Many insurers, including Progressive, require you to add a spouse to your car insurance policy if you're both living in the same household (unless your state gives you the option to exclude your spouse). Adding your spouse to your policy ensures that you're both covered in the event of an accident. If you and your spouse have good driving records, a joint car insurance policy can save you money with lower premiums and a multi-car discount (if your insurer offers one).
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If your spouse drives your car and damages it, it's usually covered if you added comprehensive and collision coverage to that car. The same applies if you drive your spouse's car and damage it. You'll just have to pay your car insurance deductible.
If your spouse drives your car and hits another vehicle, they should be covered under the policy's liability coverage if they're at fault. Liability coverage will cover the damage they cause to other cars and surrounding property (mailboxes, phone poles, etc.), and injuries to others — up to the limits of your policy. Liability coverage comes standard in almost all states and extends to all drivers on a policy, no matter which car on the policy they're driving. The same would apply if you drive your spouse's car and hit someone else's vehicle.
It doesn't matter who's listed first on the policy. If you're listing your spouse as a driver, then their driving history will equally affect your rate.
Common-law marriage is recognized in some states, and your car insurance coverage will work the same way as a married couple's insurance.
If you've had violations or accidents, your spouse's clean driving history may result in a more competitive rate.
You're covered when driving each other's cars. No need to let your insurer know who's driving what or when.
It's easier to maintain a single policy than manage two.Progressive and many other insurers offer multi-car discounts for having multiple vehicles on one policy.
If you're married and living in the same household, Progressive and many other insurers require you and your spouse to be covered under the same policy. If you're married and living in separate households, it's OK and actually necessary to have separate car insurance policies, because your vehicles are garaged at different locations.
This rule extends to married couples who are legally separated as well. If you're living in separate households, two separate auto insurance policies would be required because the vehicles are housed in different locations.
It will depend on the state. In many states, you have the option to exclude your spouse from your car insurance policy, but some states will only allow it for certain reasons like not having a license or already having a policy. Finally, other states will not allow you to exclude family members, so your spouse will be covered automatically.
Call us at 1-866-749-7436 or log in to your policy to add a driver.
Just get a car insurance quote online or call 1-866-749-7436 and we'll ask the right questions to properly insure you and your spouse.
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Please note: The above is meant as general information to help you understand the different aspects of insurance. Read our editorial standards for Answers content. This information is not an insurance policy, does not refer to any specific insurance policy, and does not modify any provisions, limitations, or exclusions expressly stated in any insurance policy. Descriptions of all coverages and other features are necessarily brief; in order to fully understand the coverages and other features of a specific insurance policy, we encourage you to read the applicable policy and/or speak to an insurance representative. Coverages and other features vary between insurers, vary by state, and are not available in all states. Whether an accident or other loss is covered is subject to the terms and conditions of the actual insurance policy or policies involved in the claim. References to average or typical premiums, amounts of losses, deductibles, costs of coverages/repair, etc., are illustrative and may not apply to your situation. We are not responsible for the content of any third-party sites linked from this page.
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