Auto Insurance Question

Hi,

My wife has 3 pts on her license and is killing our insurance rate. My record is clean. Is it possible to insure my vehicle separately to get a lower rate?

sweetboy

 

Your state and ins. co. can vary on this
Some any possible driver in the household is considered (gotta love that surprise jump in rates when the teen turns 16...even if you swear they wont be allowed to touch the car), and some it's just you and you alone...if you want

The best answer would probably come from your agent

 

"The best answer would probably come from your agent"

I agree, when I first got married, I had low rates and my wife had a high rate. I discussed it with my insurance agent and when he found the tickets against her record he told me that it would be best if I never told him I got married until she went a few years without a ticket. I assume that meant we were supposed to be insured together.

 

Every policy is different. I agree that talking to your agent is the best place to start.

 

In my State ,rates are computed on the driver(s) with the most surchargeable points. Also, for drivers under a certain age,inexperienced drivers.

 

Yes, but you have to live at seperate addresses.

 

We are in Southern California.

 

If your agent isn't willing to take her off the insurance, because she has to be rated and it is her record that the underwriters are looking at, then you can change agents, insure one or both cars and don't tell him you are married. I know this is not being truthful, but your driving skills and record have nothing to do with hers. You shouldn't have to pay for her mistakes even if you are married, and besides, if someone wants to say, "yeah but what if she gets in an accident?", then you could say she had permission to drive the car. It would be just like your friend or child borrowing the car, and if I remember correctly she only has three points, which are generally for speeding, so sounds like she only has one ticket. Only you can make the decision, is it worth paying an extra $600.00 a year for one speeding ticket, that won't even be recgonized by any insurance company after 3 years? Good Luck.
-11 year insurance company veteran.

 

In So Cal, spouses can have two separate insurers. Most of the time, the insurance company will request proof of insurance, however, it is up to the insurance company.

Generally even if your wifes record is killing the rate, you will still be cheaper on the same policy. Together you probably get multi-car discount and a marraige discount. Separate, you will still have to pay her horrible rate and then yours on a separate policy, with out the discounts.

 

You are trying to set yourself up for disaster. If you do anything creative and then your wife would have an accident while driving your vehicle you will get charged with insurance fraud and they won't pay the claim and you will not be able to get insurance from anyone other than from what is called the "risk pool". Have a good one. Geo

 

How is he setting himself up for disaster? He is trying to get insurance for both him and his wife, just on separate policies. Something which is completely legal here in the state of California.

 

It's not insurance fraud if he's only insuring his vehicle on one policy, and putting her's on a seperate one with a different insurance company. It's simply having two seperate insurance companies which most people have, especially if they have teenagers. And it's legal to have more than one insurance company.

 

My insurance agent says if we get separate policies (Me on my vehicle and her on her vehicle) and either one of us gets into an accident driving the other one's vehicle, we won't be covered. So she is saying that it would be real risky. On occasion, not very often, I do drive hers and she drives mine.

sweetboy

 

It sounds to me like your agent is more worried about losing the comission she makes than what her customers are paying for the enormous cost of insurance. If you believe what she told you, why do people borrow friends, family and opt not to get the extra insurance on rental cars because you already have a policy of your own. Your policy that has your name on it will cover you in someone else's vehicle in the event that they do not have insurance, if they do have insurance (your wife) her insurance will cover you in that car, as long as you had permission to drive the car. If you need medical treatment your policy on your own vehicle, the one you weren't driving, will cover you first, usually up to $900.00, then the rest will be covered by which ever vehicle was at fault, either your wifes policy or the person who caused the accident. You should really call other agents in you area, not only check rates and discounts, but check out the comments she is making to you. Some agents aren't experienced enough, and some just don't want you to go anywhere else. NEVER settle for advise from just one insurance agent, they're salesmen.

 

In California, that would not be the case. As long as both drivers have insurance, if there was an accident, while he was driving her car, it would still be covered.

Some insurers have stipulations that say, if somebody else is driving the car and gets in an accident, they are only covered by the minimum liability amounts though. I.E. if you have 100/300/100 liability limits, and somebody else got in an accident in your car, the insurance company would only have to pay the minimum amount covered by law 15/30/5.

Insurance laws differ from state to state though. I am well versed in Ca. Insurance though as I am a licensed agent.