In general, an immediate or extended family who lives with you as well as non-family household members who drive your vehicle, such as a roommate, can be considered a member of your household by a car insurance carrier.
However, the definition of a household member can vary from one insurance company to the next due to different underwriting rules and guidelines that each carrier has in place and the language (terms) of your auto insurance policy.
- Anyone who lives with you can be considered a household member for car insurance.
- A policy defines a family member as a person living in the named insured’s household related by blood, marriage or adoption.
- Not telling the insurance company about a household member is a misrepresentation, a form of insurance fraud.
What is a family member for car insurance?
A policy often defines “family member” as a person living in the named insured’s household related by blood, marriage or adoption. There also can be differences in state laws that help define who is considered a household member and should be listed on and covered by a car insurance policy.
So, family members for insurance purposes may include any immediate or extended family member of driving age such as parents, children, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, foster children, in-laws and step-family members — although there may be some variations in this list among different carriers.
Digging deeper into this: A typical insurance policy may define a resident or household member as someone physically present in your household. Unmarried dependent children, while temporarily away from home to attend college, usually are still considered residents or household members if they intend to live in the household during breaks and use their parent’s home address as their permanent address.
Insurance company guidelines vary, so when buying insurance, you should find out from the insurance carrier who it considers a household member or household resident.
Inform your insurer about all household members
Since a policy typically provides coverage for the named insured and other drivers who live in the same household, an insurer will request information (on the application) on the other drivers when considering whether to sell a policy.
During its underwriting process, an insurer assesses the risk presented and determines whether it wants to write that risk (issue a policy). If an insurance provider decides that it is willing to write the risk, it calculates the premium to be charged for the policy. Not telling the insurance company about a household member is a misrepresentation, a form of insurance fraud.
Can you exclude household members from your policy?
As mentioned earlier, if you have a household member you do not want on your policy, and he or she will not be driving your vehicle, you may be able to exclude the person from your policy if your state laws allow it.
However, your insurance company still needs to be aware of the person as a household member so that he or she can be excluded from your policy. If a person is excluded from your car insurance policy, they will not have any coverage extended to them, even if driving your vehicle in an emergency situation.
Final thoughts on household members
By contacting your state’s insurance regulator, you can see if your state laws dictate who is defined as a household member or if it is up to the individual insurance company. Once you know state laws, compare insurance companies to see which can give you the best rates for your household.
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Laura Longero
Executive Editor
Laura Longero is an insurance expert and Executive Editor at CarInsurance.com, where she specializes in helping consumers navigate the complexities of the financial and insurance industries. She has 15 years of experience educating people about finance and car insurance. Prior to joining CarInsurance.com, she worked as a reporter and editor at the USA Today Network. Her expertise provides readers with practical guidance, helping them make informed choices about their financial and insurance needs.
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