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It’s important to understand insurance for secondary or occasional drivers if you allow others to drive your vehicle.
All legal auto policies in Ontario need to have at least one driver listed, and many have multiple drivers listed. There are also many situations where it’s unclear whether or not an occasional or secondary driver needs to be added. Keep reading to learn about additional costs for occasional drivers.
An occasional driver for insurance, also often referred to as a secondary driver, is a person who regularly drives the vehicle but doesn’t use it the most. Secondary drivers use the vehicle less than 50% of the time.
For example, an occasional driver is most commonly a spouse who uses the vehicle to run errands or visit family on the weekend. They use the vehicle a couple of times per week, while the primary driver uses the vehicle to commute to work daily.
A primary driver is the main user of a vehicle. They are the person who, in most cases, leases or purchases a vehicle and takes out a policy. Primary drivers use the vehicle the majority of the time. Every insured vehicle is assigned a primary driver.
Let's say you and your partner, Emily, share a car. Your insurance company will likely ask you about how often each of you drives it. You work in the city and commute daily, while Emily works from home and only uses the car for errands on the weekends or to visit family in the suburbs.
In this case, it's fair to say you drive the car about 80% of the time, while Emily drives it about 20% of the time. Since you use the car much more frequently, you would be considered the primary driver.
Anyone who uses your car regularly, such as once a week, should be listed as an occasional driver on your insurance.
This includes:
You only need to add drivers to your insurance who regularly use your vehicle. This means you don’t need to add a person if they borrow your vehicle one time only or if you lend your vehicle to visitors from out of town staying at your home.
So it’s perfectly okay to lend your vehicle to a trusted friend, neighbour, or family member on occasion. But remember, you are also lending your insurance to this individual.
Adding an occasional driver to your car insurance quotes will result in increased costs. The actual amount will depend on the type of driver you add.
Adding an experienced good driver will not likely increase your premiums much. However, adding a teen, a new driver, or someone with a poor driving record could increase your costs considerably. Some factors that affect costs include:
Adding a secondary driver to your insurance will have an impact. Costs can vary as much as they do for primary drivers. Here are some tips:
Our brokers shop the market to ensure you pay as little as possible when adding a secondary driver to your coverage. Shop for car insurance quotes to get the best rate.
Things you should know about occasional drivers and insurance:
If you give someone permission to drive your car and they are not listed as a secondary driver, you will be covered in most cases. Your insurance protects them if they are involved in an accident as long as they have a valid license and do not engage in illegal activity while driving.
It may affect your driving record and you can expect your costs to increase as a result of an at-fault accident.
You can have an occasional driver removed from your insurance. You will need to fill out the OPCF 28A endorsement form. The driver must sign the form, agreeing not to be insured or drive your vehicle.
Yes. It’s advisable to add all occasional drivers to your insurance. You can speak to your coverage provider about non-owner insurance or adding a secondary driver.,
Primary and secondary driver refers more to the driver's status on the insurance. Both primary and secondary drivers are subject to the same coverage outlined in the policy. The one area where defining driver designations is the amount of the premium. Primary drivers are scrutinized by insurers more heavily when determining costs.
It depends on the situation. Generally, adding a secondary driver will slightly increase your costs, and it will be less than having two policies. Speak with your advisor about your options.
Yes if you don't live in the same home and it's not often. But it is advisable to get added to their insurance if you drive their vehicle regularly.
Yes, as long as you give them permission to drive the car. Ontario auto insurance follows the vehicle, not the driver.
No. You do not have to list a teen driver on a parent’s insurance until they have a G2 driver’s license.
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Digital Content Writer
Kayla-Jane has been a content writer with ThinkInsure since 2020. She creates insurance content for auto, home, and commercial. Kayla-Jane has a diploma in Journalism.
| Categories | Auto |
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| Tags | Auto Coverage |
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