How does your relationship effect your insurance?
Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching and love is in the air! Love is wonderful, but there are some key steps to take when progressing through your relationship that are often
forgotten. Once these are forgotten they can add stress to the relationship later on. In order to prevent this from happening, we’ve made a small guide for you. This should help with whatever step of the relationship you’re going through and can assist with making big decisions on whether or not you’re ready to move forward.
When getting married: Start with calling your insurance company about a month before the wedding. If you can, send them the declaration page for your significant other’s policy. This way they can easily combine your policy with your soon-to-be spouse’s policy. You’ll want to make sure that all names (last name in particular) are appropriately adjusted. You will need to call your company to see when you can officially combine policies. Some carriers want everything together as soon as you’re living together, and some want everything combined once you’re married. To find an exact time, you’ll want to call your company.
When moving in together: Whether you’re married or not, if you’re living together then most companies will want you both on the same policy. Occasionally, it’s as simple as providing a declarations page to each other’s insurance company. Usually, you’ll at least be added as a driver on your significant other’s policy. You may want to get a quote for combining policies at that point. Often, it’s cheaper to add another driver and vehicle (depending on the situation). If your significant other has a poor driving record, it could increase your insurance rates.
On the other end of the spectrum, some people are feeling less love and going through the difficult process of splitting up. It’s hard to go through that and we’re trying to make that as pain-free as possible. We’ve put together a couple tips for you to make sure that you don’t miss an important step in this process.
When moving out (no divorce): Whether you’re married or not, if you’re living at separate addresses then you can get your own policy. As long as both parties are insured at all times then it’s okay. You’ll need to make sure that both parties are cooperating to get two separate policies started, then cancel the old, combined policy after the new ones have both been issued. Make sure all names, addresses, and vehicles are correct. If one of the parties moves into a place with other people, then you’ll want to refer back to When Moving in Together and potentially combine policies with them.
When getting divorced: A divorce is challenging. You’ll be splitting everything up and it’ll be exhausting. You’ll want to call your insurance company and discuss what steps need to be taken. You can each get your own policies issued but you cannot remove your ex-wife or ex-husband from the policy. In order to remove someone from a policy, the insurance company would need to speak with them directly.
We hope you never have to experience the negative ways that relationships can affect you but that’s the risk you take. This is just a quick guide to make those times less stressful, and make the good times more enjoyable. As always, we appreciate your feedback and hope this is helpful!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
