Adding a Vehicle to Your Insurance Policy

You can add a car to your insurance policy by following these simple steps:

1. Gather the information you’ll need.
   • License plate number
   • Account login information, including your username and password
   • Mileage
   • Policy number
   • Vehicle identification number
   • Vehicle make
   • Vehicle model
   • Vehicle condition
2. Meet the time frame. Different insurance providers have different time frames for how long you have to add new or used cars to your policy once they are purchased. Make sure to add the car as soon as possible, ideally within a week after a private sale.

Contact your insurer. Get in touch with your insurance agent and request to add a vehicle to your existing policy. Depending on your provider, you may also be able to add the car to the policy online by yourself.

Adding a car to your insurance policy will make your overall rates increase. However, it’s still cheaper than getting a separate policy for your new car¹. If you are concerned about your rates going up, consider other ways to reduce your insurance costs, like increasing your deductible, signing up for a telematics program, or taking a defensive driver course.

Even though your car insurance costs will be more expensive the more cars you add to your policy, you can get discounts on coverages by bundling multiple cars under the same policy. Companies will typically offer multi-vehicle discounts under schedule of vehicles policy, a policy that covers up to five cars.

Here’s a breakdown of what you can and cannot add to your current policy.

Second Car

If you have a second car at the same residence, you can add it to your policy.

Friend’s Car

You can only add a friend’s car to your policy if you live at the same residence where the friend keeps their car. The friend must also be listed as a driver on your policy.

Significant Other’s Car

Whether or not you can add your significant other’s car to your policy depends on how often they use it and if you live together. If you live together where the vehicle is kept, you should be able to add the car to your policy. However, if you don’t live together and you don’t drive the vehicle often, you won’t be able to put their car on your policy.²

Temporary Addition

If you need to add a car to your policy temporarily, we recommend purchasing a regular policy (consider pay-per-mile insurance if the car won’t be driven much), and then canceling your car insurance when you need. Major car insurance companies don’t offer temporary policies. If you don’t own the car you’d like to add, look into non-owner car insurance. Typically, non-owner insurance costs less than standard coverage. You can also add the car’s owner to add you as a named driver to their policy.

Vehicles Not in Your Name

You can add a car to your policy if it’s not in your name, given you live with the owner who keeps the car at your residence.

New and Used Cars

You can add both new and used cars to your existing policy. Once added, your new or used vehicle will have the same coverage as your current one. Make sure you add it within your insurer’s time frame, or within one to four weeks from the date of purchase. Often, your insurer will have a grace period where your car is automatically covered after purchase for a certain amount of time.³

>> Related: What is Adhesion Insurance?

What are the benefits and disadvantages of adding a car to your current policy versus getting it its own separate policy?

Pros of a Combined Policy

• Multi-vehicle discount: Although your overall rates will rise, your coverages will be discounted if you bundle multiple cars under a single policy.
• Coverage: YDepending on your state, you can stack your limits, increasing your combined coverage.
• Vehicle swap: You can easily change vehicles.

Cons of Combining

• Increased rates: It’s cheaper to have one car on a policy versus multiple vehicles.
• Effects of others’ driving records: If you add another driver to your policy and they have a bad driving record, get into an accident, or receive a ticket, your overall insurance rates could increase.

Whether you choose to add a vehicle to your existing policy or cover it under a new one, make sure you have met your state’s minimum coverage to comply with car insurance laws. Ideally, you should pick liability limits above the state minimum. For instance, you may select a 100/300/100 policy, which provides $100,000 per person for bodily injury liability coverage, and $300,000 per accident for bodily injury liability coverage.

It is also important to choose a deductible that you can afford, while still getting the most out of your car insurance. For new vehicle coverage, a $1k deductible often strikes a good balance.

If you own multiple vehicles, you might also consider stacked coverage. Stacking allows you to combine the bodily injury liability limits of multiple vehicles, meaning that you have higher limits in the event of a serious accident. Stacking offers many benefits, as it can provide extra coverage if you get into an accident with a driver who is uninsured, or whose insurance cannot cover your injuries. Stacked coverage can be more expensive, and it is not allowed in every state, so you should be sure to do your research if this option seems right for you.

Finally, we recommend buying full coverage for more protection against financial liability for damages and injuries.

Even though adding a car to your current policy will raise your rates, here are some tips to minimize the increase:

1. Adjust your deductible. By raising your deductible on your comprehensive or collision coverage, you can decrease your rates.
2. Drop coverages. If you have an older car, drop collision or comprehensive coverage on that vehicle. This is because it will most likely be totaled from an accident. You can also drop unnecessary coverages like rental or roadside assistance.
3. Ask for discounts. Aside from the multi-vehicle discount, request discounts for bundling your car insurance with your home or life insurance, taking a defensive driving course, or installing anti-theft devices.
4. Research cheap companies. Get car insurance quotes from the cheapest car insurance organizations.

Did you purchase a car using an auto loan? Perhaps someone else can insure your car if …

• They live at the same residence as you.
• You keep the car at their residence — as a part-time student driver, for instance.
• They are listed as a driver on your policy.

You must meet all of these conditions in order for someone else to insure your financed car.

One of the most frequently asked car insurance questions is how to add a vehicle to your existing policy. If you have multiple cars, bundling them under the same policy is one way to lower your car insurance costs versus separating them under different policies. We’ve reviewed our top picks for auto insurance to help you find the right provider for your needs.