Insurance & marital status?

hedgefun

Maybe a stupid question.  For those of you who are married/civil unioned and live in a state that does not recognize your marriage/union...

When you're applying for or quoting something like car insurance, do you select the married choice when it asks marital status? 

britneyg619

Not a stupid question at all!  Unfortunately, if the state doesn't recognize same sex marriage/civil unions you select single.  Sometimes they have domestic partner as an option but not often.

hedgefun

Ugh ok.  DW is listed on my current policy as an occasional driver and they didn't ask her marital status or relationship to me.  I'm going to upgrade her to a regular driver because she's been driving my car more often, but I'm also quoting with different companies. 

I quoted with one other company last night.  I quoted myself only by accident first because I didn't see the button to add her on the right page.  When I listed her as my spouse, the rate dropped considerably (maybe because she's older, IDK. My driving record is fine, credit is good... but I'm younger by 5 years).  When I listed us both as single and relationship as "other" it says it can't proceed and I have to forward it to an agent.  I guess I'll do that, but I'll be pretty bummed if the rate is way off from what I was quoted as married.  We'll see I guess!

Two*True

Well when it comes to things like auto insurance they might still count you as married even if the state doesn't.  There isn't a law that says a private corporation can't give you the benefit of being married.  The state just can't.  Before NY legally recognized SSM from out of state there were many companies that counted my DW and I as married - including our auto insurance.  Our bank was the same way.  So, IMO, if you are dealing with a private company and not some state/federal form, ask the company directly what their policy is.  Good luck!

Kershnic

I'm way late on this so you probably have an answer by now (if so, what was the conclusion??).  But, I was going to say something similar to Two*True.  My DW and I had this experience with a car rental company.  I can't even remember which one is was (bad me) but they basically said "if you tell us you're married, you're married" which meant we could both be drivers on the car without paying an extra fee.  That's not as important as car insurance, but individual companies can all have their own policies.  Good luck!   

hedgefun

Thanks everyone!  I'll let you know how it turns out.  My current insurer just added her as my spouse automatically when I quoted it because apparently spouses are required to be on the policy.  I just need to call them and make sure that's the right way for it to be listed. 

2dBride

Even before we were married (and at a time when our state did not recognize same-sex relationships at all), our insurance company (Liberty Mutual) allowed us to register as "domestic partners" for insurance purposes.  And then they just treated us like we were spouses.