What happens if i don t add my teenager to my car insurance

It's a question we hear a lot. Many parent's believe the only way to get their child being the wheel of their car is to add them to their own insurance policy. Unfortunately, this can come at a hefty price and put your hard earned No Claims Discount at risk. Luckily, there's a solution that should save you time, money and stress - here's our guide to getting your child behind the wheel of your car

The world of car insurance is a confusing one, there is no getting away from that, but we are here to try and make it as simple and straightforward as possible. Let's look at adding your child as a named driver, as well as the other options you have for insuring your son or daughter drive you car.

If they have a claim, will my No Claims Discount be affected?

• If you add your child as a named driver to your insurance policy and they have an accident, your No Claims Discount may be affected.
• For learners, our car insurance for learner drivers sits beside your insurance for short term cover, so any claim would be made on this policy - leaving your policy and No Claims Discount untarnished.
• We also have our annual Insurance on a parent's car for provisional and full licence holders. This annual policy protects your No Claims Discount and allows your son or daughter to drive your car on an occasional basis.

Will they get their own No Claims Discount?

If your child is a named driver on your existing insurance policy, it means they won't be earning their No Claims Discount. At the beginning when insurance premiums are so high for new drivers, adding your child to your policy may seem like the perfect solution, but remember, as soon as they decide to get their own policy with zero no claims discount behind them, they are likely to be in the same situation they are now just in a few years’ time.
Marmalade's annual policy on a parent's car means that a claim-free year will result in your child earning a year's No Claims Discount even though the annual policy is on your car!

Am I going to be out of pocket?

Adding a young or inexperienced driver onto your insurance policy can rack up your premium. Your insurer may see your child as higher risk and therefore put the prices up to cover any claims that may happen. It could be one price for when they are a provisional license holder, and another price when they’ve passed! (When your child has passed their test, although it means they are now a better driver, your insurer can increase the price even more, as they are now able to drive without supervision).

If you’re looking for your child to use your car to get in extra practice before their test, our learner insurancemay be a useful way to go. Our cover is available for 30, 60, 90, 180 and 240 days and then can be topped up for 7 or 14 days at a time thereafter. This means instead of adding your child as a named driver for the rest of the policy year, just cover them for a long or a little time that they need until they pass their test.

Don't forget those all important L plates!

If your child has a provisional licence, why not plan ahead for lessons by purchasing your L plates directly from Marmalade on Amazon? Perfect for private practice! Unsure of how to fit them? Check out our top tips for applyingL plates!

What will happen once they've passed?

When your child passes their test, it should be celebrated, not a time filled with dread about now having to pay more for the insurance! Our Named Young Driver Insurance can cover your child before and after they pass, and there is no increase in price once they do pass, so instead of worrying about the price of the insurance premium. This also applies to our Black Box Insurance policy - it's the same thing, but on a car, your child owns and there's still not a premium increase insight when they pass their test! That way you don't have to worry about paying more for insurance - you can stick to worrying about them driving on their own!

Whether you add your son or daughter as a named driver, or they have their own policy to drive your car, it's a big deal for both of you. Don't forget the rules and regulations around supervising a learner driver!

Insurance companies typically require that all licensed drivers in a household be listed on the auto insurance policy except unlicensed teenagers or younger members under 14.

You should have a comprehensive auto policy to cover everyone who drives in your household, including those who don't live with you but drive your car occasionally. This could include roommates, spouses, live-in nannies, older licensed children and other family members.

Most people have no idea who needs to be listed on their policy. But don't worry, we're here to help. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about listing drivers on your policy. We explain who needs to be listed so you can make the best decision for your family.

Key Highlights

• Auto insurers base premiums on the policyholder's driving history other than age, credit score, and vehicle's make and model.
• If your child lives with you and is a licensed driver, they need to be listed on your policy in order for you to be adequately covered.
• Your auto insurance policy should cover everyone who drives, including people outside your household who frequently use your vehicles.

Table of Contents

• Do all household members need to be on car insurance?
• Who needs to be listed on my car insurance policy?
• Do I have to add my child to my car insurance?
• Do all drivers in a household have to be insured?
• Why do insurance companies ask about all household members?
• Does car insurance premium go up after listing a new driver on the policy?
• Does the policyholder have to be the main driver?

Do all household members need to be on car insurance?

All household members should be known to the car insurance company but do not necessarily have to be listed as covered drivers depending upon the situation. For instance, if you have a son who is 16 but is not yet licensed and he doesn't drive, they may require that you list him on the policy but will not rate him until he is licensed.

Learn more about How much does it cost to add a teenager to car insurance?

When you purchase car insurance, you will need to list anyone in your household who has access to your car. Insurance companies use this information to analyze the risk and determine your yearly insurance premium. Insurers generally expect the following people to be listed as drivers on the car insurance policy:

• Significant others.
• Friends, neighbors, or live-in nannies who borrow your car on occasion.
• Roommates.
• Older licensed children.
• Other family members who live with you, such as your parents.

Read more about Does your spouse have to be on your auto insurance policy?

Do I have to add my child to my car insurance?

If your child lives with you and is a licensed driver, they need to be listed on your policy in order for you to be adequately covered. If your child has already moved out of your residence, you do not have to list them on your policy but they would have to get their own car insurance policy.

If your children do not live with you but still occasionally drive your vehicles, you will need to inform your car insurance company. Your insurer then may or may not require you to have them as occasional drivers on your car insurance policy. It depends upon the insurer's internal guidelines.

Check out our detailed Parents' guide: The best and cheapest way to insure teenage drivers

Do all drivers in a household have to be insured?

No, only those who expect to drive and be covered in an accident must be insured. Your insurance company will ask about everyone of driving age in the household. If anyone is not on your policy, they will not be covered. Furthermore, car insurance companies want to know if they could potentially drive your car.

Expert Advice

Kerry Sherin

Consumer advocate with BeenVerified

“If there's a possibility or high probability that the person will be driving your car, they should be listed on your car insurance policy just in case – you will want to avoid any risk of severe financial consequences, Sherin says.

“Without knowing who drives your car regularly and who lives with you, an insurer cannot accurately calculate the risk and charge you a premium.”

Why do insurance companies ask about all household members?

Car insurance companies ask about all household members because they want to know if someone could potentially drive your car. Without having the information about all household members and the cars they drive, the insurance company cannot correctly calculate the risk and charge them for the insurance policy.

Does car insurance premium go up after listing a new driver on the policy?

Your car insurance premium does not necessarily go up when you list household members on the policy. You can disclose your teenager to the insurer, but it will not affect your premiums until they get a driver's license. If your older licensed children live with you and have their own insurance policy, they will have to show proof of that coverage to your insurance company.

“Typically, there is no effect on your premiums when household members are just listed on your policy,” Sherin says. “Teenagers may be disclosed to your insurer, but they won't have an impact on your premiums until they obtain a license. In the event that you live with a licensed driver who has a car insurance policy, your company may ask to see proof of coverage.”

Check out our guide on How much is insurance for new drivers?

Does the policyholder have to be the main driver?

Insurance companies require the policyholder to be the main driver of the insured vehicle. Insurers base the premiums on the policyholder's driving history, credit score, and vehicle's make and model. It's illegal for someone other than the main driver to be the policyholder, which is known as fronting.

Frequently asked questions

Most car insurance companies require policyholders to list all licensed drivers in their household on their auto insurance policy. If anyone in the family has an accident while driving your car, your insurance will help pay for damages, as long as your policy covers them.

In some cases, you may be able to exclude certain drivers, but this typically only applies to people who don't live with you, such as a grown child who has moved out of your home. If you exclude someone from your policy and get into an accident while driving your car, your insurance company may refuse to cover the claim.

So, it's generally best to err on the side of caution and list all licensed drivers on your auto insurance policy.

If your roommate uses your car often, it's good to list them on your car insurance. It will help cover the repair cost and medical bills if they ever meet with an accident while driving your car.

However, if your roommate does not drive your car, you don't need to have them listed on your policy. Although most insurers insist on including all the licensed drivers who live with you, you can check with your insurance company.

If you let someone who doesn't live with you use your car regularly, they'll need to be listed as an insured driver on your car insurance policy. Failing to add them to the policy could result in severe financial consequences. If they ever get involved in an accident, the insurer may refuse to cover the damage, and you'll have to pay for the repairs out of pocket.

– Michelle Megna contributed to this story.

Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy-to-understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions. When not writing, you can find her reading a book or watching anime.