Perhaps you’ve just gotten married and you’re settling into a new house with your spouse. One of the questions you may have is: Do I have to add my spouse to my car insurance?

The answer is yes, for your spouse to be covered while driving your vehicle, they needed to be added to your car insurance as a driver. While this typically isn’t required as a state law, basically all car insurance companies require any licensed drivers in your household, including spouses, to be listed on your car insurance.

The good news? This could actually save you and your spouse money. If you both previously had separate car insurance policies, it could save you money by having a single car insurance policy with both vehicles and both drivers listed on the policy.

Want to find a company that offers a discount for having multiple vehicles on a policy? Head over to our best car insurance companies page and filter by the discount “multiple vehicles.”

Why do I have to add my spouse to my car insurance?

Auto insurance companies calculate the premiums you pay for coverage based on who is driving your car and their driving record, among other things. So, it’s only fair that they have full disclosure of who may be driving the vehicle they’re covering.

For this reason, auto insurance companies require you to list any licensed household members on your car insurance. This includes your spouse, but can also mean adding any roommates, teen drivers, etc.

Can I exclude my spouse from my car insurance?

Yes, you can exclude your spouse from your car insurance, but it comes with some risks. Why would you want to do this?

If your spouse has poor credit or a bad driving record, adding them to your car insurance may result in higher car insurance rates. That’s because you (plus your spouse) now pose a bigger risk to the insurer and you have to pay extra to make that risk worthwhile for them.

If you opt to exclude your spouse from your auto insurance, they are still listed on your car insurance, but they are listed as an “excluded driver.” This means your spouse is excluded from driving your car and isn’t covered to drive your vehicle. So if you exclude your spouse from your policy but they take your car to the grocery store and rear-end a car at a stoplight, you won’t be covered by your car insurance.

Because of this, it’s not recommended that you exclude your spouse from your car insurance unless you’re absolutely certain that they’ll never drive your vehicle.

Adding your spouse to your car insurance

If you’re a newlywed, it’s a great time to reevaluate your insurance situation. Your life has changed, and likely, so too has your insurance needs.

Not only should you add your spouse to your car insurance, but as noted above, it may be time to start sharing insurance coverages. If you rent an apartment or own a home with your spouse, you should also have renters insurance or homeowners insurance.

You can save money by bundling these coverages with your car insurance with your spouse. To help make finding insurance easier, take a look at which insurers other consumers rate as the best insurance for bundling.

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