Can I add my girlfriend to my car insurance policy?

If your girlfriend is moving into your home, or she has regular access to your vehicle, it is critical that you review the terms and conditions of your car insurance to ensure that you have protection.

In some circumstances, you may be required to add the new driver to your plan, but that is not always the case.

If adding the operator to your policy is a requirement, you should know that there are advantages and disadvantages to adding a partner to your car insurance policy.

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How does your coverage extend to other drivers?

Many people believe that your car insurance either follows you, or it follows your vehicle.

How your car insurance will take effect when you are lending your car to someone or when you are borrowing a friend’s car can be extremely confusing.

The question is often confusing for those who do not have a deep understanding of how insurance works, but once you actually know how coverage extends to other parties, you will be much more confident in your choice to add or not to add someone to your existing plan.

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Defining a Permissive User

When you allow other drivers that are not listed on your policy to drive your vehicle, the driver will be covered as long as they fit the company’s definition of permissive user.

It is a standard in the industry to allow permissive use to some degree under a personal auto insurance policy.

Other drivers are extended coverage under the permissive use definition in the following situations:

• A friend who does not live in the household borrows the vehicle
• A neighbor borrows the car temporarily while their vehicle is out of commission
• An acquaintance drives the vehicle in an emergency situation
• Someone is test driving the car in hopes of buying it
• A family member from out of town drives the vehicle for a week
• A co-worker drives the car to pick up lunch

Damage to Your Vehicle

Perhaps the easiest part of this to understand is how damage to your car is paid for.

Physical damage coverage will always follow your vehicle; this includes when your girlfriend is driving.

If she is not paying attention and crashes into a parked car or she is partially at fault for a multi-car pileup, your insurer is going to help you pay for your repairs by investigating a collision payout.

As long as you have collision coverage and you can cover your deductible, the repairs will be made to your car under your plan.

Since the loss was the fault of another driver, your insurer will probably ask you a long list of questions.

They will want to know the following:

• How often she drives your car
• Where she is insured and what her policy number is
• What her coverage limits are
• If she lives in your home

If she does not have coverage or she lives in the home, the insurer will require you to add her as a driver or to exclude her from the plan to keep your policy active.

She does not qualify for coverage as a permissive user any longer and the company wants to protect themselves from covering a driver they are not collecting premiums on.

Damages to Others

The existence of another insurance policy becomes important to your insurer. Liability insurance follows the driver in most cases.

Your insured girlfriend who has her own insurance policy will have liability coverage if she damages property or injures a third party in your car.

One of the reasons your policy will still pay for liability claims when the loss was caused by an unlisted driver is because you can be liable as the vehicle’s owner.

If the limits of liability are high enough, your girlfriend’s policy will pay for all of the damages on its own. If they are not, her policy will pay first and then your policy will kick in to pay the difference.

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Case Studies: Adding Your Girlfriend to Your Car Insurance Policy

Case Study 1: Permissive User Coverage

Mark wants to add his girlfriend, Sarah, to his car insurance policy so she can drive his car occasionally. He learns that most personal auto insurance policies provide coverage for permissive use. Mark confirms with his insurance provider that Sarah qualifies as a permissive user as long as she meets the definition set by the company. This allows Sarah to drive Mark’s car and be covered under his policy when she does.

Case Study 2: Damage and Liability Coverage

Alex wants to add his girlfriend, Emily, to his car insurance policy. He wonders what will happen if Emily damages his car while driving. Alex learns that his collision coverage will pay for the damages to his car, as long as he has the necessary coverage and can cover the deductible.

Additionally, liability coverage follows the driver in most cases, so if Emily causes damage to others while driving Alex’s car, her own insurance policy may cover the liability. If her policy limits are not sufficient, Alex’s policy will provide additional coverage.

Case Study 3: Adding to Policy vs. Separate Policy

Mike is considering adding his girlfriend, Jessica, to his car insurance policy but wants to compare the cost to adding her versus buying a separate policy. He uses an online quote tool to receive car insurance rates from multiple companies. After comparing the prices, Mike decides that adding Jessica to his existing policy is more cost-effective, especially considering her safe driving record.

Who is not allowed to be a permissive user?

It might sound like classifying your girlfriend as a permissive user is best to avoid rate hikes, but underwriters are very savvy.

If your girlfriend lives with you or does not have her own policy, she needs to be added to your insurance.

Adding your girlfriend to your insurance can raise your rates for a number of reasons, but if she is a safe driver, it could be a money-saving move.

Here are some issues that can raise your rates:

• Your girlfriend has recent tickets
• Your girlfriend has an accident within the last three years
• She has been at fault for bodily injury
• She has less than nine years of driving experience
• She does not qualify for young driver discounts

If you would like to compare the price to add your partner to your policy versus buying a new policy, enter your zip code to receive car insurance rates from multiple companies.

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