Can my auto insurer ask for proof of new policy in order to drop teen?

Can I drop my child from my car insurance?

Written by | Posted on: June 17, 2014

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Question: I asked my car insurance company to remove my daughter as a driver from my car insurance policy because she got a new car and she is insured with her father (we’re divorced) with a different insurer. My auto insurer asked me to send it proof of my daughter’s insurance or of a different address if she is not living at my residence. Is it right for them to ask me for these items?

Answer: Yes, it’s very common for car insurance companies to ask for proof in this manner in order to remove someone from your personal auto policy, especially a teen.

Your auto insurance provider isn’t trying to be nosey and doesn’t really care who your daughter is now being insured with, it just wants to protect itself by making certain the information you gave it is accurate.

Car insurance companies have to be suspicious of fraud since it’s so rampant. Unfortunately, some parents will say a child moved out or has an individual policy on a car just to get the child off the household policy and lower the annual premium that skyrocketed with the addition of a young driver.

If you ask for the removal of a person for a certain reason you usually have to provide proof that your reason is valid. Insurers usually request a copy of the person’s new insurance policy and/or proof of child’s new permanent address.

Also, with divorced parents, it’s not unusual for insurers to require each to parent insure the child so the child is covered to drive vehicles in both households. However, if the child obtains a vehicle that and their own coverage, insurers will generally allow parents to drop them from the policy. (Read “Insuring a teen driver in single-parent households” for more information).

Penny Gusner

Contributor

Penny is an expert on insurance procedures, rates, policies and claims. She has extensive knowledge of all major insurance lines -- auto, homeowners, life and health insurance. She has been answering consumers’ questions as an analyst for more than 15 years and has been featured in numerous major media outlets, including the Washington Post and Kiplinger’s.