A Newlywed’s Guide to Car Insurance for Married Couples

Why You Can Trust Compare.com trust shield

At Compare.com, it’s our mission to find simple ways to help our customers save money on the things they need. While we partner with some of the companies and brands we talk about in our articles, all of our content is written and reviewed by our independent editorial team and never influenced by our partnerships. Learn about how we make money, review our editorial standards, and reference our data methodology to learn more about why you can trust Compare.com.

Car insurance for married couples: newly weds driving away

Tying the knot brings many changes in your life. Thoughts of kids, aspirations of the future, and even prospective tax breaks are all things you need to contemplate once you’ve walked down the aisle. 

But one thing that may not readily cross your mind is car insurance for married couples. But if you dive in and learn more, this joint necessity can often yield savings that you can put toward a vacation or your child’s future education. 

Discover how marriage affects your car insurance rates and what you can do to keep your premiums at a reasonable rate in our in-depth guide below.


Shop Car Insurance Quotes for Married Couples


How Does Tying the Knot Affect Car Insurance for Married Couples?

Car insurance for married couples: couple parked near the beach

Marriage is one of the many factors that insurance companies use to determine your rate. In most cases, this is a good thing. According to a Compare.com study, drivers saved $61 on their annual car insurance policy from just getting married, including an overall reduction from $1,529 to $1,468.

Car insurance companies typically reduce your auto insurance rate because insurers see married couples as more financially stable and risk-averse compared to single drivers.

Due to this view, many married couples choose to combine their policies, which can yield lower rates and multi-car discounts that can save tons of money in the long run.

How To Decide Whether To Combine Your Policies

Although most married couples can save money by combining car insurance policies, some exceptions to the rule may actually end up costing you more.

Marital status isn’t the only thing that factors into car insurance premiums; it’s just one of many determinants. Some other aspects that may affect your premium as a married driver include:

  • Bad driving record or clean driving record
  • Credit score
  • Type of car you drive
  • Whether you have a car loan
  • How far you drive
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Insurance coverage you need or require
  • Claims history
  • Homeowner or renter
  • Geographic location

Once an insurance company has all these factors, they give you a rate based on their findings.

Car insurance for married couples with great credit, good driving records, and no claims history tends to be cheaper in terms of insurance costs. And couples find they get lower premiums when they combine policies.

However, if one person has stellar credit while the other has poor credit, combining policies isn’t always the best move. The same is true if one person is considered a high-risk driver while the other has a clean driving record.

As a result, married couples should almost always get both individual and combined quotes to see which is the better option. Neither side should take it personally. As you’ll learn in marriage, it’s all about a little give-and-take every now and then.

How Married Couples Can Lower Their Car Insurance Rates

Couple happy and laughing while driving

Hopefully, a joint car insurance policy saves you cash. But regardless of whether it does, car insurance for married couples can always get a bit cheaper if you look for the great equalizers: car insurance discounts and policyholder discounts. Here are a few things to consider if your auto insurance policy costs are a bit higher than you anticipated.

Bundling

Bundling is a type of multi-policy discount given by a vast majority of insurers for combining your multiple policies from a single company. Generally speaking, bundling can save you around 5% to 25% on your total policy premiums each year.

While bundling home insurance and car insurance is the most popular type of multi-policy discount, you can also bundle other policies with certain insurers, including:

  • Life insurance
  • RV insurance
  • Motorcycle insurance
  • Boat insurance

The more insurance policies you combine, the better your odds of additional savings.

Multi-Vehicle Discount

Unless you have a single car, the multi-vehicle discount is a no-brainer. Auto insurance companies may provide discounts of up to 38% on your policy if you insure multiple cars with a single company.

If you have a car loan or otherwise require full coverage for your vehicles, this move can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. While most insurers will give you this type of discount automatically, you may have to inquire with an insurance agent in other cases. Be vigilant, and you should get a multi-vehicle discount without much hassle.

Safe Driver and Defensive Driver Discounts

If you’re a safe driver, you can often find discounts simply due to your pristine driving record or a lack of claims history. However, if you or your spouse have been involved in multiple accidents, have a serious infraction like a DUI, or simply have a poor driving history, the safe driver discount is often out of reach.

However, you can get a defensive driver discount. It requires you to take an insurance- or state-approved defensive driving course. Once you complete it, you can take advantage of discounts while being that much better behind the wheel. It’s a win-win you can’t afford to ignore.

The Best Insurers for Married Couples

Couple happily travelling

Although almost all insurers make discounts available to their prospective customers, some companies naturally offer rates that are among the best in the business. So if you’re shopping for a new car insurance policy, put these three companies on your radar.

1. Liberty Mutual

If you’ve recently walked down the aisle and you’re in the market for car insurance for married couples, Liberty Mutual is one of the best options out there. Not only does the company provides a 5% discount for newlyweds, but they also have up to a 20% discount for having multiple policies.

Add in an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and a 3.9/5 rating from Clearsurance, and Liberty Mutual is a smart choice.

2. Travelers

With a 4.1/5 rating from Clearsurance and an A+ rating from the BBB, Travelers is well-documented for its top-notch customer service and great rates for multi-vehicle and multi-policy discounts.

While the company doesn’t offer any specific discounts for newlyweds or married couples, it’s a reputable company that hangs its hat on providing quick insurance claims processes and an easy-to-use app.

3. Nationwide

Like most other insurers, Nationwide doesn’t have a specific discount for getting hitched. But car insurance for married couples can get significantly cheaper thanks to the Nationwide Family Plan. Anytime you insure more than one vehicle or licensed driver, you’re eligible for a discount. With the Nationwide Family Plan, this discount increases every time you add a new vehicle.

So if you and your spouse decide to add a new car for Sunday driving or an off-road machine, you stand to save even more money. And with a 4/5 rating from Clearsurance and another A+ rating from the BBB, you know you’re in good hands.

Rekindle Your Flame for Savings by Shopping Around

One surefire way for newlyweds to save money on car insurance is by shopping around for car insurance quotes shortly after they sign the marriage certificate. But to err on the side of caution, married people may want to compare separate car insurance policies and multi-car joint car insurance policies to see which one is the better value.

Thankfully, Compare.com makes this easier than ever. Just sign up on the website, answer a few questions about your coverage needs, and compare quotes from some of the most reputable insurance providers in the industry. In just minutes, you can find the best rate for your needs, whether you want liability coverage or full coverage.

It may not be as glamorous as your honeymoon, but with the money you save, you might find yourself on another tropical journey sooner rather than later. Type in your ZIP code below to get started on your first journey in your married life.


Find the Best Car Insurance Rates for You and Your Spouse


Compare Car Insurance Quotes

About Compare.com

Compare.com’s #1 goal is to save you money. We publish resources that are based on hard-hitting data and years of industry experience to help you make more informed decisions with your wallet.

  • All of Compare.com’s content is written and reviewed for accuracy by a team of experienced writers and editors who are experts on the topics they cover.
  • None of Compare.com’s content is ever influenced by the companies and brands we partner with.
  • Compare.com’s editorial team operates independently of any of the company’s partnership or business development interests. We publish unbiased information strictly for the benefit of our readers.
  • All of the content you see on Compare.com is based on comprehensive analysis and all data is gathered and vetted from trustworthy sources.

Learn more about us, our team, and what makes us tick.