Can Roommates Share Car Insurance? (2024)

Many insurers, including Progressive, allow roommates to share car insurance. If both cars are kept at the same address overnight, you can share a policy, even if you drive different vehicles or don't share a last name. Adding a roommate to your auto insurance will raise the cost of your individual policy, but it could be lower than the combined cost of two separate policies.

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Can Roommates Share Car Insurance? (1)

Do I have to put my roommate on my car insurance?

No, as long as your roommate won't be driving your car. If your roommate drives your car at all, even occasionally, you'll want to add them as a driver on your car insurance policy. Depending on your insurer, your vehicle may not be covered if your roommate gets in an accident and isn't listed as a driver on your policy.

Depending on your state's insurance requirements and insurance company, you may be required to disclose any driving-age people living at your residence. A disclosure would include providing the name, age, and license status of your roommate, but they can be excluded from your coverage if they don't drive your vehicle.

Can my roommate drive my car if they aren't on my policy?

To ensure coverage, your roommate should be listed as a driver on your policy before they drive your vehicle. Damage to your vehicle may be covered if you've given your roommate permission to drive your car and they aren't listed on your policy, but it will depend on the situation and the insurer.

Who qualifies as a roommate?

For insurance purposes, any member of your household counts as a roommate except for your spouse. This could be a friend, sibling, relative, fiancé, significant other, or anyone else who shares your living space.

Pros and cons of roommates sharing car insurance

Pros

  1. Potential savings

    It could be cheaper to share one policy than own separate policies because you'll split the cost of insurance.

  2. Freedom to swap vehicles

    You're usually covered when driving each other's cars.

  3. Multi-car discount

    With some insurers, including Progressive, roommates can get a multi-car discount for having more than one car on a policy.

Cons

  1. Potentially higher rates

    If your roommate has violations on their motor vehicle report, a lower insurance score, or drives an expensive car, the cost of your individual policy could increase. If a roommate files a claim on your policy, it could also raise your insurance rate in the future.

  2. Loss of discounts

    You could lose some discounts or other incentives for being a safe driver if your roommate's driving record isn't as clean as yours.

FAQs about roommates and car insurance

If we combine policies, how should we split the bill?

Many insurers, including Progressive, will provide a breakdown of the cost per vehicle so you and your roommate can split your car insurance effectively. Dividing up the cost per driver for shared coverages like liability may be more complicated. However, some insurers, including Progressive, will include the cost of liability coverage per vehicle in their breakdown as well. It's ultimately up to you and your roommate to decide how to split these costs, but the person with more accidents and driving violations should probably pay more because they're more expensive to insure.

What happens if my roommate moves out?

Your former roommate will need their own policy because their vehicle will be kept at a different location. They can stay on your policy as a covered driver if they continue to borrow your car, but the roommate's vehicle must be removed from your policy.

How to add a roommate to your policy

Current Progressive customers

Log in to your policy or call 1-866-749-7436 to add your roommate. We'll need your roommate's date of birth, vehicle identification number, driving history, and license information.

New Progressive customers

Quote car insurance online or call 1-866-749-7436 and we can help you properly cover all of the drivers and vehicles at your residence.

Looking for more information about auto insurance? Our car insurance resource center has you covered.

Can Roommates Share Car Insurance? (2)

Quote car insurance online or give us a call

  • Or, call 1-866-749-7436

Learn more about car insurance policies.

Can Roommates Share Car Insurance? (2024)

FAQs

Can I share car insurance with my roommate? ›

Roommates may add each other to their policies because they live at the same address. You and your roommate could also share a car insurance policy for convenience and potential savings.

Why does my roommate need to be on my car insurance? ›

To ensure coverage, your roommate should be listed as a driver on your policy before they drive your vehicle. Damage to your vehicle may be covered if you've given your roommate permission to drive your car and they aren't listed on your policy, but it will depend on the situation and the insurer.

Can friends share car insurance? ›

Many insurers, including Progressive, allow adding a friend to a car insurance policy as a driver if you share a permanent residence. Most insurers will also allow you to share a joint car insurance policy with a friend by adding both sets of cars to the policy.

Can two people share the same insurance? ›

Yes, multiple drivers can share a car insurance policy under certain conditions. With most auto insurance companies, you are required to list all household members, including spouses and children, on your policy if they have a valid driver's license and access to your vehicle.

Can I add my roommate to my insurance? ›

Assuming your state and insurance provider allow it, you may add a roommate to your policy. Verify that this is allowed by your insurance company as some won't add an additional insured who isn't a spouse or relative.

Can you share insurance with someone you live with? ›

Most insurers allow you to add a significant other, such as a boyfriend, girlfriend, fiancé, or domestic partner, to your car insurance policy if you live together. Depending on the insurer, a significant other can also add their vehicle to a joint policy if both cars are kept at the same permanent residence.

Can I insure my son's car if he doesn't live with me? ›

Some insurers allow you to include family members who don't live with you, like adult children, parents, or siblings if you provide a strong case for it. Some insurers also allow domestic partners and significant others who don't live with you to be added to your policy if they meet specific criteria.

Can people in the same house have different car insurance? ›

Yes, you can have two separate policies. This can have its benefits in some cases. However, you will still need to be listed on each other's policies as household members/spouses but you can be excluded. Being excluded means you would not be covered under the policy at all.

What is the difference between named insured and driver? ›

As the owner of the auto insurance policy, the named insured is presumed to be the primary driver. This means that their driving record, credit history and more are taken into account when the carrier calculates premiums. The named insured also decides whom the policy covers, which affects premiums.

How does sharing car insurance work? ›

If you share driving responsibilities with another driver, you may be required to share car insurance. Most car insurance companies will require a driver to be listed on the policy if: They use the vehicle frequently (more than 12 times a year) Live in the primary residence listed on the policy*

Does adding someone to your car insurance make it cheaper? ›

Adding a driver to your car insurance policy will have an impact on your rates. However, it isn't the case that adding another driver will always raise them — depending on who the primary and secondary drivers are, adding another driver can actually bring your car insurance costs down a lot.

Can someone not on your insurance drive your car Progressive? ›

If you allow someone else to borrow your car, it's still covered by your insurance policy. Insurers call this "permissive use." This is true even when the driver carries their own insurance.

What happens when both parties have the same car insurance? ›

Even if you both have the same insurance company, you will each have separate claims adjusters responsible for handling the crash. Since California is a fault insurance state, those involved in the accident will need to go through the at-fault party's insurance company to file a claim.

When should you add someone to your car insurance? ›

Drivers who live in your household and/or regularly operate (an operator who uses the vehicle more than once per month on a recurring basis) your vehicle should typically be added to your policy.

What happens when you add someone to your car insurance? ›

You may add new drivers to your insurance coverage as your personal or professional circumstances change. Adding a driver to your insurance policy ensures the car insurance company pays for any accidents or claims other people driving your vehicle are involved with.

Can members of the same household have different car insurance? ›

Yes, you can have two separate policies. This can have its benefits in some cases. However, you will still need to be listed on each other's policies as household members/spouses but you can be excluded. Being excluded means you would not be covered under the policy at all.

Can my roommates and I share renters insurance? ›

Your renters insurance generally won't cover your roommates' things unless they're related to you or their names are listed on your policy. Unrelated roommates should generally buy their own renters insurance.

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