What is an Excluded Driver?

by Bianca Garrison - March 19, 2020

Woman sitting in a car upset with her hands on her face

When you purchase auto insurance, you have to list everyone in your household, even if they do not drive. You may be wondering if this applies to you if you have young family members or older family members who do not or cannot drive, and the answer is yes. Instead of omitting them on your insurance, you can add them as excluded drivers, and doing this can potentially save money.

A “named driver exclusion” states that one or more individuals in your household may not operate the insured vehicle. If an excluded individual drives the car and gets into an accident, the insurance company will not pay for the damage.

Why Have an Excluded Driver on Your Car Insurance Policy?

Your insurance provider might want you to exclude a driver because their risk is too high. Common reasons to exclude a driver are a bad driving record, a suspended license, or filing too many claims. If someone in your household fits into one of these categories, the insurance company might insist that the driver not be covered before they’re willing to sell you insurance.

You may decide on your own to exclude a driver. Maybe you have a spouse who has a DUI, or you have a newly-licensed teenager. In both situations, those drivers may be categorized as high-risk and will need to purchase high-risk car insurance.

What Happens if an Excluded Driver Drives My Car?

If the excluded driver drives your car and gets into an accident, it will be treated as driving with no insurance. Both you and the excluded driver could be held liable for damages.

Never allow an excluded driver to operate your vehicle.

How Long is a Driver Excluded?

The length of the exclusion depends on why the driver is excluded. Once the excluded driver establishes a good driving record and a valid driver’s license, you can call your provider to get them listed on your policy.

How Does an Excluded Driver Affect the Cost of Insurance?

Listing a driver as excluded is usually cheaper than adding them to your car insurance policy. If the driver is excluded due to being a high-risk driver, it can save money because high-risk drivers can be expensive to insure.

Do All Insurance Carriers Allow Driver Exclusions?

No, some providers do not allow a driver to be excluded. Call your insurance provider for more information.

If you have more questions about named driver exclusions, call your local Bluefire Insurance agent today. They can help you better understand what the exclusion means and how it affects your car insurance policy. If you need a free car insurance quote, they can give you one in just a few minutes.

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