If I want to add a driver or vehicle to my insurance, do I need to start a new policy?

Do I have to buy auto insurance to add a driver or vehicle to my insurance policy?

If a friend or family member is joining your household and wants to regularly drive your car, you won’t have to purchase a brand new policy to make sure that the new driver is covered. Of course, if you think that your current coverage is already too high, you may be asking yourself, “Can I shop online to get affordable car insurance and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?”

You’ll be happy to hear that, yes, you can.  Shopping online allows you to play around with various insurance add-ons that could influence the auto insurance rates that you pay. With impressive tools like this, you can know what to expect when you implement changes to your policy.

Keep reading to learn you can add drivers and cars to your policy while keeping your rates from skyrocketing.

Enter your ZIP code to get free auto insurance quotes if you’ve ever asked your insurance representative, “How can I add a driver or vehicle to my insurance policy?”

How can drivers add another person to their auto insurance policy?

Have you ever wondered, “Does my car insurance cover other drivers?”

It can as long as those drivers have been added to your policy. If you’ve never added another driver to your policy before, there’s no need to panic. The entire process is very simple and should only take a few minutes. When you need to add a new driver, you’ll need to have their license information and some personal details, like their birthday, handy so you can share that with your insurance company.

When that data has been entered into your policy, the insurance company will send out an official insurance card so the new driver will have proof of insurance. Now, does adding a driver cause your insurance rates to rise? The answer to this question will come down to the individual driver.

For example, if the driver you are adding to your policy has great credit and a stellar driving record you may not face much of an increase at all; however, if the driver in question has caused a lot of accidents, you will more than likely face higher rates.

Below is a chart that can help you gauge how much you may end up paying for your insurance depending on a new driver’s driving record:

Average Monthly Auto Insurance Rates by Driving Record

After taking all this in you may be wondering, “Does insurance follow the car or the driver?” Insurance coverage follows the car so adding someone to car insurance temporarily, like your neighbor who just needs to borrow your car for the day, isn’t necessary.

How do drivers add a new vehicle to their insurance policy?

Adding a car to your policy, like adding a driver, is not hard to do. First, you’ll need to contact your insurance representative and share the car’s details, and then tell them what kinds of coverage you would like to place on the car. After that, new insurance documents will be sent to you, either via email or through the mail, so you can have a record of the changes that have been made to your policy.

Now you may be asking, “How can I keep my reasonable auto insurance rates and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?” In today’s marketplace, there are many insurance companies, like Progressive Insurance, Geico, and Allstate to name a few, that offer all different kinds of discounts that can help drivers afford policies that provide coverage for multiple cars and drivers.

What discounts do insurance companies offer drivers?

How can I find the best auto insurance quotes and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?

When you shop online, make sure that every discount you deserve has been added to your quote. It’s well worth taking the time to do so because some companies offer discounts that are quite generous. Examine this extensive breakdown of discounts offered by the top insurance companies in the industry to see how much you could save on your insurance:

Discount Name
Adaptive Cruise Control	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Adaptive Headlights	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Anti-lock Brakes	10%	✓	✓	5%	5%	5%	✓	5%
Anti-Theft	10%	✓		23%	20%	25%	✓	15%
Claim Free	35%	✓	✓	26%	✓	10%	✓	15%	23%	12%
Continuous Coverage		✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	15%	✓
Daytime Running Lights	2%		✓	3%	5%	5%	✓	✓
Defensive Driver	10%	10%	✓	✓	10%	5%	10%	5%	10%	3%
Distant Student	35%	✓	✓	✓	✓	10%	✓		7%
Driver's Ed	10%	✓	✓	✓	10%	✓	10%	15%	8%	3%
Driving Device/App	20%	40%	✓	✓	30%	40%	20%	50%	30%	5%
Early Signing	10%	✓	✓	✓	✓	8%	✓	✓	10%	12%
Electronic Stability Control	2%	✓	✓	✓	5%		✓	✓	✓	✓
Emergency Deployment	✓	✓	✓	25%	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Engaged Couple	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Family Legacy	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	10%
Family Plan	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	25%	✓	✓	✓	✓
Farm Vehicle	10%	✓	✓		✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Fast 5	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Federal Employee	✓	✓		12%	10%	✓		✓	✓	✓
Forward Collision Warning	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%		✓	✓	✓	✓
Full Payment	10%	✓	✓		$50	✓	✓	✓	8%	✓
Further Education	✓	✓			10%	15%		✓		✓
Garaging/Storing	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓		90%
Good Credit			✓	✓	✓		✓		✓	✓
Good Student	20%	✓		15%	23%	10%	✓	25%	8%	3%
Green Vehicle	10%	✓	5%	✓	10%	✓	✓	✓	10%	✓
Homeowner	✓	✓	✓		✓	5%	✓	3%	5%	✓
Lane Departure Warning	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Life Insurance	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Low Mileage		✓		✓			✓	30%
Loyalty	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓
Married	✓	✓	✓	✓			✓		✓
Membership/Group	✓	✓	✓		10%	7%		✓		✓
Military		✓	✓	15%	4%	✓			✓
Military Garaging	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	15%
Multiple Drivers	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Multiple Policies	10%	29%	✓	10%	20%	10%	12%	17%	13%
Multiple Vehicles		✓	✓	25%	10%	20%	10%	20%	8%
New Address	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
New Customer/New Plan	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
New Graduate	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
New Vehicle	30%	✓	✓	15%	✓			40%	10%	12%
Newly Licensed	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Newlyweds	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Non-Smoker/Non-Drinker	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Occasional Operator	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Occupation		✓			10%	15%	✓	✓		✓
On-Time Payments	5%	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	15%	✓
Online Shopper	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	7%	✓	✓	✓
Paperless Documents	10%	✓		✓	✓	5%	$50	✓	✓	✓
Paperless/Auto Billing	5%	✓		✓	✓	$30	✓	$20	3%	3%
Passive Restraint	30%	30%		40%		20%	✓	40%
Recent Retirees	✓	✓	✓	✓	4%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Renter	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Roadside Assistance	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Safe Driver	45%	✓		15%	✓	35%	31%	15%	23%	12%
Seat Belt Use	✓	✓	✓	15%	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Senior Driver	10%	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Stable Residence	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓
Students & Alumni	✓	✓	✓		10%	7%		✓	✓	✓
Switching Provider	✓			✓	10%	✓		✓	✓	✓
Utility Vehicle	15%	✓	✓		✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Vehicle Recovery	10%	✓	✓	15%	35%	25%	✓	5%
VIN Etching	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%		✓	✓
Volunteer	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Young Driver	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	$75

As made evident by this chart, taking your time when you fill out quotes online and adding on discounts that are applicable to your policy can end up saving you quite a bit of money in the short and long term.

Adding Drivers and Vehicles to Your Policy Explained

Can I still afford my current auto insurance company and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?

If the driver in question doesn’t have a terrible driving record and your insurance company offers great discounts, you could very well find that your rates remain reasonable even after you add a driver or new car to your policy. Of course, if your rates become untenable after making adjustments to your policy, you should shop for a new policy online.

Online shopping empowers you to find the best insurance policy for your immediate and long-term needs. If you’ve ever thought, “Can I get cheap insurance and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?” enter your ZIP code to start comparing free quotes today.

Case Studies: Adding Drivers and Vehicles to Your Insurance Policy

Case Study 1: Adding a New Driver to an Existing Policy

John recently got his driver’s license and wanted to be added to his father’s auto insurance policy. His father contacted their insurance company and provided the necessary information about John, such as his license details and birthdate.

The insurance company quickly processed the request and issued an official insurance card for John. Since John had a clean driving record and good credit, there was no significant increase in their insurance rates.

Case Study 2: Adding a New Vehicle to an Existing Policy

Sarah purchased a new car and wanted to add it to her current auto insurance policy. She contacted her insurance representative, shared the car’s details, and discussed the coverage options she wanted. The insurance company updated her policy and sent her the updated insurance documents. Sarah was pleased to discover that her insurance rates remained reasonable even after adding the new vehicle.

Case Study 3: Online Shopping for Insurance

Mike wanted to add a driver and a vehicle to his insurance policy but was concerned about maintaining affordable rates. He decided to shop online and compare multiple insurance quotes. By taking his time to fill out the quotes accurately and exploring available discounts, Mike found an insurance policy that met his needs while keeping his rates affordable.