Can a Non-married Couple Have a Joint Auto Insurance Plan?

It’s time to update your auto insurance plan. Now that you are living with someone else, and potentially someone else is driving your vehicle, should you list the other party on your car insurance policy? It is not necessarily difficult for two people who are not married to be added to the same auto insurance plan. In fact, it is quite common to do so. Before you make this decision, there are a few key things to keep in mind about the process of getting high-quality and affordable car insurance.

Who Owns the Vehicle?

Most auto insurance policies should be in the name of the person that owns the car. For example, perhaps you and your friend purchased a vehicle together and both of your names are listed on the title. That’s great and generally isn’t a problem. If the other person does not have an actual ownership in the vehicle, it is still possible to add them to your policy. Doing so makes them responsible for a few things:

• They are responsible for ensuring the payment and premium costs are paid.
• They are just as responsible as you are in situations where claims are made against your liability insurance.
• Both drivers will be required to meet the deductible and other clauses in the policy to benefit from the plan.

It’s important to also know that, in most cases, it is less expensive for two people to be on one car insurance plan than to have two separate policies (another option you may have). And, if you jointly own or share two or more vehicles, it is often best to have one policy that covers all vehicles and all drivers (that may also help you to save money).

Nevertheless, every situation is unique. Not all auto insurance companies offer this same level and type of coverage. And, in many cases, you’ll find pricing varies significantly. You don’t have to be married, though, to jointly own a vehicle or a policy for that vehicle. And, it may be cheaper, in fact, that have one policy instead of two.