- You are not required to purchase a new policy when adding a driver or vehicle
- Adding a new car or driver can change your insurance rates
- Shopping online allows you to compare quotes from insurance companies that offer multi-car discounts
Whether you have a new driver or a new car in the household, “how do I add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?” is probably on your mind.
You’re not the only one who’s trying to be sure that you meet all the Texas car insurance requirements. Regardless of whether the new driver is a teenager or a new spouse, or if you need to add a new or used car, the process is the same.
Adding new drivers and vehicles to your policy is an easy process that can be done quickly. Adding a vehicle to your policy can even score you a discount.
Of course both of these changes will affect your car insurance rates. Depending on the situation, your rates will either go up or down. Not sure what to expect? Read on to learn how adding drivers and cars works and how it affects rates.
You can shop online to find insurance policies that come with affordable car insurance rates and multi-car discounts. If you’ve been thinking about adding a driver or vehicle to your insurance, enter your ZIP code to get free quotes from insurance companies near you.
How can you add drivers or vehicles to an existing policy?
Adding a driver or a vehicle to an existing policy isn’t difficult at all. While there are a few insurance companies that will require you to contact a representative to enact this change to your policy, the whole procedure shouldn’t take very long.
You can also add a driver by accessing your policy online. As long as you have your account login, you can make changes to your policy via the insurance company’s mobile app or through the company website.
Whether you are adding a driver over the phone with assistance from an insurance representative or by yourself online, you’ll need to have the following information ready:
- The name of the added driver
- The added driver’s license number
- The added driver’s age when they first secured their license
As long as all that information is accurate, your insurance company will then be able to add the driver to your policy, show you how the addition will change your rates, and get a new insurance card drawn up for the added driver.
The insurance card can be sent to you electronically or through regular mail.
When you want to add a car to your insurance policy, you will need to have handy some basic information about the car:
- The vehicle’s identification number
- The mileage on the vehicle
- The vehicle’s make and model
- If there is a lien or lease on the vehicle
After the car has been added, you’ll receive a temporary insurance card, typically to your email, stating that the car is now covered by your insurance policy. The official insurance card should arrive shortly thereafter.
Comparing and analyzing car insurance quotes should be the next stop on your insurance journey.
Does adding drivers or vehicles increase a driver’s rates?
Suppose a relative is moving into your home and will share your car for more than a few days. You’ll want to add them to your policy, even if only temporarily.
While adding a driver or a vehicle will always have some effect on your insurance rates, exactly how your rates are affected is a case-by-case basis. For example, if your teenager just received their license and you add them to your policy, your rates will most likely increase.
Teenagers are considered to be high-risk drivers by insurance companies because of their inexperience on the road. Of course, as your teenager gains experience and does not get tickets or into accidents, their rates should decrease.
This chart contains some great examples of the vast differences when analyzing car insurance rates offered to more mature drivers and freshly licensed teenagers:
| Group | Married 35-year old female | Married 35-year old male | Married 60-year old female | Married 60-year old male | Single 17-year old female | Single 17-year old male | Single 25-year old female | Single 25-year old male | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allstate | $4,217.27 | $4,244.40 | $4,163.30 | $4,163.30 | $11,218.58 | $13,508.79 | $5,202.14 | $5,400.52 | $6,514.79 |
| American Family | $3,868.87 | $4,362.69 | $3,710.26 | $4,306.92 | $11,317.80 | $14,803.09 | $5,781.26 | $6,621.66 | $6,846.57 |
| GEICO | $2,912.28 | $3,169.25 | $2,838.28 | $3,271.55 | $6,541.74 | $6,741.68 | $3,158.48 | $3,120.96 | $3,969.28 |
| Nationwide | $2,737.94 | $2,781.67 | $2,414.89 | $2,556.62 | $7,905.73 | $10,151.58 | $3,231.22 | $3,497.33 | $4,409.62 |
| Progressive | $2,780.15 | $2,646.22 | $2,470.71 | $2,516.22 | $11,780.27 | $13,178.71 | $3,311.60 | $3,372.89 | $5,257.10 |
| State Farm | $2,409.57 | $2,409.57 | $2,150.86 | $2,150.86 | $5,837.21 | $7,446.90 | $2,624.53 | $2,699.21 | $3,466.09 |
| USAA | $1,861.20 | $1,862.59 | $1,788.73 | $1,764.79 | $5,316.68 | $5,756.42 | $2,474.00 | $2,628.93 | $2,931.67 |
Now, if the driver joining your policy is 40 years old, has excellent credit, and no moving violations, you should see your rates stay the same or even drop a little bit.
Drivers aren’t the only thing that can change your rates. Adding vehicles can and will affect your rates. The value of the vehicle is also a consideration. For example, a used Toyota Camry wouldn’t cause as dramatic an increase to your rates as a brand-new Aston Martin.
When adding a new car, your rates will reflect how expensive your vehicle would be to fix. Understanding that can better prepare you for when you see the rate hike on your policy after adding a new vehicle.
Adding a car to your policy can benefit your budget. Most major insurance companies offer a multi-car discount which can help reduce your rates. There are other ways you can save money on your insurance policy.
How can drivers lower their insurance rates?
Besides the multi-car discount, you may find other discounts to lower your insurance rates after adding a new driver or vehicle to your policy.
Not sure where else you can save money on your car insurance? The chart below shows some discounts offered by Allstate, as an example, that could potentially help you save on your insurance:
| Allstate Discounts | Percentage Saved |
|---|---|
| Anti-lock Brakes | 10% |
| Anti-Theft | 10% |
| Claim Free | 35% |
| Daytime Running Lights | 2% |
| Defensive Driver | 10% |
| Distant Student | 35% |
| Driver's Ed | 10% |
| Driving Device/App | 20% |
| Early Signing | 10% |
| Electronic Stability Control | 2% |
| Farm Vehicle | 10% |
| Full Payment | 10% |
| Good Student | 20% |
| Green Vehicle | 10% |
| Multiple Policies | 10% |
| Newer Vehicle | 30% |
| On Time Payments | 5% |
| Paperless Documents | 10% |
| Paperless/Auto Billing | 5% |
| Passive Restraint | 30% |
| Safe Driver | 45% |
| Senior Driver | 10% |
| Utility Vehicle | 15% |
| Vehicle Recovery | 10% |
Whenever you’re shopping for a new insurance company or looking over your policy at the time of your renewal, you should revisit this list. Free resources like this can be invaluable to help you save money on your car insurance.
You can also review your coverage limits. For example, are your deductibles very low? Do you understand what a car insurance deductible is and how it works?
Making your coverage suit your needs and raising your deductible can reduce your rates too.
Does a driver’s insurance follow the car or the driver?
After digesting all this information, you may still wonder, “Does my insurance cover other drivers?”
Your insurance follows your car, so, yes, it does cover other drivers. This neat aspect of insurance allows you to avoid adding someone to car insurance temporarily and facing a blow to your budget.
This flexibility with your insurance coverage is especially helpful if the person borrowing your car simply needs it for only a day or two.
Of course, if this individual plans on regularly driving your vehicle for more than a few days, you will need to add them to your insurance.
Adding Drivers and Vehicles to Your Policy: The Bottom Line
If you need to add a driver or vehicle to your insurance, buy car insurance from a company that provides low rates and discounts, such as a multi-car discount.
Adding a driver may not always result in an increase in your rates unless the driver is a teenager or doesn’t have much driving experience. But adding a vehicle will always increase your rates. The amount of that increase depends on the age and value of the vehicle.
If a neighbor wants to just borrow your vehicle for the day to run some errands, you won’t have to worry about adding them to your insurance. Your insurance follows your car, so you will be protected if anything were to happen.
Adding a new driver or a vehicle to your insurance policy can easily be completed on your current insurer’s website or by calling their customer service phone number.
Enter your ZIP code to receive free quotes today from insurance companies in your area before you add a driver or vehicle.