If I want to add a driver or vehicle to my insurance, do I need to start a new policy?

Have you ever wondered, How can I get auto insurance quotes and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?

In this day and age, customizing your automobile insurance policy and getting quotes online is easier than ever, so you won’t have to purchase another policy just to cover a second driver or vehicle. You can add additional drivers and cars to your current policy at any time the need arises.

Of course, you must remember that an insurance add-on could cause your rates to fluctuate. This may leave drivers asking, “Does adding a driver increase your insurance?”

It may, although, if you were to only add a driver and no extra vehicle, you may not see a change at all in your rates. Now, if you do need to add another vehicle, shopping online can help you find insurance companies that have Multi-Car Discount available.

If you’ve ever thought to yourself, “I need to buy auto insurance and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance — will this make my insurance too expensive?” keep reading to learn how you can add a driver or vehicle to your current policy and discover great discounts that can keep your rates low.

Enter your ZIP code to get free quotes from insurance companies near you if you’ve ever thought, “How can I add a driver or vehicle to my insurance policy?”

How can drivers add new individuals to their policy?

If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Does my car insurance cover other drivers who regularly drive my vehicles?” you’ll be happy to learn that, yes, it does, but you’ll need to add the driver to your policy first.

Now, don’t worry. Adding a driver to your policy is very easy; however, you will need to provide the new driver’s full name, their driver’s license number, and how old the driver was when they first got their license. When you hand over these details, your insurance representative will be able to tell you what your new rate will be before any changes are finalized.

Now, does insurance follow the car or the driver? Your insurance coverage follows the cars listed on your policy. Adding someone to car insurance temporarily wouldn’t make much sense financially. For example, you wouldn’t need to add your cousin to your policy if she came to visit for the weekend and drove your car to the store a few times.

Of course, if your cousin were to move in with you and didn’t have a car of her own, then you would need to add her to your policy.

If you’re about to add a new driver and are curious as to how much your rates may change, this chart which illustrates the average rates for drivers of different ages as a tool to help you estimate how much you may need to budget for your insurance:

Average Monthly Auto Insurance Rates by Age and Gender

Once all the new driver’s information has been processed, your insurance company will be able to send out an insurance card that the driver can use to prove that they have coverage.

Of course, in these modern times, you’ll also be able to access your insurance cards through the insurance company’s website or through the mobile app provided by your insurance company.

Read more:

• Will my auto insurance cover other cars?
• How quickly do changes I make to my policy go into effect?

How can drivers add new vehicles to their policy?

Just as you would when adding a new driver, you’ll need to reach out to your insurance company when you add a new car to your insurance policy. Before the car can be added, you must have the car’s vehicle identification number and mileage handy to share with your insurance company. You’ll also need to provide the car’s make and model, along with any lien or lease information.

Once the car has been added to your policy, you will receive updated insurance documents — including a new insurance card for the added vehicle.

If all this has you thinking, “How can I keep my affordable auto insurance and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance?” you’ll be happy to learn that most insurance companies offer generous discounts that can keep your rates from increasing exponentially whenever you add a new driver or car to your policy.

How can drivers reduce their auto insurance rates?

It’s true that adding a driver or a new car can increase your auto insurance rates, but you can keep your rates low by reviewing your policy and verifying that every discount you qualify for has been applied to your policy. You may even be shocked to discover that adding a driver or certain vehicle has made even more discounts eligible to you.

Drivers who aren’t sure how much they could save on their insurance should take a look at this list of discounts offered by some of the top insurance companies in the industry:

Auto Insurance Discounts Available by Company and Discount Amount

Discount Name
Adaptive Cruise Control	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Adaptive Headlights	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Anti-lock Brakes	10%	✓	✓	5%	5%	5%	✓	5%
Anti-Theft	10%	✓		23%	20%	25%	✓	15%
Claim Free	35%	✓	✓	26%	✓	10%	✓	15%	23%	12%
Continuous Coverage		✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	15%	✓
Daytime Running Lights	2%		✓	3%	5%	5%	✓	✓
Defensive Driver	10%	10%	✓	✓	10%	5%	10%	5%	10%	3%
Distant Student	35%	✓	✓	✓	✓	10%	✓		7%
Driver's Ed	10%	✓	✓	✓	10%	✓	10%	15%	8%	3%
Driving Device/App	20%	40%	✓	✓	30%	40%	20%	50%	30%	5%
Early Signing	10%	✓	✓	✓	✓	8%	✓	✓	10%	12%
Electronic Stability Control	2%	✓	✓	✓	5%		✓	✓	✓	✓
Emergency Deployment	✓	✓	✓	25%	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Engaged Couple	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Family Legacy	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	10%
Family Plan	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	25%	✓	✓	✓	✓
Farm Vehicle	10%	✓	✓		✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Fast 5	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Federal Employee	✓	✓		12%	10%	✓		✓	✓	✓
Forward Collision Warning	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%		✓	✓	✓	✓
Full Payment	10%	✓	✓		$50	✓	✓	✓	8%	✓
Further Education	✓	✓			10%	15%		✓		✓
Garaging/Storing	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓		90%
Good Credit			✓	✓	✓		✓		✓	✓
Good Student	20%	✓		15%	23%	10%	✓	25%	8%	3%
Green Vehicle	10%	✓	5%	✓	10%	✓	✓	✓	10%	✓
Homeowner	✓	✓	✓		✓	5%	✓	3%	5%	✓
Lane Departure Warning	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Life Insurance	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Low Mileage		✓		✓			✓	30%
Loyalty	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓
Married	✓	✓	✓	✓			✓		✓
Membership/Group	✓	✓	✓		10%	7%		✓		✓
Military		✓	✓	15%	4%	✓			✓
Military Garaging	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	15%
Multiple Drivers	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Multiple Policies	10%	29%	✓	10%	20%	10%	12%	17%	13%
Multiple Vehicles		✓	✓	25%	10%	20%	10%	20%	8%
New Address	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
New Customer/New Plan	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
New Graduate	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
New Vehicle	30%	✓	✓	15%	✓			40%	10%	12%
Newly Licensed	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Newlyweds	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Non-Smoker/Non-Drinker	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Occasional Operator	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Occupation		✓			10%	15%	✓	✓		✓
On-Time Payments	5%	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	15%	✓
Online Shopper	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	7%	✓	✓	✓
Paperless Documents	10%	✓		✓	✓	5%	$50	✓	✓	✓
Paperless/Auto Billing	5%	✓		✓	✓	$30	✓	$20	3%	3%
Passive Restraint	30%	30%		40%		20%	✓	40%
Recent Retirees	✓	✓	✓	✓	4%	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Renter	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Roadside Assistance	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Safe Driver	45%	✓		15%	✓	35%	31%	15%	23%	12%
Seat Belt Use	✓	✓	✓	15%	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Senior Driver	10%	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Stable Residence	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓
Students & Alumni	✓	✓	✓		10%	7%		✓	✓	✓
Switching Provider	✓			✓	10%	✓		✓	✓	✓
Utility Vehicle	15%	✓	✓		✓	✓		✓	✓	✓
Vehicle Recovery	10%	✓	✓	15%	35%	25%	✓	5%
VIN Etching	✓	✓	✓	✓	5%		✓	✓
Volunteer	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Young Driver	✓	✓	✓	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓	$75

As made evident by the chart above, the answer to the question, “Can I obtain low auto insurance rates and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance at the same time?” is a resounding, yes.

Adding Drivers and Vehicles to Your Policy: What You Need to Know

Can I find an affordable auto insurance company and add a driver or vehicle to my insurance when shopping online?

Yes, shopping online is the best way to find a company that can give you the coverage that you need while helping you maintain rates that work with your budget even if you were to add another driver or vehicle to your policy. You should always get at least three quotes so you can see which policies will award the most discounts and best fit your needs.

Enter your ZIP code to start comparing free quotes today if you’ve ever thought, “I need to add a driver or vehicle to my insurance.”