Adding a Friend to Your Car Insurance Policy – Weighing the Pros and Cons (2024)

Are you considering adding a friend to your car insurance policy? It’s a decision that comes with both benefits and risks. In this comprehensive guide on “Adding a Friend to Your Car Insurance Policy,” we’ll explore the pros and cons of this action, highlighting how it can potentially lower your insurance costs but also increase your liability.

We’ll discuss the steps involved in adding a friend to your policy and emphasize the importance of notifying your insurer about additional drivers. To ensure you make the right choices and find the best insurance rates, use our free quote comparison tool. Simply enter your zip code to compare rates from the top insurance providers in your area.

When can you add a friend to your auto insurance policy?

If you should find yourself lending your car to a friend or maybe letting an acquaintance drive your car on a trip, you need to let your insurance company know about these occurrences, before they happen. You probably gave your insurance company an account of family members when you first got your policy and that is a good thing. Keep your carrier up to date on anyone new that will be driving your car.

You should contact your insurer and ask if they offer this service. You will be required to provide a driver’s license number and date of birth of the person you want to add as a driver on your policy.

If your insurance company allows it, take the time to add a friend to your auto insurance if you know they’ll be driving your car on a regular basis.

Don’t be tempted to skip this step, and then just let your friends drive your car. This could get you into a lot of trouble.

What if I don’t add my friend to the insurance policy?

The person that you let drive your car could wind up in an accident. Your car insurance company knows this and they don’t want it to happen. That is why they may try to dissuade you from allowing anyone not regularly covered on your policy to drive your car. Even if the person driving your car got into an accident that wasn’t their fault it may be impossible to get a claim honored for that situation. A good rule of thumb is to let your insurance company know, beforehand, about anyone that will be driving your car.

How does not adding my friend affect claims?

It is usually big trouble to let someone drive your car that is not covered by your insurance, period. Every claim is investigated and if you file a claim and it is discovered that someone other than you was doing the driving when an accident occurs, you may find yourself without any coverage at all.

Your insurance company is not required in any way to cover someone that you let operate your vehicle without notifying them beforehand. You will have security and peace of mind by telling your insurance company about any drivers of your vehicle before you let them drive.

If the worst case scenario happens and your friend gets into an accident you will be able to file a legitimate claim and know that all the bases are covered.