You and your spouse may need to purchase separate car insurance policies during a separation, which is why it’s important to notify your insurance provider.

Written by Liz Jenson

Edited by Kianna Walpole

Updated on May 31, 2024

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What happens to your car insurance after a separation?
How to remove your partner from your car insurance
Managing car insurance policies with teen drivers
Your auto insurance rates are likely to climb after a separation
What happens to your car title and registration after a separation?
FAQ
Sources
Meet our experts

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If you and your partner are separating and you share a

car insurance

policy, you’ll need to notify your insurance provider and file for separate policies if necessary. If a teen is insured on the policy, the responsibility of the insurance costs will depend on where the child resides and which vehicles they drive.

What happens to your car insurance after a separation?

If you’re going through a separation and you share a car insurance policy with your spouse, you’ll need to decide who is taking each vehicle and then transfer the titles, registrations, and insurance policies for each car.

This may look a little different for every couple, depending on their situation. Here are some of our top tips for how to navigate managing your car insurance after a separation.

When you’re still living together

If you and your ex-partner plan to continue living together, you can remain on the same car insurance policy, similar to if you were roommates sharing a policy. Divorced couples should notify their insurance provider of the change in their marital status, but the additional discounts and savings that come with a joint policy can all be preserved as long as the two of you stay at the same address.

Learn more:

Is car insurance cheaper if you’re married?

When you’re living separately

You are not permitted to remain on your ex-spouse’s car insurance policy if either of you change residences. In this case, the spouse who is the primary named insured party (that is, the legal owner of the policy) should call their insurance provider to have the other person removed.

After this call is made, the driver who was removed from the policy will need to purchase their own coverage.

On average, married drivers in the US pay approximately $188 per month for car insurance, whereas single motorists typically pay around $206 per month. While premiums for a single driver are generally more expensive compared to those who are married, you can still find cheaper rates with these providers:

Insurance company	Monthly minimum coverage cost	Monthly full coverage cost
Clearcover	$66	$130
Kemper	$69	$176
Madison Mutual	$57	$140
Mercury Auto	$74	$146
Nationwide	$61	$155
Progressive	$79	$178
Safeco	$70	$164
State Auto	$58	$162
Travelers	$59	$141

Some insurers will allow you to remain on a policy with your ex-spouse until your next

renewal date

but in most cases, insurance companies will want you to find a separate policy for your (and your vehicle’s) address and living situation as soon as possible.

You may choose to stick with your current provider for loyalty discounts, but separating your car insurance will mean that you lose any multi-car discounts that you may have had previously.

Get coverage the same day you cancel
If your partner is removing you from their policy, it’s important that you apply for your coverage to start on the same day. Without the proper insurance in place in advance, you could experience a
lapse in coverage
, which can affect your rates later on.

How to remove your partner from your car insurance

Before you start the legal proceedings for a divorce or separation, you should notify your insurance agent that you are initiating the separation process, and provide them with the anticipated divorce finalization date. However, you cannot legally remove your spouse from your insurance before your actual legal separation date.

Here’s how to remove your partner from your car insurance after your separation:

Contact your current provider to inform them that your divorce has been finalized. You can do this on your own or follow the steps on the

Jerry

app to speed up the process.

Provide any necessary information, which may include proof that your ex no longer lives with you. You may be asked for things like a copy of your divorce documents, a new vehicle title, or proof of your new address.

Get your new rate from your provider. Your rates will usually go down after you remove a driver from your insurance, but every case is different. If your ex had exceptional credit and a great driving record, for example, removing them from your policy might cause your premiums to increase.

If you’re unhappy with your new rate, use Jerry to shop around and find a better quote.

If you and your partner are both on your insurance as the primary named drivers, you may choose to contact your provider and remove yourself instead of your partner even before the divorce is finalized. Before you do this, be sure that you have another policy ready to start so you don’t experience a

lapse in coverage

Be aware:
Most insurance providers will require you to contact your local DMV and complete the process of
getting a new title
and registration featuring your name before you can purchase an insurance policy for that car. In these cases, you’ll need to determine how vehicle ownership will be split in the separation before you can move forward with finding a new car insurance provider. Since you’ll have to complete this task either way, it’s a good idea to do this before you start altering your insurance policy.

Learn more:

What is a named driver exclusion?

Managing car insurance policies with teen drivers

Teen drivers aren’t cheap to insure, regardless of whether they’re on their own policy, or a shared family one. Just take a look at the average rate most teens pay for car insurance in the US:

Age	Monthly minimum coverage cost	Monthly full coverage cost
< 18	$275	$681
18-21	$248	$542

If you and your spouse share custody of your teenager and they will be living with both parents,

they will need to be listed on each parent’s policy

if they want to keep driving both vehicles. In a formal divorce, you’ll decide who handles car insurance costs in the divorce settlement. This responsibility will often fall on the parent with the most custody time.

If your teen driver will only be living with one parent following the separation, they will technically only need to be covered on that parent’s insurance policy.

Your auto insurance rates are likely to climb after a separation

Separations and/or divorces can cause your insurance premiums to increase. There are several reasons that this may happen, but here are some of the most common:

Your marital status signifies your risk: In the eyes of your insurer, changing your marital status on your insurance to “single” or “divorced” can increase your statistical risk of

filing a claim

, resulting in higher premiums.

Your record may be worse than your partner’s: If your spouse had a better credit score or driving record than you do, their lower risk potential may have lowered your previous rates. When you find insurance on your own, your record could lead to higher rates.

You will lose some discounts: Losing any multi-car or multi-policy discounts can cause your insurance premiums to increase.

However, it’s also possible that you’ll see a better car insurance rate after your divorce. If your driving record and/or credit score is better than your ex’s, you might be offered a better deal without their name attached to your policy.

You might also choose to bundle your car and your home insurance, your renter’s insurance, or even other types of insurance, leading to additional savings. To be sure that you’re getting the best rates after a separation or divorce, experts recommend that you collect and compare car insurance quotes from at least three different car insurance companies.

This process is relatively quick and efficient with the Jerry app. Start by building your driver profile, and then run and review customized quotes from dozens of the top insurers in the nation.

Keep your rates low after a separation by comparison shopping.

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What happens to your car title and registration after a separation?

Usually, if one spouse’s name is on the title they will get to keep the vehicle itself. If you and your spouse are both listed on the car title and registration for your vehicle(s), however, you’ll need to designate ownership of each vehicle you own together in your marital settlement agreement.

Assuming that you end up taking the vehicle, you’ll need to re-title and

re-register each vehicle

under your name alone. Some states require that your vehicle be insured before it can be titled and registered, while others require that your vehicle be titled and registered first. Check with your local DMV to see which order you’ll need to work in.

If your vehicle needs insurance first, you’ll need to wait until your divorce is finalized and you’ve switched policies before you can continue with this process. Remember that, if you’re changing your last name in the divorce, your vehicle title and registration will need to match the name on your driver’s license.

Learn more:

Can you transfer a title without insurance?

FAQ

Will my divorce make my car insurance more expensive?

Recently divorced drivers are considered to be at higher risk of an accident, so many people see an increase in their insurance rates after a separation. However, if your spouse’s poor credit and/or poor driving record were raising your rates, your monthly premiums may actually decrease.

What happens to my child’s car insurance after a divorce?

If your child was on a joint car insurance policy with you and your ex-spouse, they will need to remain on any existing policies and be added to any new policies if they want to be able to drive both parents’ cars. If your child will only be living with one parent, however, they may remain solely on that parent’s auto policy.

Can my ex and I stay on the same car insurance if we’re separated?

If you or your former spouse moves out, you won’t be able to remain on the same car insurance policy. If you decide to continue to live together after your separation, however, the two of you can legally remain on the same policy if you so choose.

Sources

https://www.allstate.com/resources/insurance-and-divorce

https://www.progressive.com/answers/insurance-after-divorce/

https://www.danddfamilylaw.com/my-husband-took-me-off-insurance-before-divorce-car-insurance-during-separation/

https://www.thebalancemoney.com/car-insurance-divorce-rules-527482

https://thefamilymatterslaw.com/co-parenting-and-car-insurance/#:~:text=Often%20the%20custodial%20parent%2C%20or,any%20of%20your%20ex's%20vehicles

https://www.thegeneral.com/blog/car-insurance-after-divorce/#:~:text=Historically%2C%20married%20couples%20benefit%20from,go%20up%20after%20your%20divorce

https://hellodivorce.com/personal-property/what-to-do-with-your-car-title-after-divorce

Meet our experts

Liz Jenson

Liz Jenson is an insurance writer who specializes in general automotive and insurance topics. Liz’s mission is to produce informative and useful content to help car owners make smart choices when buying cars and car insurance. Since joining Jerry in 2021, Liz has written nearly 4,000 long- and short-form articles on topics including state-specific insurance recommendations, common car insurance questions, and deep dives into vehicle model details.

Before they came to Jerry, Liz was a full-time student at Indiana University, Bloomington working on a double major in English and French.

Kianna Walpole

Expert Insurance Writer & Editor

Kianna Walpole is an insurance writer and editor with a comprehensive background in consumer behavior and online publishing. With experience in car insurance, maintenance, and repair, she is dedicated to building informative content that helps customers reduce costs while achieving the best service. Prior to joining the Jerry editorial team, Kianna worked as a junior editor in the content marketing industry, using consumer data and key insights to create and edit content for an array of large-scale clients in the real estate, cybersecurity, and healthcare industries.