Car Insurance for Myself And Partner on the Same Car
Caeva O'Callaghan | August 2nd, 2023
Is It Cheaper For Myself And Partner To Be On The Same Car Insurance Policy?
Not many people know that they can add a named driver to reduce their car insurance premium. If you and a loved one are in a position to do so, will it really work out cheaper?
The answer is yes. If you have a partner who also needs car insurance, putting them on your policy can lower the premium.
Once they have a full license, adding your partner or a relative to your car insurance policy is a good idea. In the worst case scenario, your premium price will stay the same.
In this article, we’ll answer the following questions:
- Will adding my partner to my car insurance policy reduce the premium?
- Can I add my family member to my car insurance?
- How can I save money on car insurance?
Adding another driver to a car insurance policy to help reduce insurance costs is a step that many motorists overlook. Read on to find out more.
Reduce your premium by adding a loved one
Adding another driver to your policy may help you reduce the cost of your premium. This can be a relative, family member, housemate, partner or spouse. Anyone who is likely to drive the car as much as you can be added as another driver on your car insurance. It helps you both out, as it saves your loved one from having to shop around for their own policy.
But, for reasons unknown, it’s not common knowledge among motorists that doing so can save you money. Many people are unaware of the discounts on offer if they add a spouse or partner to their insurance policy, as long as they actually use the vehicle.
Furthermore, the loved one in question must also have a full license and clean driving record. Some insurance providers offer a discount of up to 20 percent just for adding your spouse or partner.
It’s definitely worth asking your existing provider if they can give you a named driver discount. And, if it’s time to renew your car insurance, shopping around for a named driver clause could save you a lot of cash.
Younger and older drivers
For drivers under 25 and over 50 in particular, adding a relative or loved one will help reduce oversized premiums. These are age brackets in which car insurance tends to shoot up, and any opportunity to save money should be taken advantage of.
In fact, just over a quarter of Irish motorists describe themselves as “very likely” to add another driver to their policy, according to a 2017 AA car insurance survey. But the survey results would suggest that many young people are already doing this. Just over one in two respondents between the age of 17 and 24, and 35% of those aged between 25 and 35 describe themselves as “very likely” to add another name to their policy.
If you’re a younger driver, getting added to your parents’ policy will help you gain named driver experience. This will work in your favour when it’s time to buy your own policy.
And if you’re older, adding a younger relative could help you both out. For example, when we added his 24 year-old granddaughter to an 88 year old man’s policy, his premium reduced by €51.
Female named drivers
It’s worth mentioning that adding a female relative such as a granny, mother, aunt or cousin will often reduce your premium by more.
Once upon a time, it was standard practice in the car insurance industry to charge men and women differently for their policies. This is because statistics show that females, on average, have fewer car accidents and therefore are lower risk. This meant women often paid less on their car insurance, and men paid more.
But as of 2012, car insurance companies in Ireland are no longer able to discriminate based on gender. Thanks to these guidelines, it no longer matters to your insurance company if you’re a man or a woman.
However, the impact of statistical differences between men and women’s driving habits are still reflected in adding named drivers. Adding a female named driver to your policy is likely to reduce the price by quite a bit.
Yet, the 2017 AA survey found that women were significantly more likely than men to consider adding a named driver. While just 22.8% of male respondents stated they were “very likely” to add another driver to their policy in the future, almost one in three women surveyed said that they were “very likely” to do so.
This means there may be a lot of husbands and male partners out there spending more than they need. If you’re a married man, you could reduce your premiums by adding your wife as a named driver. Give us a call today, and we’ll be able to walk you through the process.
If you have any questions regarding named drivers on your car insurance, talk to us today!
If you are researching car insurance policies, and unsure about the potential benefits of adding named drivers, pick up the phone and talk to our car insurance experts. We are available Mon-Fri between 8.30am and 5.30pm on 0818 224433 or 042 9359051. We can help you find the right insurance policy for your specific details.
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