How often do you get behind the wheel of a car? If you have someone living in your home that drives your vehicle, this person may need to be on your policy. Your insurer needs to include current information about anyone who operates your car.
But, sometimes, you may also need to let the car insurance agent know about other drivers. These are people who are occasionally behind the wheel. Nevertheless, they pose risks to your car all the same.
What Is an Occasional Driver?
Most auto insurance specifically lists a principal driver for the policy. This is the person who drives the vehicle most often. Generally, this is the vehicle's owner.
Here is an example. A couple has two vehicles – a truck and a passenger car. The wife operates the truck every day going to and from work. The husband operates the car every day. Each are the principal drivers on these vehicles.
They also have a son who is a new driver. The son sometimes drives the car. The son could be an occasional driver listed on the car insurance policy for the vehicle. Furthermore, each parent drives the other's car from time to time as well. They might also need to register as occasional drivers on that policy as well.
Most auto insurance companies label occasional drivers based on how often they operate the car. Most of the time, this driver cannot operate the vehicle more than 25 percent of the time.
What Does This Mean for Auto Insurance Costs?
Every person who drives a car – any car – should have auto insurance coverage. Every person who owns a vehicle should have auto insurance on that vehicle. Some drivers should include other family members on the policy if they drive those cars. Several things can occur here.
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If the driver is a low-risk operator with few if any tickets, the additional driver is not likely to raise costs much.
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If the driver has a poor driving record with numerous reckless driving incidents, this person can add a significant amount of cost to the policy.
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At times, you might be able to insure multiple cars on the same policy. You can then likely list the same drivers for all vehicles. This is a multi-vehicle policy, and it might come with certain discounts.
Always be clear and honest with your insurer. Never deceive them about who is operating the car. If an accident occurs, you could lack coverage. The insurer can also ban certain people from operating your vehicle in some cases.
Discuss all drivers in your home with your auto insurance company. Be sure you are clear on any occasional drivers. Come back to this annually. Keep your drivers updated to ensure you have ample protection.