Who Does Your Insurance Cover to Drive Your Car?

My brother always wants to borrow my car. Do I need to add him to my policy? Or is he already covered under my policy?

When it comes to auto insurance, there’s a lot of questions about who exactly is covered under your policy. For instance, can your spouse drive your vehicle under your coverage? What about a friend? Or your children? Fortunately, most car insurance companies have been doing business long enough to have seen just about every possible scenario out there. Their specific insurance policies typically lay out exactly who is insured to drive your vehicle. Here’s a general look at who most insurers will provide coverage for and who they might not while driving your vehicle:

• Your Spouse - Generally, when you apply for an auto insurance policy, your provider will ask you to list your spouse’s information as well. Insurers usually just automatically assume that your spouse will also drive your vehicle every now and then. In almost every situation, your spouse should be covered.
• Your Children - Assuming they are of legal age to drive and have a valid driver’s license, you can typically list your children on your auto insurance policy so that they receive coverage. Depending on the insurance company, your children may have to be listed in order to be covered. Younger drivers are more risky to ensure, so talk to your provider before assuming they’re covered.
• Your Friends - Who hasn’t been in a situation where you allow a friend to borrow your car for the day? As long as you directly give someone permission to borrow your car, they will typically be covered. A situation where the driver wouldn’t be covered is if your child was to allow one of his or her friends to drive the vehicle. Another important note, friends or any non-residents are usually only covered for one-time occasions. If you plan on allowing someone to borrow your vehicle for an extended period of time, you should notify your insurer.

Exclusions

Some car insurance policies may also list a set of exclusions as to who they will not provide coverage for. For instance, some insurance policies may specifically outline that it will only cover persons living in your household. It could also exclude drivers under a certain age, such as those under 21 years old.

Uninsured Motorists Coverage

Many people get the definition of uninsured motorists coverage confused. It is not meant to protect people who drive your vehicle, rather it is to protect you in the case of an accident that was caused by a driver without coverage. In most cases, your uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage does not extend to other people driving your vehicle, even if they are listed under your insurance policy.

What Happens if Someone Driving my Vehicle Isn’t Covered?

If for whatever reason someone who drives your vehicle isn’t covered by your insurance, there is a chance that they could be covered under their own policy. Some auto insurance policies will extend their coverage to any vehicle you drive, although these are often more expensive.