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Written by:
Prachi Singh
Contributing Writer
Prachi is an insurance writer with a master’s degree in business administration. Through her writing, she hopes to help readers make smart and informed decisions about their finances. She loves to travel and write poetry.
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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.

Question: My wife wrecked my car. She doesn’t have a license and shouldn’t have been driving.  I was at work when this happened. Will my car insurance pay if she is found at fault? 

Answer: Your situation resembles a parent whose unlicensed teenager takes the family car for a spin and crashes. It depends upon the details of your auto insurance policy if the accident is covered.

In general, auto insurers require that you disclose not only all regular operators of your car but also all household members of a certain age (driving age in your state usually) – whether the individuals are licensed or not. 

How household members who aren’t licensed are listed on the policy can vary depending upon the car insurance company. Some auto insurers mark unlicensed drivers as “unlicensed.” If they aren’t going to be rated, then the person will also be marked as “unrated” so that the individual won’t affect your car insurance rates.

The incident may be covered if your insurance company knew your spouse and had her on the policy as unrated due to her lack of a driver’s license.

It’s highly probable, however, that your auto insurance company will non-renew you at the end of your policy period, or it’ll require you to now add your wife to the policy as a rated driver (and pay a premium for her) — even if she isn’t licensed – now that she has driven your vehicle without being licensed and crashed it.

If you had failed to inform your car insurance provider that you had a spouse, it could assert that there was misrepresentation on your part. In many states, car insurance companies can deny claims and cancel your policy if a material misrepresentation is found.

If your spouse were explicitly excluded from your policy, then you should know from the language of the exclusion form that this incident wouldn’t be covered. 

Excluding an individual from your policy means if that person operates your vehicle, he or she won’t be covered in any way by your auto insurance coverages or benefits. This is called a named driver exclusion.

Ultimately, you’ll have to contact your insurer directly to find out if your auto insurance policy will cover this accident if she is found at fault. 

If your wife is covered in this instance by your auto insurance policy, then if she is found at fault the damages she caused others would be covered by your liability insurance (bodily injury and property damage). You would need collision coverage to make a claim for damage to your vehicle, and the deductible would be due.

If your wife wants to drive, she must get a valid license. Start comparison shopping now to get the best rates for both of you on one household auto insurance policy. 

Laura Longero

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Laura Longero

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.

John McCormick

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John McCormick

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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.

Leslie Kasperowicz

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Leslie Kasperowicz

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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.

Nupur Gambhir

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Nupur Gambhir

Managing Editor

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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author image
Contributing Writer

Prachi is an insurance writer with a master’s degree in business administration. Through her writing, she hopes to help readers make smart and informed decisions about their finances. She loves to travel and write poetry.