Does It Cost More to Add a Driver to GEICO Insurance?

With GEICO, you can expect your car insurance to increase when you add a driver to your policy, though the amount will depend on the driver’s history, age, and other factors. Thankfully, GEICO offers numerous discounts to help offset the cost of adding a new driver.

Does it cost more to add a driver to GEICO auto insurance?

In most cases, adding another driver to your GEICO car insurance policy will alter your rate—but several factors determine how much it will increase.

Age of added driver

According to a recent report by Statista, teen drivers paid some of the highest car insurance rates in the US in 2023¹. Although premiums do decrease around age 25, how old the driver is that you’re adding to your auto insurance policy can change your rate

Driving record

How well the individual you’re bringing onto your policy drives can also impact your premium. Adding a low-risk driver can bring your costs down, while a young driver or high-risk driver can lead to higher rates.

Driver relationship

If the other driver lives with you, uses your car regularly, or is your teenager, adding them can save you both money. Similarly, adding a spouse or domestic partner can also lower your rates.

Several other elements, such as location, type of vehicle, and any insurance coverage changes can also impact how your car insurance is calculated. But GEICO offers numerous car insurance discounts available that can help offset the premium increase you’ll see after adding a driver to your policy.

• Good driver: If you keep a clean driving history for five or more years, you can receive a safe driver/good driver discount of up to 22%.
• Driver’s education: Drivers who enroll in traffic school to improve their driving habits can lower their GEICO policy. This also includes defensive driving programs for high-risk drivers.
• Good student: Full-time students who maintain at least a ‘B’ average can save up to 15% on specific coverage options with a good student discount.
• Multi-vehicle: If you have multiple vehicles and want to include them under the same policy, you can earn up to 25% off your insurance premiums.
• Bundling discounts: If you own your home or have renters insurance, you can combine your car insurance and homeowners insurance with GEICO to help offset costs.

Before you add a driver to your GEICO insurance, estimate your costs

GEICO offers some of the lowest auto insurance rates for policyholders seeking to add additional drivers to their plan—but remember that every unique driver will have a unique premium.

Before you bring a new driver onto your policy, use GEICO’s online policy management portal or the Jerry app to see just how much a new driver will affect your rate.

If you’re using Jerry, you can also compare car insurance quotes from several insurance companies at once to help you find the best deals available—and maybe even lower your car insurance costs further.

Learn more: The best ways to shop for car insurance

How to add a new driver to your GEICO insurance policy

Step 1. Call GEICO or use the mobile app
Drivers with current GEICO policies can either call GEICO directly at 1-800-841-3000 or use the mobile app to add a driver to their plan.

Step 2. Provide additional driver details
You’ll need to know the driver’s full name, date of birth, driver’s license number, the date they were first licensed, and in states that it’s required, their credit score. You’ll also need to know their driving history and previous auto insurance companies, if applicable.

Step 3. Receive quote and apply for new premium
Once GEICO confirms your new driver, they will assess their history and other determining factors to generate a new policy rate. If the cost is too high, shop around for cheaper car insurance coverage from other insurance providers.

When to add a driver to your GEICO car insurance policy

As the policyholder and primary driver, you can choose to add a secondary driver whenever you feel it’s necessary. In general, you should add the following drivers to your policy regardless of how it will affect your premium:

• Your spouse: They are usually required to be on the same policy as you.
• Your significant other/partner/fiancé: Especially if they live with you and use your vehicle regularly. Drivers who add spouses or significant others to their policy often experience cheap car insurance due to a lower risk factor.
• Teenage drivers and college students: A young driver with a learner’s permit should be on your policy, and keeping them on your policy when they get their full license is generally advisable. Keep in mind that teen drivers can raise your insurance rates more compared to experienced drivers.
• Roommates: If they regularly use your vehicle and live with you full-time, they should be additional drivers on your policy.
• Friends or family members: If they drive your vehicle on at least a weekly basis, be sure to add them. Several providers offer legacy and loyalty discounts for customers and their families who continue their policy with the same company.

Can I add someone to my insurance if they don’t live with me?

Providers like GEICO have a permissive use clause to cover a vehicle when it’s driven by someone who isn’t listed on your policy. Note that depending on your policy, your provider may not cover all of the damages if someone else is in an accident with your vehicle.

Consider asking your GEICO insurance agent about claims involving non-listed drivers and non-owner car insurance options if you lend out your car but can’t add the drivers to your policy.

Learn more: Can you drive someone else’s car?

When to leave someone off your auto insurance

There are some instances where it might not make sense to add an additional driver to your insurance

• The driver has a poor driving history: If the driver you want to add has previous violations on their record, such as a speeding ticket or DUI, your rates will likely increase significantly.
• The driver doesn’t live with you: If the driver doesn’t live with you but you share your vehicle, you may not need to add them to your policy per the permissive clause.
• The driver has their own vehicle: If you live with a roommate who has a new car, or your spouse has another vehicle of their own, you don’t need to add them to your policy. Rather, they can purchase their own car insurance to help you both save on rates.
• The driver is on another policy: If you recently went through a divorce and your teen has switched to your former partner’s policy, you do not need to include them in yours.

In addition to adding a driver to your GEICO policy, you can also exclude drivers if they have a suspended license or bad driving record. This means that they will not be covered by your auto insurance if they drive your car.

Learn more: Does insurance follow the car or the driver?

Source

1. https://www.statista.com/statistics/555827/auto-insurance-costs-usa-by-age/&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1701280789703415&usg=AOvVaw0JkzwzSyH0-WueInJoz4yt ↩︎

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Kianna Walpole is an insurance writer and editor with a comprehensive background in consumer behavior and online publishing. With experience in car insurance, maintenance, and repair, she is dedicated to building informative content that helps customers reduce costs while achieving the best service. Prior to joining the Jerry editorial team, Kianna worked as a junior editor in the content marketing industry, using consumer data and key insights to create and edit content for an array of large-scale clients in the real estate, cybersecurity, and healthcare industries.

Jessica Barrett

Jessica Barrett is a senior insurance writer and editor with 10 years of experience in the automotive and travel industries. A specialist in car insurance, car loans, and car ownership, Jessica’s mission is to create comprehensive content that car owners can use to manage their costs and improve their lives. As a managing editor for a team of writers and insurance specialists, Jessica has edited over 2,000 articles for Jerry on topics ranging from local insurance shopping tips to refinancing car loans with bad credit. Before joining Jerry as a senior content editor in 2021, Jessica created visual content for clients such as Expedia, Vivid Seats, Budget Direct Car Insurance, Angie’s List, and HomeAdvisor. Her content was published in Business Insider, Forbes, Apartment Therapy, and the BBC.