How to add non-family members to your auto insurance policy

This article has been updated from a previous version.

Drivers often share their vehicles with people outside their immediate family—roommates, nannies, or friends who use the car regularly. But whether the person is a family member or not, anyone who drives your vehicle on a regular basis should be listed on your auto insurance policy as a secondary driver.

Here’s what you need to know about adding non-family members to your car insurance policy in Ontario, including when to add them, how it affects your premium, and what insurers require.

When should I add a non-family member to my auto insurance?

Anyone who’s living in your household for an extended period of time who regularly uses your vehicle should be added to your car insurance policy as a secondary driver. So, if you’re living with a friend or roommate, or have a live-in nanny who uses your car, they need to be added to your policy.

In Ontario, anyone in your household with a valid driver’s licence should be added to your policy as a secondary driver, even if they have their own car and insurance policy.

According to David Mayer, director of insurance at Rates.ca, your insurance company should be aware of any licensed drivers in your household who don’t have a car and/or insurance policy of their own.

“If you're a roommate and you're living in a house or condo together and they have their own insurance policy, you wouldn't add them to the policy that you're applying for. You would just list their information if they are licensed.”

It’s also important to understand that lending your car means lending your insurance. Mayer explains: “If someone gets in a car accident when they're driving your vehicle, that accident is deemed at fault... That claim is going to fall under your insurance policy moving forward.”

Read more: Do you need to add your children to your auto insurance?

Can I add a driver who doesn’t live with me to my car insurance policy?

When adding a regular driver to your car insurance policy, you aren’t limited to people who live in your house. The key factor is how often they use your vehicle: an insurance policy’s definition of a regular driver is someone who will use your car over a sustained period.

For example, if a friend borrows your car weekly for groceries, or a nanny drives your kids to school regularly, they should be added to your policy. On the other hand, if someone only borrows your car once a year, they likely don’t need to be listed.

Read more: Primary vs. secondary driver: How does it influence your rate?

What happens to my auto insurance premium when I add a non-family member to my policy?

Adding a secondary driver to your auto insurance policy can affect your premium, but how much depends on the insurer and the driver’s record.

Some insurance companies won’t raise your premium if the person you’re adding has a clean driving history and a full G licence. Others may apply a surcharge for any new driver, regardless of their record. If the person has a past accident or conviction, expect the policy to be surcharged accordingly.

“The relation doesn't really matter... They're going to look at the driving record. If that person has accidents and tickets, that’s what affects the premium,” says Mayer.

He adds that if the driver has a clean record and there’s only one vehicle in the household:

“There could be no premium. You're just going to list them on the policy... but there's no additional premium.”

Since each insurer handles secondary drivers differently, it’s worth comparing quotes. Shopping around is one of the easiest ways to avoid overpaying for coverage.

Learn more: How Can I Check My Ontario Driving Record?