Car Insurance For Divorced Parents Of Teen Drivers

From juggling carpool schedules to keeping track of belongings and homework, many of life’s details require extra coordination when kids go back and forth between two households.

If your kids drive, getting the right car insurance coverage is one task you don’t want to get lost in the shuffle. Here’s what you need to know as a divorced parent about car insurance for teens.

Putting the teen driver on one or both policies

Once you’re divorced, you and your ex will need your own car insurance policies. The rules for whether kids should be listed on one or both parents’ policies are tricky because they vary by situation and by insurance company. In general, some guidelines apply — but the only way to know for sure whether your child is properly covered is for both you and your ex to check with your insurance companies or agents.

If you have primary custody: The teen drivers should be listed on your policy if they spend most of their time at your house. You’ll need to check with your insurer about whether the kids will be covered when driving your ex’s car.

If you share joint custody: You and your ex-spouse both will probably need to add the young drivers to your car insurance policies if the kids have regular access to cars at both homes.

If your ex has primary custody: The teen drivers should be listed on your ex-spouse’s policy. Ask your insurer whether you need to list them on your policy if they drive a car at your house.

Source: http://www.forbes.com