A lot can change when your child turns 18: they can move out of the house, they can legally vote, and they can get their own car insurance policy without your signature — which means they may no longer need to be on yours.
If your child still lives with you and drives your car regularly, they should be listed on your car insurance policy. But if your child moves out or is covered by another car insurance policy, you can remove them from yours. And if they're living on their own with their own car, they’ll have to have their own insurance, anyway.
Removing your child (or any named insured) from your policy is a simple process, as long as you’re the policyholder. You just have to contact your car insurance company, either online or by phone, and tell them that you need to remove a driver from your policy. You may need to provide proof that your child either has a new car insurance policy or no longer lives with you in order to have them removed.
The fastest and easiest way to remove a child from your policy is to list them on your policy as an excluded driver, but this is somewhat of an extreme solution — it means they wouldn’t be able to drive your car under any circumstances.
How to remove children from a car insurance policy
As long as you’re the primary policyholder, you can easily make changes to your car insurance policy, like adding a new vehicle or removing a driver. To remove a child from your car insurance policy, you should contact your car insurance company, either by phone or online, and let them know you need to take a named insured off your policy. They may ask for a reason why your child needs to be taken off your policy. You can either provide proof of your child’s new insurance policy (if they bought their own coverage or they’re covered by someone else’s policy) or proof of their new residence to show that they no longer live with you and need to be covered by your insurance.
If you’re taking your child off of your policy because they’re moving out and getting their own insurance, you should set it up so that the last day they’re covered on your policy is the same day their new coverage starts.
Excluding your child as a driver
An easy way to remove your child from your car insurance policy is to list them as an excluded driver on your policy. You may be charged a fee for excluding a driver who lives in your home, but it would still cost less than insuring a young adult or teenage driver.
However, it’s important to keep in mind if your child is an excluded driver on your car insurance policy, they cannot drive your car at any time. If they do drive your car while listed as an excluded driver, they wouldn’t be covered in the event of an accident.
Adding your child as an excluded driver may only make sense if you know they won’t be driving your car at all, and if having them on your policy would significantly affect your premiums, maybe because they have a poor driving record or a recent DUI.
Will taking my child off my car insurance policy lower my rates?
If your child is an experienced driver with a safe driving record, then you’re probably already seeing reasonable car insurance rates for your household (and removing them from your policy may not have a big effect on your rates). But teenage drivers can raise your rates by as much as 129% according to our analysis, so removing your child from your policy can save you hundreds of dollars in premiums.
However, you don’t want to remove your child from your policy unless they have one of their own, and a car insurance policy for a teen driver can cost hundreds of dollars more than adding them to an existing policy. That’s why it may still be more cost-effective to keep your child on your car insurance policy than for them to get their own.
Should I remove my child from my policy if they’re at college?
If your child is away at college, most auto insurance companies will allow you to remove your child from your policy. But you don’t have to remove your child from your policy; in fact, many insurance companies also offer a discount — usually 15 to 30 percent — for students attending a school over 100 miles from your home who didn’t take a family vehicle with them. And keeping them on your policy means your child won’t have a lapse in coverage in their insurance history.
If your child won’t be driving your car at all, you can remove them from your policy, but if they’ll be driving your car when they come home to visit, you should leave them on the policy and enjoy the discount instead.
How to save on car insurance for a teen driver
Teens and new drivers are expensive to insure because they’re inexperienced, and insurance companies see them as risks. If you want to keep your teen or young driver on your policy, there are still ways you can lower your rates:
1. Look for discounts
Every major car insurance company offers discounts for everything from your driving habits, to safety features added to your vehicle, to bundling multiple policies. Those discounts can help lower rates for new drivers who may be considered high-risk and charged accordingly.
Check with your insurer to see which discounts you’re eligible for, including a good student discount if your child earns above a certain GPA, a driver’s education discount for completing a defensive driving course, and bundling discounts for buying a car insurance policy alongside a home or renters insurance policy.
2. Maintain a clean driving record
You can also lower your rates with a teen driver on your policy by making sure they drive safely and avoid tickets and violations. When you first get insured, age and experience will play a major role in how your car insurance rates are calculated, but every year of safe driving can help lower them. As long as your teen is a safe driver, your premium may decrease over time. If the drivers in your household go a certain number of years without getting into an accident, you’ll also qualify for one safe driver discount.
3. Shop around for insurance
Shopping around for car insurance can also help you find the best rates. An expert at Policygenius can help you compare quotes from multiple car insurance companies and choose the company that offers the best coverage at the right price. They can also help you figure out which types of coverage you need, how high to set your limits, and which company is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an age limit from removing your child from your policy?
You don’t need to remove your child from your policy at any specific age. You can continue to cover your child for as long as necessary. If your child is still living with you, they should be listed on your car insurance policy. But if they live on their own and own a vehicle, they should have their own car insurance policy for their own car.
Can my child be on my car insurance if they don’t live with me?
If your child drives your car regularly, they should be listed on your policy regardless of where they live. That way, they’ll be fully protected whenever they get behind the wheel of your car. But if they only drive your car occasionally, like when they come to visit you, then they’ll probably be covered by your policy, and they may not need to be officially listed on it.
Can you have two main drivers on the same car insurance policy?
Yes, some car insurance companies give you the option to list two main drivers for the same vehicle on the same car insurance policy. Some companies specifically require you to record the percentage each driver uses a vehicle, like 50/50% or 60/40%. But as long as both drivers are named on the policy, they’ll be covered when driving any vehicle that’s also on the policy, regardless of how often they drive it.
