Choosing Great Insurance

Posted on: 6 September 2017

Your car insurance coverage automatically includes every member of your household, which also means the insurance company takes your household into consideration when calculating your rates. However, there are cases where it is prudent to exclude specific members of your household from your insurance; here are four examples of such cases:

They Have a Dangerous Driving History

Members of your household who have dangerous driving histories will drive up your rates. Excluding such drivers may help keep your rates down. For example, a member of your household who has racked up numerous traffic tickets in their driving history is best excluded from your policy.

They Won't Be Driving Your Car

It is also prudent to exclude those who you are absolutely certain won't be driving your car. For example, if there is a member of your household who has a health condition that they shouldn't or can't drive with, it's best to exclude them from your policy. A person who experiences regular episodes of epileptic seizures, for example, shouldn't drive and should be excluded from your policy.

The Insurer Wants It

There are also cases where an insurer would want you to exclude a driver from your coverage. This is usually the case if the driver is such a high-risk (in the insurance company's views) that it's even difficult for them to get coverage on their own. A good example is a person with multiple DUI (driving under the influence) convictions in their driving history.

They Are Inexperienced

Those who have just learned how to drive, which means the teenagers in your household, are also considered high-risk drivers. This is because their lack of inexperience makes them more likely to cause auto accidents than other categories of drivers. This is why young adults command relatively high insurance costs. Excluding your teenagers from your policy would, therefore, help keep your rates down.

You may also wish to exclude your teenagers from your car insurance policy if they are problematic and don't obey the rules you have put in place for them. If they have been driving at night without your permission, for example, it might be best to deny them use of the car and exclude them from your policy.

Note that when you exclude someone from your insurance policy, they should NEVER drive your car henceforth. You will invite the wrath of your insurance company if you let such a person drive your car, and especially if they have an accident in it. Don't expect any settlement from a claim arising out of such an accident; it may also jeopardize your coverage. 

Contact an insurance company like Kesner Insurance Agency Inc for more information and assistance.