Car insurance for couples and families

Do you and your partner regularly use each other’s cars? Maybe you have a child on their L plates who’s about to graduate to their P plates? Sharing is of course caring, but it may be worth making sure your insurance policy reflects your situation. Otherwise you may face extra costs if you ever have to make a claim.

Understanding joint car insurance for couples and families

Some insurers, AAMI included, don’t have “joint car insurance policies”. With AAMI each policy has a main policyholder who can choose to add other regular drivers to their policy as listed drivers. You need to let us know about anyone who drives your car regularly as soon as possible – it’s part of the agreement you make when taking out a policy with us.

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Benefits of adding your partner to your car insurance as a listed driver

It may be worth adding your partner or other people who frequently drive your car to your car insurance policy. AAMI offers coverage for listed drivers, which means that they – and you, as the main policyholder – will be covered for an insured event, like a collision or theft, if it occurs while they’re behind the wheel.*

Cover for unlisted drivers varies between insurance providers – check your Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). Depending on the policy terms and conditions, there could be coverage, however you could be left open to extra costs, higher excesses, reduced payouts, or a declined claim.

With AAMI Comprehensive Car Insurance, Learner drivers don’t need to be listed on your policy, as they must be accompanied by an experienced driver (who is also listed driver on the policy) when on the road. Additional excesses may apply depending on the circumstances of the claim.*

For listed drivers who aren’t learners, the excesses that may be applicable will be significantly lower than for a young or inexperienced unlisted driver:

Both of these excesses are in addition to any other excess that may apply. You can check the PDS or Additional Information Guide for a list of excesses and when they apply.

Can family members make changes to my AAMI Car Insurance policy?

If you want someone else – such as your partner – to be able to make changes to your insurance policy, you can list them as your nominated representative, rather than just as a listed driver. They can then update or renew your policy on your behalf. However, your nominated representative won’t be able to add or remove you as a policyholder.

If you want your partner to become a nominated representative, you’ll need to contact us. Simply call us on 13 22 44 or email us at aami@aami.com.au.

You’ll need to include:

• your first and last name
• your date of birth
• your full address, and
• the full name, date of birth, and phone number of the person you want to make a nominated representative or the new insured policyholder.

How to add your partner to your car insurance

Adding your partner (or anyone else) as a listed driver is easy! Simply:

1. Log into My Account.
2. Select your policy.
3. Choose ‘Update policy’.
4. Select ‘Listed Drivers’ under the ‘Update my policy’ heading to update your details.

What is the cost of adding drivers to your policy?

If you add additional listed drivers to your insurance policy, your premium may be affected – especially if the listed driver-to-be is young or inexperienced. However, once they get their own car and are no longer driving yours, you can remove them as a listed driver from your policy and lower your premium!

What to look for in a joint car insurance policy

Since a “joint insurance policy” with AAMI is just a regular policy that you have added listed drivers to, all you need to decide on is a suitable type of cover.

At AAMI, we have two options, each with optional covers available:

• Comprehensive Car Insurance, which covers damage to other people’s property for which you may be liable, as well as damage to -- or loss of – your own car.
• Third Party Property Damage Car Insurance, which is primarily designed to cover damage to other people’s property.

Read the relevant PDS to get a full idea of what’s covered.

Explore AAMI Car Insurance

Read more:

• Additional drivers and car insurance: What you need to know
• What happens when you’re in a car accident and not at fault?
• How reducing your kms can help you save

Insurance is issued by AAI Limited ABN 48 005 297 807 AFSL 230859 trading as AAMI. Read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before you make any decision regarding this product. The Target Market Determination is also available. This advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situation or needs, so you should consider whether it is appropriate for you before acting on it.