Pros and Cons of Combining Car Insurance Policies with Your New Spouse

When you get married, combining your car insurance policies may be something you consider. Keep in mind that most car insurance companies require you to insure everyone that lives in the household. If you reside separately, or your car insurance company doesn’t expect this, here are some pros and cons to help you decide whether combining your policies is a smart move.

Pros of Combining Policies

• Easier Payments: When you combine your car insurance policies, your two bills turn into one big one. Overall, this can make it a lot easier to always pay your bills on time. Missing a bill can cause you to lose your insurance or a gap. It’s much simpler having one larger bill than two small ones to keep track of.
• More Discounts: Combining car insurance policies with your spouse can give you different discounts that were previously not available to you. For example, if your spouse is a good driver, you may get a good driver discount. One of the easiest discounts you receive when combining car insurance is a multi-car discount. You get this by simply having more than one vehicle on your policy.
• Cheaper Overall: If you are under the age of 25, and you get married, your car insurance will decrease in price overall. The reason for this is because people married people under the age of 25 statistically get in fewer accidents. Additionally, you’ll save money by paying fewer fees, which can add up to a significant amount.
• Eliminate Gaps: It’s natural for spouses to drive each other’s car, but did you know this creates a gap in your insurance if your policies aren't combined? Also, if your spouse gets in a car accident, any damage isn’t covered by your insurance. Combining insurance protects any driver in the household should damages occur.

Cons of Combining Policies

• No Age Discount After 25: If you are already over 25, you won’t receive a major discount because statistically, married people over 25 don't get in fewer accidents than unmarried people. Even though you’ll be over 25, you can still receive other discounts such as good driver discount and multi-car discount as long as it isn't already applied to your account.
• Problematic Breakup: While no one wants to think about it, it can still happen. If you break up with your partner, you have to find out how to separate your bill, which may not be possible for some companies. It’s one of the biggest downfalls of combining your insurance policy with your spouse.
• Potentially More Expensive: If you haven’t had a detailed look at your spouse’s driving history, now would be a good time. If you’re thinking about combining your policy and your spouse has had several tickets and accidents, your insurance may go up as a result. It will be more expensive to insure your husband or wife, and you can lose valuable discounts such as the good driver discount.