Drivers Tick the “Add Partner” Box Just to Save on Car Insurance

The insurance sector likes to highlight the fronting that goes on with named younger drivers, but is the industry ignoring the fact that partners are being added to vehicle insurance just to save a bit of cash, when said partners have their own vehicles or very rarely drive at all? Maybe the system needs updating to assess the actual, real time, driving/theft risks?

Another update that some might say is overdue is that a man who has several wives or partners under Sharia law might want to add some or all of those wives as drivers. In that case different postcodes regarding overnight parking may apply. These common lifestyle scenarios are not being addressed by quote/proposal forms at present. Insurers who want to comply with diversity guidance from the government or FCA might want to resolve this issue using things like apps, smartphone location data or in-car tech like bluetooth device pairing, infotainment logins etc.

Establishing who is sharing a household – and vehicle – at policy inception could save disputes and claims admin time further down the line.

Here’s the info from Confused.com

Drivers who add their spouse or partner to their car insurance premiums could save an average of £315. This is based on ‘insured and spouse’ compared to a ‘single insured driver’ on one policy.  

That’s according to new research from Confused.com which also found that nearly 3 in 4 (71%) coupled up drivers admit to adding their partner to their car insurance as a named driver to cut costs.

And data shows that the savings could be very significant. That’s as data from the Confused.com price index(1) found that adding an additional driver, be that a partner or other family member, to insurance policies could also save drivers an average of £117.

Why does it cost less to add additional drivers? Car insurance prices are generally based on the risk of making a claim. Sharing the driving with a spouse, partner, or family member spreads that risk, which can lower the cost. If the extra driver has claims, convictions, or less experience, the savings might be smaller – or there might not be any.

According to research by Confused.com, nearly 9 in 10 (89%) of couples have added their partner to their car insurance. This shows that sharing driving responsibilities is becoming more popular for those in a relationship.

Nearly half (47%) of drivers do this for convenience as the average couple has 2 cars between them. Meanwhile, just over 4 in 10 (41%) do so because they want to share a vehicle with their partner.

With sharing a car comes with the decisions of who takes the wheel. The research found that more than 2 in 3 (68%) men claim they drive the most. That’s compared to just 16% of women who do so.

Despite sharing driving responsibilities, the age old debate of who’s the better behind the wheel persists in relationships. Nearly 3 in 10 (29%) think they are a better driver than their partner. Of this, over 1 in 10 (11%) men think that they are a pro behind the wheel, believing they are a better driver than their partner.

Matt Crole-Rees, motoring expert at Confused.com car insurance comments:  “When it comes to car insurance, many drivers are keen to keep costs as low as possible. That’s why adding your partner to your insurance is an effective way to keep costs low – saving drivers an average of £315 on their premiums.

“Not only can this cut the cost of your insurance but there are other benefits of adding your partner to your insurance. The shared responsibility that comes with joint insurance is helpful when considering longer trips or if there’s an emergency. You and your partner can share the responsibilities fairly and legally.

“But it’s important to be accurate when adding your partner to your insurance. Incorrect details could put you and your partner at risk of invalidating your policy.

“If you can’t add your partner to your insurance, don’t worry – there are plenty of other ways to save on your car costs. One of the biggest ways is to shop around early, which can save drivers hundreds of pounds. Improving your car’s security or making sure your mileage is accurate can also help lower your renewal costs.

We’ve put together 16 ways to save on car insurance. Not all of them may apply to you, but even a few small changes could make a real difference – especially as costs keep rising.”