Who Is Considered A Driver On Your Auto Insurance Policy?

All auto insurance companies require that the drivers of insured vehicles be listed on the auto insurance policy. This poses the question who is considered to be a driver on an auto insurance policy? Choosing the main driver can be a strategic move for some people. The benefits for your coverage are usually determined by analyzing the person who is listed as the main driver. The drivers listed on the policy all hold a certain level of responsibility for ensuring that your rates remain low.

The primary driver listed on an insurance policy is always most important. If a couple is applying for car insurance and one individual has a better driving record then the other, the individual with the best driving record should be listed as the main driver. Many of the benefits and discounts that are based on driver performance are derived from analyzing the driving record of the main driver listed on the policy. As such, it is very important to choose the main driver wisely when shopping for cheap auto insurance in order to get the best deal.

Listing additional drivers may also provides added benefits, particularly if you have teenage or young drivers. It is more affordable to add drivers to your existing policy then it is to purchase separate car insurance policies. The additional drivers can be listed as “occasional drivers” if necessary. Make sure to consult with the California’s Department of Motor Vehicles to determine who needs to be covered by insurance before adding them to your policy. Likewise, different insurers have different methods for adding drivers to a policy. It is best to contact your provider directly to begin this process. After the names are added, newly added drivers should receive an insurance identification card.

There are ways to protect your good driving record in the case that you have to add someone that you may be a bit leery about. There is the “excluded coverage” clause that offers the main driver protection. This excluded coverage clause states that the main driver is not covered for any accidents that the excluded drivers are involved in. This simply states that the damages that this driver incur will not be covered by the insurance coverage and will not affect the main driver’s rates. This does not mean that the main and excluded drivers are forgiven from paying for these damages. It merely means that the insurance company will not have to pay for any damages. Having a list of excluded drivers attached to your insurance policy may be something that you should consider in order to protect yourself as the main driver listed on an automobile policy.

Particularly for those who have already found a good cheap auto insurance plan, you should carefully consider the individuals that you choose to drive your cars and include on your policy. The person listed as the main policy holder has the most affect on the type of discounts that are available. Likewise, adding individuals to a policy should be considered very carefully to ensure that the benefits initially gained are not lost because of the poor driving habits of others.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 11th, 2010 at 8:42 pm and is filed under Auto Accidents, Auto Insurance Costs, Cheap Auto Insurance, young drivers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.