People marry for love and companionship. It’s the public expression of your commitment to each other. While saving on car insurance isn’t usually the primary reason why couples tie the knot, it’s a nice extra benefit! Learn the ins and outs of car insurance for couples so you can save money after walking down the aisle.
Does Getting Married Affect Your Car Insurance Costs?
How does getting married affect car insurance? Let’s start counting the ways. First, married people are considered more stable by insurers. Those marriage vows indicate a level of maturity and responsibility. When it comes to car insurance, marital status can be an important factor in determining risk. Married couples usually pay lower rates than their single counterparts.
Newlyweds, start looking for savings right away! Begin your marriage with cheap car insurance for newlyweds and put the money you save toward making other dreams come true.
Single vs. Married Premium Differences
The difference between premiums for married couples and premiums for singles can be quite large. While it’s true that young drivers pay higher rates than more experienced drivers, a marriage license can still save them up to 21 percent. That is how much the average, married 20 year old saves on coverage versus a single person of the same age. While premiums are usually lower for all married couples, those between the ages of 20 and 25 reap the biggest savings compared to their single contemporaries.
Insurers consider young married male drivers as less likely to engage in dangerous behaviors such as driving under the influence than their single pals. They don’t tend to speed or otherwise engage in negligent and reckless driving as often.
Of course, much depends on the driving record of the couple. Overall, married couples file fewer claims than single drivers. The latter includes motorists who are divorced or widowed.
Nationally, the average premium for a single driver is $1,407. Get married, and the average annual premium drops to about $1,381. The average premium for divorced drivers is $1,467, and for the widowed, $1,431.
Married Couple Savings by State
While young married couples save the most money compared to their single counterparts, older married couples also have lower premiums. The average percentage of savings varies by state.
Married couples in Georgia save nearly 10 percent on auto insurance premiums. Virginia comes in second at 7 percent. The following states average at 6 percent or more in marital auto insurance savings:
- Minnesota
- Maine
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- California
- Tennessee
While other states offer a lower average savings percentage, there are a few states where premiums for married couples actually rise by at least 1 percentage point. These are:
- Arizona
- Maryland
- North Carolina
- Louisiana
A Holistic View
While marital status plays a vital role in determining car insurance rates, keep in mind that insurance companies take a holistic view of every applicant. While getting married is a plus, it’s not going to discount your policy significantly if one or both of you:
- Drive older vehicles that lack safety features
- Have a history of accidents
- Live in a zip code with high accident rates.
Although there is not much you can do about a past accident history other than maintaining a good driving record for the future, you can save additional money on car insurance after purchasing a safer car or relocating to a zip code with fewer collisions.
Car Insurance for Married Couples: Frequently Asked Questions
When should I combine my car insurance if I’m married?
If both of you have good driving records, combine your car insurance policies as soon as possible to take advantage of the savings. If you received cash as wedding gifts, put it to good use by paying your premium in full and potentially receiving a discount!
If one spouse has a better driving record than the other, make that person the primary driver. If both of you have cars, you should still save money due to the multi-car discount. Always do the math when comparing quotes.
Does car insurance change after a divorce?
Car insurance does change after divorce. At least one of you will need a new policy. Other changes depend on what each former spouse does.
For example, if one spouse remains in the marital home, location doesn’t come into play as far as premium changes. The spouse who moves out may end up paying more (or less) based on their new zip code’s accident rate.
Former spouses moving out of state must adhere to their new state’s auto insurance laws. Beyond changes in minimum liability requirements or the need for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, the move could mean a change to or from an at-fault state to a no-fault state.
Contact The General®
Celebrate your wedding by saving money on your auto insurance premiums. The General® offers cheap car insurance for couples. That’s not all we offer! Enjoy the convenience of our state-of-the-art mobile app for managing all your car insurance needs.
Does one of you have a bad driving record? At The General,® we specialize in providing cheap car insurance for high-risk drivers. Our track record for helping those with bad driving records is second to none. We also know our customers can work to improve their records so they will enjoy lower rates in the future. Get an insurance quote in under two minutes to see how much you can save!
