Picture this: It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon and your significant other calls you panicked that their car broke down, and asks to borrow yours for a few days—or weeks—while theirs is in the shop.
You want to help out your hunny in their time of need, but you start to wonder what will happen if something goes wrong—like they get into a car accident—while they’re driving your car? Would it be covered by your insurance?
Whether or not you need to cover someone as a driver on your car insurance policy depends on a few factors—like whether or not they live under the same roof as you, and how often they’re driving your car. Luckily at Lemonade car insurance it’s easy to include additional drivers when you’re building your policy, or after the fact.
In this article we’ll take a closer look at covering additional drivers on your car insurance policy. But if you want to skip ahead to a step-by-step guide of adding a driver to your Lemonade policy using the Lemonade app click here.
Here’s what we’ll discuss:
- What’s the difference between named insured and additional driver?
- Who should be included on my car insurance policy as an additional driver?
- When should I add a driver to my car insurance policy?
- How can I add additional drivers to my car insurance policy?
- How much does it cost to add another driver to my policy?
What’s the difference between named insured and additional driver?
Get ready to put on your insurance nerd cap as we demystify some insurance jargon.
Named insured: The main person who owns the car insurance policy. The cars that are covered on the policy are registered under their or their spouse’s name, and they’re the ones who set up the policy, pay the premiums, and have the power to make changes to the policy—like including additional drivers, or adjusting coverages and deductibles.
Additional driver: This is someone who is covered to drive the cars that are listed on the policy, but doesn’t own the policy themselves and can’t make changes to the policy.
Essentially, the named insured is the “owner” of the policy, while any additional drivers are “guests”.
Who should be included on my car insurance policy as an additional driver?
There may be a lot of different people in your life who you should cover on your car insurance policy. Let’s take a spin through a few of the most common scenarios.
| Relation to you (the named insured) | Add to my policy? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse | ✔ | They frequently share and drive the same car., and live under the same roof. |
| Teenage child | ✔ | Even if they just have a learner’s permit. They’re a new driver learning to drive using your car, and live under the same roof. |
| Roommate | ✖ | They have their own car and insurance. But if they frequently borrow your ride, you should add them. |
| Visitors | ✖ | They rarely, if ever, drive your car. The occasional visit from people like your cousin or college roomate coming from out of town for a few days doesn’t require adding anyone to your policy. |
| College-bound child | ✔ | When your youngster (who’s not so young anymore) is heading to college out of town, they might still be driving a car that’s registered in your or your spouse’s name, or driving your car when they’re home on breaks. But don’t forget: All vehicles need to be garaged in the state where you hold the policy. |
| Neighbor | ✖ | They have their own car and policy. |
| Live-in significant other | ✔ | They might use your car regularly, and live under the same roof. |
| Elderly parent | ✔ | If they use your car often, or live under the same roof. |
| Best friend | ✖ | As long as they don’t live with you or use your car often. |
| Adult child, or other family members, living at home | ✔ | They often use the car for work or errands, and live under the same roof. |
When should I add a driver to my car insurance policy?
Technically, you can cover just about any licensed driver on your policy at any time, but there are certain people that you need to cover before they can get behind the wheel of your car.
If someone meets these 3 criteria, you need to include them on your policy:
- They live in your home (or in the same home as you)
- They have a driver’s license or learner’s permit
- They have regular access to your car
How can I add additional drivers to my car insurance policy?
At Lemonade Car, you can cover up to seven drivers on a single policy. It’s a simple process to build a multi-driver policy from the outset, and to add more drivers as needed, all on the Lemonade app.
Just select the relevant policy from the Car tab on the app and scroll down to the ‘Drivers’ section. Choose the ‘+ Add Driver’ option, then AI Maya will help you navigate through the rest of the process.
Keep in mind: Every additional driver on your policy needs to download the Lemonade app.
Insured elsewhere? Contact your insurance company or insurance agent and let them know the necessary information about the additional drivers you want to add to your policy.
So what details will I need to provide about each additional driver?
You’ll need to fill in some details about each driver that you want to cover on your policy, like their:
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Relationship to you
- Marital status
- Driver’s license number
- Other driver’s license details—like what state their license is from, and how many years they’ve been licensed
- Driving record and claims history
At Lemonade Car, we need up-to-date and accurate information on all the drivers you include on your policy to help us determine the fairest car insurance rates.
How much does it cost to add another driver to my policy?
Most car insurance companies won’t charge a fee to add more drivers to your policy, but each driver that you add to your policy impacts your policy price.
Adding another driver to your Lemonade Car policy could help or hurt your insurance rates depending on a lot of factors—like their driving history and claims history. While covering a spouse or significant other with a spotless driving record might help you score lower rates, having an inexperienced, young driver on your policy may have the opposite effect.
But there are so many ways you can lower your car insurance costs—like driving with the Lemonade app, or bundling your Lemonade car insurance policy with Lemonade renters, homeowners, pet, or term life insurance. When you have more than one car to cover, you may also be eligible for a multi-car discount.
At Lemonade Car, the way you actually drive matters. We reward low-mileage drivers and drivers that consistently prove their safe driving habits with serious savings. Everyone that you cover will have the chance, during every six-month term, to show they’re the safest driver on your policy.
Before we go…
When you drive with Lemonade Car, you have the power to do great things literally in the palm of your hand—like seamlessly adding drivers to your policy, adding a new car, and so much more, all on your phone.
Ready to build your free quote? Click below to get started.
A few quick words, because we <3 our lawyers: This post is general in nature, and any statement in it doesn’t alter the terms, conditions, exclusions, or limitations of policies issued by Lemonade, which differ according to your state of residence. You’re encouraged to discuss your specific circumstances with your own professional advisors. The purpose of this post is merely to provide you with info and insights you can use to make such discussions more productive! Naturally, all comments by, or references to, third parties represent their own views, and Lemonade assumes no responsibility for them. Coverage and discounts may not be available in all states.
