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Am I required to tell my auto insurance company that I got married?

Do I have to tell GEICO that I got married? My wife doesn't drive and doesn't have a driver's license. I don't want to pay to have her listed on my policy for no reason.

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Shannon Martin · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Yes, you are required to update your
car insurance
company about your new marital status. However, you might be surprised to discover that instead of costing you money, it will likely lower the rate of your auto policy!
It is legally required that you add your spouse to your policy. When a spouse hasn’t ever had a driver’s license and does not intend to start driving, they are simply added as a “named insured” on the policy and listed as a non-driver.
Since marriage licenses are public records, your insurance company would likely find out about your marriage and require you to add her to the policy anyway. If this happens, they may add her as an active driver and you would have to prove that she doesn’t have a license. Being upfront will save you time and money in the long run.
Here are the benefits of adding your spouse to the car insurance policy:
  • Married couples are considered one entity by the state. If you are sued due to a car accident, both you and your spouse would be named in the suit and you would both need representation—but since she is a part of your policy, she would be protected just like you are.
  • Your spouse will be able to make changes to the policy on your behalf. 
  • Discounted rates
    are often given to married drivers because they’re statistically safer than single drivers.
MORE: The best type of car insurance to get if you’re married
View full answer 
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.

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