My boyfriend and I moved in together. Do I have to add him to my car insurance policy, or does he add me to his?

Neither. Many consumers think they have to be on the same car insurance policy if they share a household, but you can maintain separate policies, and it could be more cost-effective for you if you each keep your own car insurance.

Call your insurance agent. Some car insurance companies require you to inform them if someone else lives in your household. But you can still you can keep your policies separate by having your boyfriend excluded from your policy.

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Generally, car insurance rates are higher for men--especially guys in their 20s--than for women because men are more likely to take risks, get traffic citations and be involved in serious accidents. More than twice as many men than women were killed in traffic accidents in 2009, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Additionally, Edmunds.com recently reported that men are twice as likely to be drunk at the time of a fatal vehicle crash. Men are also less likely to wear seatbelts.

Factors like these drive up car insurance premiums for young men. If your boyfriend has a history of traffic violations and you have a clean record, you can bet that adding him to your policy will increase your premium. Even if you get a multi-car discount, you'll still probably pay higher insurance rates if you add your boyfriend to your policy.

For more, see he'll break your heart--and your car insurance rates.