Car Insurance Question - I'm Incredulous

[Maleficent13]

Can anyone tell me if this can possibly be true?

I have car insurance. It has been just me on the policy since my divorce several years ago. Bill comes, I pay it. It renews every year in April.

I just got a call from my agent. He tells me that when the insurance agency ran my licence on a random check, it flagged a name change (I got married a few months ago).

Due to my change in marital status, I have 30 days to decide if I want to add DH to my policy. If I don't, they're going to cancel me.

I can't believe this. My policy is paid in full through April. It was paid before I got married. I was just going to wait until my renewal came due to make a switch/decide how we were going to consolidate. Now I have a little over 3 weeks (it took a few days for my agent and I to connect).

I don't get this.

 

[Claire L]

Surely they can't force you to add your DH if you don't want to?

Claire

 

[Maleficent13]

According to them apparently they can. I either add him or my policy is cancelled effective Feb 28th.

 

[AllyandJack]

Does your new DH have his own insurance? There was a thread on this a while back about having an uninsured driver in the house and being dropped from your insurance.

I don't know about all states, but in MA, where I used to live and insurance is required, someone you live with can't drive your car if they're not on the policy.

 

[CheshireVal]

When I called my insurance company to report my new name after I got married last year, they said that my new DH *had* to be listed on my insurance.

It was irritating because it bumped my premium up.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

ah yes -- believe it.
Married couples have to be insured on the same policy.

Sometimes if one driver has a horrendous record, a couple will want to insure only one person in order to get lower rate and also be able to register the car. The companies are doubtful that the other driver will NEVER drive the car, so they insist that both people be listed on the policy.

 

[L107ANGEL]

Yes, they can. If your DH has his own insurance and a clean record there should be no harm in adding him and his vehicle to your policy. You will both save a couple of bucks for having a multi car discount. If his record is not clear, they will raise your premium due to the increase in liability exposure.
If you refuse to give them the info, they will drop you.
Sorry, not what you wanted to hear

 

[Maleficent13]

Huh...well I'll be. I had no idea.

It was just one more drop in the flood of crap we've had hit us this month; now I have to research car insurance policies. That's on my list of top 5 most uninteresting things to do ever. Right below counting the ceiling tiles.

 

[Doctor P]

What you are being told is correct as I understand it, but let me illuminate a little more. As I understand it, in insurance rating, there is a primary driver designated for each vehicle. If you have the same number of vehicles as licensed drivers in the household, each driver must be listed as the primary driver on at least one vehicle (this is a killer if you get a third car when you have a teenage driver, trust me, LOL). If you have fewer vehicles than drivers, each driver must be listed on at least one vehicle as at least a secondary driver (i.e., each driver must be covered by insurance on at least one vehicle and therefore be rated). The titled owner of the vehicle must be listed as at least a secondary driver on every vehicle they own. If your spouse has a business car (only) they must be listed on a personal vehicle in the household.

 

[Chicago526]

Ack! I had no idea! DH and I got married in Aug of '05. But my car insurance company KNOWS I'm married, I made an appointment to talk to them about life insurance (State Farm) because of our recent marriage. They didn't say anything about it. I'd rather leave him off, he never drives my car and his driving record is the pits.

 

[jodifla]

So for those of us who never changed our names, how would an insurance company even know we were married?

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I guess they wouldn't.

But personally having my car insurance voided after an accident because the Insurance Company decided that I've committed fraud just isn't a risk I'd want to take.


I'm pretty sure somewhere in the contract is an indication that you have so many days to notify them of changes.

 

[jodifla]

According to them apparently they can. I either add him or my policy is cancelled effective Feb 28th.

There are lots of other insurance companies. If you can get a better rate I definitely switch.

 

[bicker]

Insurance is a contract between an underwriter and a customer, which, barring specific state laws to the contrary, can have any provisions in it that are desired. Acceptance of the insurance contract includes acceptance of all the provisions, including provisions explicitly part of the insurance contract and those implicitly part of the contract due to state law.

 

[MELISAZACK]

SF has a lot of policies that are wife or husband only not both on the policy
so that company must allow it.....

 

[Mickey02]

Hello,

I do have some answers hope they help. I work for a very large insurance company and have my license in 48 states. Insurance companies can and do add additional drivers when they find they are in the household. They find out through several avenues. The reason is because they are an added risk to the company. Many people argue that other people in the house NEVER drive the vehicle however in an emergency they do have access and sometimes will drive. Many states have an "Exclusion form" that you can sign so no extra premium is added when driver is put on policy. Basically what that means is in the event that person does drive your vehicle there would be no coverage. However if that person has their own coverage their company would be liable.

Many people will "hide" additional people in the household because of numerous violations or very young drivers. Insurance companies end up paying millions of dollars on losses every year because of unlisted household members. That is why they are aggressively looking for information on household members so the correct premium can collected from the policy holder.

Hope this helps

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Didn't your husband have insurance before you were married also? I would call his company and your company and see where you get the better deal. It has to be better than two separate policies.
Do these companies force you to insure kids as soon as they reach driving age? 15 1/2 is too young IMHO, and I have no intention of letting DD#1 get her license the minute she is able.
Robin M.

 

[Mickey02]

Many companies do want to know as soon as they are of driving age and have their permit although most companies will not charge premium until they actually get their license.