Can You Be a Primary Driver On 2 Cars in Ontario?
Car enthusiasts often own more than one vehicle to cherish different driving experiences. With automobile insurance in Ontario becoming expensive, most households prefer designating primary and secondary drivers for their vehicles. However, with your family size increasing, you may own more than one car.
However, you may be wondering, “can you be the primary driver on 2 cars in Ontario?”. Though this would lead to significant savings, you must know if this is legally possible.
Meanwhile, when it comes to purchasing affordable car insurance, you must try and make some significant cost curtails. Reputed insurance experts like Surex can help you find an affordable plan. You can compare quotes from various providers and choose the one that suits your fancy.
Who is a primary driver of a car?
When you own a car, your insurer would like to know who would be sitting at the steering most of the time. This is because some of your family members might also access the car. This explains why insurers segregate the persons accessing the vehicles as primary and secondary drivers.
The person accessing the car most of the time becomes the primary driver. Naturally, this happens to be the owner of the vehicle. The insurer would want to know the name of the person adding to the majority on the odometer. Based on who the primary driver is.
Who is a secondary or occasional driver of a car?
As the name suggests, a secondary or occasional driver is a person who accesses the car less frequently. You need to add these drivers to the insurance policy. When you do so, the insurer will determine the premium based on the driving record of the secondary driver. So, you need to fork out an additional premium for each secondary driver. This is because the insurer considers multiple drivers to pose more risk to the vehicle.
You can add your friends, family members, roommates, colleagues, or siblings to the policy.
Is it possible to become the primary driver on two cars?
If you are wondering, “can you be a primary driver on two cars?”, you’d be happy to know that it is possible. Often, reputed insurance brokers recommend purchasing multi-car insurance policies. Under these policies, you can be the primary driver on two different vehicles that you own. However, the number of vehicles you can be the primary driver depends on from one insurer to the next. Here are some situations when you can be the primary driver on multiple vehicles.
1. Multiple cars serve different purposes
You might own a compact car that you can use for daily commuting around the city. This vehicle would serve the purpose of commuting to your office as well. On the other hand, you can own an SUV for weekend trips or off-road journeys. Many Canadians own convertibles and sporty cars to enjoy their summers. In this case, you’d naturally be the primary driver for both cars.
2. Try different vehicles
Being a car enthusiast, you might love experimenting with different vehicles. Besides, if you are well-versed in car mechanics, you might purchase used cars, upgrade them, and sell them off. In these cases, too, you might consider being the primary driver on multiple vehicles.
3. Save on your premiums
One of the reasons why you would want to be the primary driver on two vehicles is the privilege in terms of insurance discounts. Rather than having two different car insurance policies, you can become the primary driver of two cars under the same policy. Most insurers offer handsome discounts when you add a car to the existing policy.
Can you be the primary driver of a vehicle you don’t own?
You need not necessarily be the owner of a car to be the primary driver. Insurers consider the person who sits at the steering most of the time to be the primary driver. So, even if you don’t own a vehicle, you can be its primary driver if you have more access to it than its owner.
So, if your parents own a car but drive them around the city most of the time, you would be the primary driver. Now, you may own a car besides being the primary driver for your parent’s vehicle. In this case, you would own one car but be the primary driver in two cars.
What car owners should know about car insurance fronting
Many Canadian parents unknowingly indulge themselves in a kind of insurance fraud known as fronting. While you might be the primary driver of your car, you may name your child a secondary driver. This way, you can make a significant saving on your insurance policy in case your child happens to access the car more often than you.
Given that young drivers need to shell out more insurance premiums, many Canadian parents resort to this undue advantage. This is illegal in Canada and is considered to be a kind of fraud.
In case you are caught deceiving your insurer or lying regarding the primary user of the vehicle, you may face legal action. This can even lead to imprisonment under severe conditions. If you have unknowingly involved yourself in this act, inform your insurance broker at the earliest to stay out of trouble.
Can you be the primary driver on 2 cars in Ontario? — Endnote
So, if you have been wondering “can you be the primary driver on 2 cars in Ontario?”, you can now say that you know the answer.
While insuring your vehicle in Ontario is a priority, you also have several windows to save on premiums. We have discussed only a few tactics to help you save premiums while adhering to the legalities. Multi-car ownership, for instance, is one of the most practical ways to curtail auto insurance premiums.
Reach out to the insurance experts at an online insurance brokerage if you still have any doubts about who you should add as primary and secondary drivers. The experts at an online insurance brokerage can help you choose the right policy so that you can take advantage of significant savings.
