Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My girlfriend and I are taking the big step of moving in together. I'm a 30-year-old male (she's a couple of years younger than me), and we live in the Washington, DC area. I have a car (a 2008 Mini Cooper S) and she does not. Obviously, until now I've been the sole driver, and I've insured the car with myself as the sole driver.
Here are my questions:
1. Am I required to add my girlfriend to my policy once we move in together?
2. Would it be a good idea to add her? Will this end up costing more or less? (I can see it costing more because, hey, two drivers could be riskier than one. On the other hand, aren't males considered riskier than females?)
An important piece of background information is that even once we're living together, I will be doing the lion's share of the driving. For one thing, public transportation is very handy for her job (and parking is not), and the second thing is the fact that my car has a standard transmission (manual or "stick," if you prefer). I love her to h*ll and back, and everything, but the fact is... well... she isn't giving Mario Andretti a run for his money yet, if you see what I mean.
Normally you have to add all drivers in the household to the policy or sign a waiver. If you do this and they drive that car and get into an accident it will not be covered. If a friend not living in the household borrows the car and gets into an accident it will be covered.
Ins companies assume all drivers in the household are regular drivers of the car regardless of what you say. Be safe and add her to the policy if she will ever drive the car. I'm not sure of the additional cost, I do not think it will be too much assuming she doesn't have violations.
My insurance explicitly excludes all drivers in the household who aren't listed. That's pretty standard since you could have a roommate with three DUIs move in and they don't want to cover them. Nobody except you and your insurance company knows what your insurance policy includes. Either read your policy or contact your insurer.
unknown to most people until they get in a jam is husband and wife in many states can not drive each others cars without being listed on each others policies.
how does it happen? one spouse has a company car and the other a personal car.
in our case we just got married and we were going to wait until our policy was up and then see who's was cheaper. we used each others car not realizing we may technically have been un-insured drivers.
it has to do with the definitions in many policies.
a registered owner is defined in many as themselves and a spouse even though the spouse isn't on the registration.
there was a case where the husband had a different insurance company on his own car then the wife. he drove the wifes car while his was in for service. he got in a bad accident and the wifes insurer refused to pay as he was considered an uninsured driver.
excerpts from the trial highlight the wording issues:. number 14 is the key to the whole problem.
this is from a geico policy.
" The policy describes the payable losses under Section I as follows:
"LOSSES WE WILL PAY FOR YOU UNDER SECTION I
Under Section I, we will pay damages which an insured becomes legally obligated to pay because of:
1. bodily injury, sustained by a person, and;
"5. 'Non-owned auto' means an automobile or trailer not owned by or furnished for the regular use of either you or a relative, other than a temporary substitute auto.
"6. 'Owned auto' means:
(a) a vehicle described in this policy for which a premium charge is shown for these coverages;
1. a trailer owned by you;
2. a private passenger, farm or utility auto, ownership of which you acquire during the policy period or for which you enter into a lease during the policy period for six months or more, if
(i) it replaces an owned auto as defined in (a) above; or
(ii) we insure all private passenger, farm and utility autos owned or leased by you on the date of the acquisition, and you ask us to add it to the policy no more than 30 days later;
(d) a temporary substitute auto.
. . . .
"8. 'Relative' means a person related to you who resides in your household.
"9. 'Temporary substitute auto' means an automobile or trailer, not owned by you, temporarily used with the permission of the owner. This vehicle must be used as a substitute for the owned auto or trailer when withdrawn from normal use because of its breakdown, repair, servicing, loss or destruction.
. . . .
"14. 'You' means the policyholder named in the declarations and his or her spouse if a resident of the same household."
Appellants do not dispute that, at the time of the accident, Wendy was Tim's spouse and that the two resided in the same household. Therefore, by the clear language of the policy, Wendy fit within the definitions of both "you" and "relative." Therefore, Wendy's Toyota was an automobile owned by "either you or a relative," which by policy definition cannot be a "nonowned auto" for Tim. The Hanzliks conceded this point at oral argument."
Last edited by mathjak107; 04-16-2014 at 05:04 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
