If a household member will no longer be driving your vehicle, you can exclude them from your car insurance policy in most states. There are times when you may not want to include a licensed family member in your policy because of the impact that your state could have on your premium. For example, if a driver has several accidents or violations on their motor vehicle report that have a negative impact on the cost of your insurance, excluding them from your policy could lower your car insurance rate. However, some states prohibit excluding anyone who is of driving age from your household.
When you add someone to your car insurance, you can call your car insurance company or log into your online account to add a new driver to your policy. Your insurance company will generally need the name, date of birth, driving history, license information, and vehicle identification number (VIN) if you also plan to share a policy that covers both vehicles. Uninsured drivers may be covered if they borrow an insured car with the owner's permission. Vehicle owner's insurance may cover damage depending on the coverage and limits of the policy.
If the policy does not cover some of the damages or they exceed the limits of the policy, the driver could be held personally responsible for covering any additional damages related to the accident. Any vehicle that is used to transport people in exchange for a fee must be insured by a commercial auto policy. This includes taxis, limousines, and non-emergency medical transport vehicles (NEMT). Some rideshare vehicles may require commercial coverage.
And if you took your car without your permission, you might be asked to prove that you stole it so that your insurance company will cover the accident. If the driver uses your car frequently or lives in your home, your insurer may determine that they should have added it to your policy as a driver. The cost of adding a driver to your car insurance or sharing a policy varies depending on factors such as the driver's age and motor vehicle history. You should add any regular driver of your car to your insurance policy to cover damage caused by accidents.
In most cases, your insurance can cover the accident, but depending on the limits of your policy and the details of the accident, the driver's insurance policy may cover all or part of the claim. Unfortunately, you don't feel comfortable allowing him to drive your car and you're worried that adding it to your insurance policy could cause your rate to go up. So, if you've ever wondered if I have to add my son to my car insurance or have to include my roommate in my car insurance, now you know that at least your insurer should know. Most insurance companies allow (and may require) you to add another driver to your car insurance policy if the person drives the insured cars regularly or shares the same permanent residence.
So, call your insurance company to find out if your cousin might be excluded from your car insurance policy. When an insurer asks you to make a list of the members of your household, it is trying to get a full picture of your situation and the extent of the risk you will insure. Before you decide to exclude a driver from your insurance policy, talk to your insurance agent about your specific situation. Let's say you include Alisha as an excluded driver in your car insurance policy, but she ends up driving your car anyway.
You've heard the term “driver excluded” before and you think it might apply to your cousin and your car insurance policy...
