While nonstandard insurance companies like Geico are designed for drivers who have more of a chance of making claims, anyone is welcome to apply for coverage with them. The staff at Forbes explains that insurance companies help high-risk drivers who are inexperienced, have high-performance cars, have filed a lot of claims or have been in numerous accidents. And just like standard auto policies, you can add cars and drivers to nonstandard ones.
When to Add a Driver
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According to the team at Car and Driver, additional drivers must be added to auto policies when other people have access to the vehicle, live at the same residence and have a driver's license. This normally includes spouses, children and live-in partners, plus children who are living away from home but use the car when visiting. Children should be added as soon as they start driving and, in some states, providers require coverage for drivers who only have learner's permits.
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In many cases, it costs a new driver less money to be added to another policy than to get one on their own. This is good to know for families with younger drivers, and there are also discounts for eligible students. If a policy holder's employee uses the vehicle for work, they may also need to be added on as well.
Geico: Adding a Driver
Geico policyholders can add drivers through the company's Policyholder Service Center, which is available 24/7. The other option is to call directly and speak with a representative, but many policyholders choose the easier, online route.
To add a new driver, you will need your policy number, that person's legal name, gender, birth date, Social Security number, occupation and driving history. The premiums will increase if the driver is young and inexperienced. That is because there is more risk associated with newer drivers up to age 25. But if the driver is older and has an excellent driving record, there may be no increase – in fact, the premiums may even go down.
Geico: Add a Vehicle
You can also add or replace a vehicle online through Geico's Policyholder Service Center, or use their Express Services portal. Carinsuance.com posts that users will need the owner's name and policy number, the vehicle identification number (VIN), make, model, year of the vehicle and odometer reading. It is also important to have an idea about the type of coverage you want to have for the vehicle.
Most insurance providers want all of the different vehicles on their policies to have the same amounts for liability coverage. This also has to meet state minimum liability amounts. One example is 100/300/100, which is up to $100,000 for medical bills of people injured by the driver, a cap of $300,000 per accident for bodily injury and $100,000 for property damage for others. Collision and comprehensive coverage are optional, but recommended for vehicles that are less than 10 years old.
The new premiums will depend on all of these choices, how much of a risk the new vehicles and drivers are to the company and the chosen deductibles. Higher deductibles cost less, and vice versa. Since even minor car accidents can cause expensive and time-consuming repairs and major accidents can lead to serious injuries and expensive medical bills, it is very important to take one's time when making coverage decisions.