Can I remove my spouse from my auto insurance?

There are multiple situations where you may want to remove your spouse from your car insurance. Maybe you’re separated. Maybe your spouse got a DUI that caused premiums to suddenly rise.

Today, we’re explaining everything you need to know about removing your spouse from your car insurance.

You Cannot Remove a Spouse Without the Spouse’s Consent

First and most importantly, your insurance company will not remove your spouse from your insurance policy without consent.

Your spouse may need to submit written consent to your insurance company in order to be removed or excluded from your policy.

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Your Car Insurance Policy Needs to List All Drivers Living at the Same Address

Most car insurance companies require you to list every insured driver living at your address, including roommates, spouses, and family members.

Assuming you and your spouse live at the same address, you need to list your spouse on your car insurance policy.

Why do car insurance companies require this information? Well, in an emergency situation, your spouse could potentially drive your vehicle. Even if your spouse doesn’t drive your vehicle regularly, it’s possible for your spouse to drive your vehicle occasionally, and your insurance company wants to cover that risk.

Some married couples have a joint car insurance policy. You might bundle your car insurance policies together to save money. Other married couples have separate car insurance policies. Regardless of how you handle car insurance, your policy needs to list anyone living at your same address.

It’s Possible to Exclude Your Spouse from your Policy

Car insurance companies need you to list everyone living at your same address. They need to assess the risk of everyone who could potentially drive your vehicle.

However, there are certain cases where you can exclude a certain driver in your household. In many cases, this is your best option.

Let’s say you have a clean driving record. You’ve never been in an accident in your life. You’ve never even made a claim. You pay premiums of just $50 per month for car insurance.

Then, your spouse moves in. You add your spouse to your policy. Suddenly, your rates triple to $150 per month. Your spouse has three DUIs and an at-fault collision in the last few years. Your spouse is a much riskier driver to insure.

In this situation, it may be in your best interest to exclude your spouse from your policy. Your rates should drop back down to normal.

As an excluded driver, your spouse is unable to drive your vehicle in any situation for any reason. If your spouse does drive your vehicle as an excluded driver, then insurance will not cover any accidents or claims incurred while your spouse is driving.

Insurance companies have different rules regarding excluded drivers. Some companies make it difficult to add a spouse as an excluded driver. Talk to your insurance company to ask about their excluded driver policy to ensure it works best for you.

I’m Separated from My Spouse: What Happens Now?

If you and your spouse are separated or divorced, then insurance can become tricky. If you both continue to live at the same address, then it may be in your best interest to maintain the same car insurance policy. This is the simplest option.

However, if you and your spouse no longer live together, then you’ll want to contact your car insurance company and remove your spouse.

Once you are living apart, you and your spouse need to update your insurance policy. Your insurance company needs to know the garaging address for each vehicle at night. If this address has changed, then your insurance company needs to know.

If you and your spouse are separated and living at separate addresses, then it may be easiest for one spouse to get a separate car insurance policy.

You should also separate vehicle ownership if you haven’t already done so. Change the title and registration.

Remove yourself from the title, registration, and insurance as soon as possible to avoid responsibility for a vehicle that is no longer yours.

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Insurance Companies Have Different Rules for Consent and Spouse Removal

In most cases, you will need the consent of your spouse before removing your spouse from your insurance policy.

There’s a good reason for this rule: insurance is legally required and driving without insurance can be dangerous. In a hostile separation, someone might maliciously remove a spouse from the insurance policy.

For all of these reasons, the insurance company will require the consent of your spouse or ex-spouse before he or she is removed from your insurance policy.

Many insurance companies require written consent before removing a spouse from the insurance policy. Some insurance companies have more complicated requirements. They may require divorce proceedings to be completed before the spouse is removed, for example.

Final Word

Most insurance companies will not let you remove your spouse without the written consent of that spouse.

You may want to exclude your spouse from your insurance policy if your spouse is a risky driver that has caused your premiums to skyrocket. When your spouse is excluded, your spouse is prohibited from driving your vehicle at any point for any reason. Some insurance companies allow you to exclude a spouse, while others do not.

You may also want to remove your spouse from your insurance policy if you are separated. In fact, your insurance company needs to know as soon as you and your spouse are living apart: your car insurance needs to reflect the current address for your vehicle, so your car insurance needs to be updated ASAP.

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