WalletHub, Financial Company
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No. You do not have to add your spouse to your car insurance. Most car insurance companies will want all licensed members of your household listed as drivers, to make sure your policy’s rate is calculated properly. But there is no legal requirement that says a driver must add their spouse to an auto insurance policy. You could even exclude your spouse as a driver on the policy, but that would mean your spouse won’t be covered under “permissive use” if something happens while they’re driving your car.
A lot depends on the insurance company and the specifics of your situation, though. Many auto insurance companies let married couples who live together keep policies from separate providers if they wish, whether because they prefer a certain agent or they simply don’t want to switch. However, some providers (like Progressive) require married couples to combine their car insurance policies if they share a home and have policies with the same company.
In many cases, depending on both of your driving records and credit history, it’s in your best interest to add your spouse to your car insurance, or at least shop around for insurance policies geared toward married couples. Even if one of you has had accidents or been convicted of traffic violations, having a spouse with a clean driving record on the policy may get you more competitive rates overall. By adding your spouse to your car insurance policy up front, you’ll also be avoiding any suspicion of misrepresentation or fraud, which would give your auto insurance provider grounds to deny a claim or cancel your policy outright.
Why Add Your Spouse to Your Car Insurance Policy
- You may qualify for multi-car, multi-driver and multi-policy discounts.
- It’s easier to manage a single auto insurance policy than two separate ones.
- You’ll avoid paying to insure the same car twice in single-car households.
- You’ll be able to share vehicles without worry.
Ultimately, all active drivers are required to have some sort of auto insurance coverage, depending on their home state. But whether or not you have to add your spouse to your car insurance policy is a question for your particular provider.
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