi-car discount if you're insuring multiple vehicles.
Can someone drive my car if they are not on my insurance Progressive?
While there are exceptions, car insurance generally follows the car and not the driver. Allowing another licensed driver to borrow your vehicle is known as "permissive use," which means you give someone, who isn't listed on your car insurance policy, permission to operate your vehicle.
Does my wife have to be listed on my car insurance?
It will depend on the state. In many states, you have the option to exclude your spouse from your car insurance policy, but some states will only allow it for certain reasons like not having a license or already having a policy.
What happens if I don't add my teenager to my car insurance?
Failing to add your teenager to your auto insurance can lead to coverage denial, legal penalties and policy cancellation. Lack of driving experience and perceived higher risk contribute to higher car premiums for teen drivers.
What happens if someone borrows your car and gets in an accident?
Vehicle Owners Are Liable Under California Law
This law holds a vehicle's owner responsible for collisions caused by the driver of the vehicle – even if the driver is not the owner. Liability is determined by identifying the actual owner of the vehicle.
Will my insurance go up if I add my wife?
Typically, insurance companies encourage joint policies for married couples as it presents a lower risk due to the perception that married couples tend to drive more carefully. In most cases, sharing a car insurance policy with your spouse leads to a multi-car discount.
Does it matter who is listed as the primary driver on car insurance?
It matters who the primary driver is on insurance because the primary driver is the person who drives the car the most. Insurance companies use their driving record, age, location, and other factors to calculate premiums and coverage. So the primary driver can affect insurance rates.
Does credit score affect car insurance?
How credit-based insurance scores work. Most U.S. insurance companies use credit-based insurance scores along with your driving history, claims history and many other factors to establish eligibility for payment plans and to help determine insurance rates. Again, except in California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts.
Does car insurance go up when you get married?
Your personal relationship status does have an impact on what you pay for car insurance. Because married drivers are seen as more financially stable and safer drivers, they typically pay less for car insurance.
Can I remove my spouse from my car insurance if we are separated?
Can You Remove a Spouse From Car Insurance Before a Divorce? If you and your spouse are both named on your car insurance policy, you can't change the policy on your own. Insurers won't allow you to remove your soon-to-be ex from your current car insurance, or cancel your shared policy, without their approval.
Is it cheaper to combine insurance?
The Bottom Line. Combining all of your policies with one insurance company can save you money compared to having a variety of carriers. It's also important to remember when one company is handling all of your insurance policies, that's less time you must spend sorting through and paying each policy.
Should I add my 18 year old son to my car insurance?
Getting car insurance for a young driver can be pricey due to their lack of driving experience, so a separate policy may not be the best option. In most cases, it's more affordable to add your licensed or permitted teenage driver to your existing auto insurance policy.
Do my parents have to put me on their car insurance?
To have the ability to be covered by a vehicle insurance policy you must be added as an additional driver to the vehicle owners policy.
Can my daughter drive my car if she is not on my insurance?
Usually, yes. Your car insurance coverage should be able to extend to anyone else driving your car. Even if someone isn't listed on the policy, they can operate your vehicle. If you explicitly name someone as an excluded driver in your policy, however, none of this applies to them.
Can you combine car insurance if not married?
Most insurers allow you to add a significant other, such as a boyfriend, girlfriend, fiancé, or domestic partner, to your car insurance policy if you live together. Depending on the insurer, a significant other can also add their vehicle to a joint policy if both cars are kept at the same permanent residence.
Do I need to add my wife to my insurance?
Include your spouse if you're legally married. If you plan to claim someone as a tax dependent for the year you want coverage, do include them on your application. If you won't claim them as a tax dependent, don't include them. Include your spouse and tax dependents even if they don't need health coverage.
Do both owners need to be on car insurance?
Yes — you can share a car insurance policy. If you share driving responsibilities with another driver, you may be required to share car insurance. Most car insurance companies will require a driver to be listed on the policy if: They use the vehicle frequently (more than 12 times a year)
What happens if you don't add a driver to your insurance?
If someone in your household, who is unknown to your insurance company, gets in an accident, your insurer might rescind or cancel your policy and/or deny your insurance claim because they've been kept in the dark.
How does insurance work if you borrow a car?
Generally, insurance coverage follows the vehicle rather than the driver. So in most instances, as long as the owner of the car has insurance, it's covered even if someone other than the owner is driving it — as long as they have the owner's permission.
Can I remove my 18 year old from my car insurance?
You can remove a listed driver from your car insurance policy if they no longer live with you and no longer drive your vehicle. If you have a child away at college or who moves out temporarily, it's a good idea to keep them on your policy. Doing so ensures that they can drive your vehicle during breaks.