Does My Nanny Need to Be on My Car Insurance?

When Do You Need to Add Your Nanny to Your Insurance?

You may need to add your nanny to your car insurance policy if they'll regularly drive your car. If your nanny will transport your kids as part of their regular duties, then you'll likely need to add them to your policy.

On the other hand, you may not need to add your nanny to your car insurance policy if they won't drive your car, or if they'll drive it very infrequently. If your nanny only uses your vehicle on rare occasions, their infrequent use may be covered by your insurance under permissive use. But it's essential that you know what the cap on infrequent use is for your particular policy. It could be limited to 12 times per year, for instance, but you'll need to check with your provider.

And, if you have a live-in nanny, they wouldn't be covered under permissive use. Instead, they'd need to be added to your policy as a member of your household.

When in doubt, reach out to your car insurance provider to ask whether your nanny's use of your car will require them to be added as a driver on your policy.

Can Your Nanny Use Their Own Car Insurance While Driving Your Car?

It's unlikely that your nanny can be covered by their own policy while driving your car. Generally speaking, car insurance policies cover the car, not the driver. So, if your nanny got into an accident while driving your car, their insurance policy wouldn't typically kick in to provide coverage.

That's why it's important to add your nanny to your car insurance if they drive your vehicle frequently; otherwise, you could face coverage issues if you need to file a claim.

Learn more: Does Car Insurance Cover the Car or the Driver?

How to Add Your Nanny to Your Car Insurance

You can add your nanny to your car insurance policy by contacting your insurance company. Before you do so, you can also contact your insurer to ask how adding them may impact your rate.

To get an accurate picture of how much adding your nanny to your policy will raise your rate, be prepared to provide your insurance company with this information about your nanny:

• Full name (as it appears on your nanny's driver's license)
• Date of birth
• Address
• Date first licensed
• Driver's license number (which they'll use to search your nanny's driving history)

Learn more: How to Add Someone to Your Car Insurance

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Alternatives to Adding Your Nanny to Your Car Insurance

If you don't want to add your nanny to your car insurance, consider these alternatives.

Ask Your Nanny to Use Their Own Vehicle

You could consider asking your nanny if they'd be willing to transport your kids in their own car. You would need to agree to an arrangement for how you would reimburse them for their mileage, maintenance and fuel.

If you're considering this route, your nanny should contact their insurance company to check what coverage they'll need. Your nanny may be required to carry a business auto insurance policy if they'll drive as part of their work duties. If so, it may also be fitting for you to cover the extra premiums.

Use Other Transportation Options

Depending on where you live, your nanny may be able to transport your kids through green transportation options—for example, walking or taking public transportation. Ridesharing apps could be an adequate supplement for infrequent, longer trips, but the feasibility of this option may depend on your location, the age of your children and your travel needs.

Learn more: How to Save on Car Insurance

The Bottom Line

A nanny can benefit your family in many ways. It's important to be sure you're checking all the necessary boxes when it comes to managing the administrative parts of employing a nanny—including maintaining adequate car insurance.

Adding a nanny to your car insurance policy can lead to an increase in rates. Be sure you're looking into any available insurance discounts and considering all your coverage options to avoid overpaying for insurance. You can compare car insurance rates through Experian to see if you could qualify for better rates.