Adding a Driver to a Car Insurance Policy

Whether you've gotten married or your teenager has reached driving age, adding a driver to your car insurance policy can create major headaches. You have to get in touch with your agent, make decisions about coverage levels, and deal with any changes to your premium.

1. Obtain necessary data about the driver.

You need to know a few things before you add a driver to a car insurance policy. In order to obtain a quote or make the change legal, you will have to provide the driver's license number, social security number, driving history and other important data. Contact information is also necessary.

2. Determine whether a car will be added as well.

Sometimes you need to add a car as well as a driver to your car insurance policy. In this case, the process is a little bit more complicated. You will need to know the year, make and model of the vehicle, as well as its VIN number and mileage.

3. Learn the driver's habits.

Will he or she be driving to work? School? Every day or only occasionally? Where will the vehicle be parked when not in use? And will the car be used for business purposes or is it exclusively a personal vehicle? Knowing these details will help you obtain the most accurate quote possible from your agent.

4. Get a quote from your insurance agent.

Don't just add a driver to your car insurance policy automatically. Instead, call up your insurance agent to ask for a quote. This way, you'll be able to evaluate the change in your premium against what it would cost to purchase a separate policy.

In the case of teen drivers, according to Insure.com, it is sometimes less expensive to obtain a separate insurance policy for your child while naming him or her as an exclusion under your own policy. To do this, however, your teenager must be licensed and must have his or her own car.

5. Provide your insurance agent with the necessary information.

Once you decide on an insurance company, give your agent all the necessary details and request that the policy be activated. If you decide to pay in monthly installments, you will probably have to pay for two months up front (assuming you've activated a new policy). If you're continuing under your current policy, you'll need to pay the pro-rated portion of the new driver's costs.

6. Obtain the insurance card.

If you want to add a new driver to a car insurance policy immediately, the insurance company can usually fax or e-mail you an insurance card until the permanent one comes in the mail. But make sure you have that proof before the driver is allowed to get behind the wheel.