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Written by:
Kimberly Lankford
Contributing Researcher
Kimberly Lankford has been a financial journalist for more than 20 years. She received the personal finance Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. She also has written three books: “The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance – and Still Get the Coverage You Need” “Rescue Your Financial Life,” and “Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions.”
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Reviewed by:
Laura Longero
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Executive Editor
Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

Can you be on the same car insurance if you’re not married? Yes, if you share a car.

If you live together and share a vehicle, you do not have to be married to be on the same car insurance policy. But joint car insurance for married couples is more challenging. If you both own your vehicles separately, you can still be listed on each other’s policies but may not be able to combine them.

Key Highlights
  • Most car insurance companies require that all household members be listed on your auto insurance, whether married or not.
  • If unmarried persons own their cars individually, they must also have separate auto insurance policies. But each can be listed as a driver on the other’s policy.
  • Adding another person to your auto insurance policy may raise your rates, depending on their driving history.

How does car insurance work if we’re living together, unmarried and sharing a car?

If you’re living together and sharing a vehicle, you don’t have to be married to be on the same car insurance policy.

“If both people are living in the same household, then both should be able to be listed on the same insurance policy, even if they are not married or related,” says Loretta Worters, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute.

You may have to add your partner to your car insurance if they’re living with you — as well as roommates.

“Most car insurance companies require that you list all household members on your auto insurance policy,” Worters says.

Depending on the person’s driving history and other factors, you may pay more when adding drivers to your policy.

How does car insurance work if we’re living together, unmarried but own and drive different cars?

Can unmarried couples be on the same car insurance? Not on one combined policy for both cars and drivers. It is important to note that if you and your partner are unmarried and living together, but own and drive different vehicles, you may not be able to combine your insurance policies.

A car insurance policy must be in the name of the person who owns the vehicle. Adding your partner and their car to your policy may get tricky.

Most car insurance companies require that you have an insurable interest in a car to insure it under your policy. In other words, you cannot insure a vehicle under your policy that you do not own. Therefore, if you are not listed as an owner of your partner’s vehicle, you will not be able to insure that vehicle on your policy.

Separate policies, but list each other as drivers

You may end up with two policies in the household. If that is the case, you may still need to list your partner as a driver on your vehicle (since you live in the same household), and your partner may also be required to list you on his or her policy.

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Laura Longero

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Laura Longero

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Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

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John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.

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Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.

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Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.

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Contributing Researcher

Kimberly Lankford has been a financial journalist for more than 20 years. She received the personal finance Best in Business Award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. She also has written three books: “The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance – and Still Get the Coverage You Need” “Rescue Your Financial Life,” and “Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions.”