Insuring Your Boyfriend's Car: What You Need To Know

Yes, you can add your boyfriend to your auto insurance policy, especially if you live together and/or share a car. However, doing so may raise your premiums, especially if they have a bad driving record or poor credit score.

When to add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy

There are several situations in which it makes sense to add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy. These include:

• You live together: If you live together and share vehicles, it is often more convenient to combine policies. Most insurers require you to add your boyfriend to your policy if you share the same address.
• Your boyfriend drives your vehicle frequently: If your boyfriend drives your car more than 10-15 times a year, you should add them to your policy. This is because permissive use, which covers short-term or infrequent use by another driver, is not intended for regular driving.
• You each own a vehicle: If you both own vehicles, you can usually qualify for a multi-vehicle discount by combining policies.
• Your boyfriend doesn't have insurance: If your boyfriend doesn't have insurance, they won't be covered under permissive use. Therefore, you'll need to add them to your policy.

In addition to the above scenarios, you may also want to consider adding your boyfriend to your policy if you drive his car more than once a month.

On the other hand, there are some situations in which it may be better to keep separate policies:

• Your boyfriend doesn't drive your vehicle: If your boyfriend rarely drives your car and you don't live together, you may not need to add them to your policy.
• One of you drives an expensive vehicle: The value of your vehicle affects your insurance rates. Therefore, if one of you drives a costly car, it may significantly increase your rates.
• Your boyfriend has a bad driving record: A bad driving record with traffic violations or DUIs can increase your insurance rates. If your boyfriend has had an at-fault accident within the last three years, your insurance premiums will likely increase.
• Your boyfriend has bad credit: A bad credit score can also increase your insurance rates.

When not to add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy

• Your boyfriend has a bad driving record: If your boyfriend has a history of traffic violations, DUIs, or at-fault accidents, adding him to your policy could significantly increase your insurance rates.
• You don't borrow each other's vehicles often: If you don't live together and rarely drive each other's cars, it may not be necessary to add your boyfriend to your policy. Your existing policy's permissive use clause may already cover you in these instances.
• Your boyfriend has a poor credit score: A poor credit score can increase insurance rates. Since insurance companies in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan use credit scores to set insurance rates, adding your boyfriend to your policy could be more expensive in these states.
• One of you drives an expensive vehicle: The value of the vehicle directly affects insurance rates. If one of you drives a costly car, it may be more affordable to maintain separate insurance policies.
• Your boyfriend has less than nine years of driving experience: Inexperienced drivers are considered riskier to insure and could increase your insurance rates.
• You want to avoid potential stress: Adding your boyfriend to your policy means his driving record and credit score can affect your insurance costs. Keeping separate policies ensures you maintain control over your insurance rates.

How to add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy

If you're thinking about adding your boyfriend to your car insurance, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, if you live together, your insurer will likely require you to add your boyfriend to your policy. If you don't live together, you should still be able to add him to your policy, but it may not always be the best option financially.

When to add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy

You should add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy if:

• You live together and share a vehicle.
• Your boyfriend drives your car frequently (more than 10-15 times a year).
• You each own a vehicle and want to combine policies to qualify for a multi-vehicle discount.
• Your boyfriend doesn't have car insurance of his own.

When you might not want to add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy

You may not want to add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy if:

• He has a bad driving record with a lot of traffic violations or DUIs.
• He has a poor credit score.
• One of you drives an expensive or high-value vehicle.
• He is an inexperienced driver.
• You rarely borrow each other's vehicles.

Adding your boyfriend to your car insurance policy is usually a simple process. Here are the steps you can follow:

• Determine how you want to change your policy. You may want to add your boyfriend as a listed driver for occasional use, add him to an existing policy, or purchase a new joint policy.
• Contact your car insurance company to make the change or inquire about a new policy.
• Provide information about your boyfriend, including his full name, date of birth, driving history, and driver's license number. You may also need to provide his vehicle identification number (VIN) if you plan to add his vehicle to a joint policy.

Excluding your boyfriend from your car insurance policy

While you can add your boyfriend to your car insurance policy if you live together, it's not always the best or cheapest option. Adding an inexperienced driver or one with moving violations to your policy can increase your premium. Additionally, insurance companies might charge more for the extra coverage.

If you rarely drive each other's cars, it may not be necessary or cost-effective to add your boyfriend to your policy. In this case, your policy's permissive use agreement might be sufficient. This agreement covers people who drive your vehicle less than 10 to 15 times a year and have your consent to do so. However, there are usually exceptions to this policy, such as if your boyfriend is a member of your household, uninsured, or has minimal driving experience.

Before making any decisions, it's important to compare prices and consider your finances, coverage needs, and how often you drive each other's vehicles. You can also contact your insurance representative to find out what options are available and how they might affect your rates.

Pros and cons of adding your boyfriend to your car insurance policy

Pros of adding your boyfriend to your car insurance policy:

• You might qualify for a multi-driver or multi-vehicle discount, which can help you save money.
• Adding a driver to your policy is usually quick and easy.
• You can ensure that you and your significant other have the appropriate amount of coverage, which can help you avoid expensive repair bills later.

Cons of adding your boyfriend to your car insurance policy:

• You might pay more for coverage when you add a listed driver or add a driver to an existing policy.
• Once you add someone to your policy, their driving record affects your car insurance costs, which can be risky if they have a bad driving record.
• Depending on your living situation and how often you share vehicles, adding your partner to your policy might not be necessary and can cause unnecessary stress.

Frequently asked questions