Auto insurance question -- primary drivers

[Motorcycle Mike]

Forum Sponsor

I know this is most easily answered by calling my insurance company, which I will do on Monday, but in the meantime:

My wife and I share one car. We work at the same place and 95% of the time I do the driving, so she is very accurately listed as an occasional driver.

I've always heard that if you have two cars and two licensed drivers, that both drivers will be considered a primary driver on one of the vehicles, however, what if that is not the case?

I am somewhat considering getting a 'toy' vehicle for pleasure only... possibly a jeep. The wife will never drive the toy, and she will still only be an occasional driver on the main vehicle.

I did an online quote at The Personal, which is my company, and the online system allowed me to select me primary, her occasional on the main vehicle, and me primary no occasional on the toy and gave a decent rate.

Have any of you done this and did it work?

The reason I don't put my wife as primary on either vehicle is 1) that isn't true... she hates driving and only does it when she absolutely has to, and 2) she has only been licensed 6 years, so her as primary on a vehicle is double the rate as me as primary on the same vehicle.

 

[Riceburner]

You can exclude her from the toy and then the rates are based on you. BUT....she can never drive it, probably not even in an emergency. I did that with a bike before.

 

[Motorcycle Mike]

You can exclude her from the toy and then the rates are based on you. BUT....she can never drive it, probably not even in an emergency. I did that with a bike before.

That is fine... as I will likely be buying a manual, and she can't drive stick. I am just worried they will then make her primary on our main vehicle -- but is not the case.

 

[conundrum]

I think you can, but essentially you need to sign (or both need to sign) another document stating she can never drive the vehicle and if she does, insurance is null and void. Would essentially mean if she ever did and was pulled over, there would be a minimum of a $5000 fine, and you two would probably never get (or afford) insurance again.

Depending on what your current car is now, why not insure her as primary on the current, and you as primary on the new? That would also allow you to get a multi-car discount, which might offset some of the cost on your new (and probably more expensive) car.

 

[Vinnie - Allstate Ins.]

Hi Mike,

Yes you can exclude her from the other car that you want to purchase and then she would be the occasional on the primary car since she is not driving that much. The other posters are right tho, if she is excluded from the other she will never be able to drive and both of you would have to sign a form stating that she will not be driving that car. You can call your company and ask them what their procedure is for that, as every company may have a slightly different process. If you have any other questions you can message me on here. Hope this answers your question.

- Vinnie

Forum Sponsor