Congratulations, your kid has officially moved into their own apartment! Now that they aren’t living in your home anymore you’ll want to take them off of your car insurance policy, but there is more to the process than making a simple phone call.
It is against the law to drive without car insurance in most states, which means taking someone off your policy without their knowledge could put them in violation of the law. Because of this, your insurance company likely needs more than just your say-so before they can take a driver off your policy.
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What do I need to remove a driver from my policy?
There are a lot of reasons you may want to take someone off of your insurance policy, including:
Your kid is moving into their first apartment
You’re getting divorced (or breaking up, if you are an unmarried couple) and your ex has moved out
Someone listed on your policy has purchased a new policy in their own name
A loved one on your insurance policy has passed away
The insurance company will likely require proof of how things in your house have changed to remove someone from your policy. Make sure you have the proper documentation in hand to make the process of removing your child or another driver from your coverage go as smoothly as possible.
1. Proof of new insurance
If someone in your household has purchased their own insurance policy, expect your insurance company to ask for proof of their new insurance before they allow you to drop them from your coverage. This will likely be a copy of their declarations page or a copy of their new insurance card.
The odds are good the insurance company will remove them from your insurance as of the effective date of their new policy, so don’t be surprised if you aren’t given a choice about when they can be removed from your coverage.
2. Proof of new residence
If you want to remove someone from your policy because they moved out of your house, you will likely need to provide proof that they no longer live with you, like a utility bill in their name from their new address or a copy of the first page of their new lease or mortgage.
Each insurance company will have their own standards for what defines proof of a new residence, so it may be worth emailing your agent or reaching out to your insurance company so you know exactly what they will need from you if a named insured moves out of your house.
You should expect your insurance company to remove them from your coverage effective the day their new lease or mortgage went into effect.
3. Signed removal request
Sometimes you have someone who isn’t leaving home or getting their own policy but they want to be removed from your insurance anyway. If this is the case, you will need to fill out a removal request letter that is signed by the person who wants to be taken off your coverage.
Each insurance company will have their own internal process for determining what should and should not be included in this letter, so make sure to reach out to your agent or your insurance company so you know exactly what they need from you.
4. Proof of death
If your loved one has tragically passed away you will spend time dealing with insurance in a number of ways. Whether it is filing a claim with their life insurance policy or removing them from your car insurance, the odds are good you will need to provide a copy of their death certificate to the insurance company in order to make any changes.
Excluding a driver from your policy
Sometimes a driver in your house is high-risk, which can drive your insurance costs through the roof. If you’ve already compared quotes from multiple insurance companies and you know that even the cheapest available policy is too expensive if you have to insure a specific person, you can sometimes choose to exclude a driver from your policy.
Excluding a driver means they are not allowed to drive any of the cars on your insurance policy, even in an emergency. If they do drive your car and cause an accident they will have no coverage, which means they will have to pay the cost of the accident out-of-pocket and they may face consequences for driving without insurance.
You could also end up having your insurance policy cancelled or see an increase in your rates if the insurance company finds out an excluded driver was driving your car, so think carefully before excluding someone from your policy. Also, keep in mind that some insurance companies don’t allow you to exclude a driver who is living in your household, especially teenage drivers.
Pros and cons of removing a driver from your policy
Removing a driver from your policy can be a good thing. There are several times when someone can or should be removed from your policy, like when they no longer live in your house or have access to your vehicle.
Removing these people from your policy can do good things for your insurance coverage, including:
Saving you money if they are younger or a high-risk driver.
Keeping your insurance rates as accurate as possible.
Protecting you from being financially responsible for other drivers when they don’t live in your household.
If someone shouldn’t be listed on your insurance policy it is better for everyone if they are removed from your coverage. However, there are also downsides to removing someone from your policy, including:
Loss of continuous coverage for drivers who don’t have another policy in place.
Excluding someone from your policy means they can’t drive your car, not even in an emergency.
If someone who was on your policy moves out and takes their car, you could potentially lose access to some discounts (multi-car discounts, employer or group discounts that applied to them, etc.)
If you are considering removing a driver from your policy in order to save money on car insurance, you may have other options. Policygenius can help you compare quotes from multiple companies to make sure you are getting the best possible rate.
Frequently asked questions
Will my car insurance go down if I remove a driver?
If someone is a high-risk driver, the odds are good your insurance rates will go down if you remove them from your coverage. But if they are a good driver with their own car, you may be benefitting from various discounts by having them on your policy, in which case your insurance rates could stay the same or even go up for removing them from your coverage.
Can I remove someone from my car insurance policy with GEICO? What about State Farm?
Each company has their own internal policies and processes for removing or excluding a driver from your policy. If you are insured through GEICO or State Farm you can reach out to them directly to find out exactly how they approach removing a driver from your coverage.
Can I remove my child from my car insurance?
Some insurance companies will allow you to exclude a teen driver, but many companies won’t allow it because they expect your child will be driving your car at least some of the time. If you have a teen living in your house and you want to remove them from your car insurance, the best way to do that is to make sure they have their own, separate insurance policy in place.
Should I take my college student off my car insurance policy while they’re away at school?
If your child goes away to college you can remove them from your policy, but it might not be a great idea. If they have a car with them or they will use your car when they are visiting home you should leave them on your policy. Some insurance companies offer a sizable discount for people whose college-age children are going to school at least 100 miles away from home, which could help you save money while allowing your child to stay on your policy.
