While there’s no fee for adding a driver to your car insurance policy, it may change your rates. Your rates may go up or down depending on who that driver is.
For example, adding an experienced driver with a clean record to your car insurance policy typically will not cost you more money. However, if you add a driver to your policy who has recent accidents or traffic violations, the insurance company may charge you more. How much more will depend on how risky the insurance company considers the additional driver to be.
If you are a parent and you add your young driver to your policy, it will likely cost more to insure them on your policy. Insurance companies consider teens and young drivers, typically under age 26, high-risk drivers, so they pay higher rates than other age groups.
What will insurers need to know about the additional driver?
When adding a driver, your car insurance company will typically want to know the following about the person you are adding to your policy:
- Name
- Age
- Marital status
- Address
- Occupation
- Driving record, including tickets and accidents
- Driver’s license number and status
When you provide this information, the insurance company can tell you how the new driver will affect your rates.
Who should be listed as an additional driver?
Any licensed driver who lives in the household or uses the vehicle frequently should be listed on your policy as a driver.
How do you add a driver to your policy?
To add a driver to your policy, contact your insurance company. You might be able to add the driver online or on the insurance company’s app.
If you have concerns about how the new driver affects your rates, it’s best to call the insurance company directly.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
