In the same manner that an individual must update their policy when they marry, a divorce also prompts the need for updates. While the exact effect of this update will vary from person to person, your change in relationship status must be updated in your policy. Learn about some of the changes. 

Change in Vehicle Location

If your divorce involved you moving from the marital home to another property, this information must be updated with your insurance company. Insurance companies require that the insured provide an updated vehicle location for each vehicle on the policy. This vehicle location, often referred to as the garaging address, is an important factor in the policy premium factoring process. 

Depending on the move, you could see your policy decrease if the new address reflects an area with fewer risks, or the rate could increase if the risk rating in the new neighborhood is higher. Either way, accurate information is necessary to maintain coverage. 

Remove Ex-Spouse from Coverage

Likely, you and your spouse shared an auto insurance policy. If so, make sure you remove your ex-spouse from the policy as soon as possible. When you share a policy, you also share financial responsibility. As a result, you could be found responsible for insurance costs that your ex incurs if they stay on the policy. 

Also, if your ex did not have a good driving record, dropping your spouse from the policy could result in a decrease in premium costs since you will no longer be connected to their unsafe or risky driving practices. Keep in mind that you can typically drop a spouse from coverage even before the divorce, so don't delay. 

Evaluate Deductibles and Coverages

Take an assessment of your deductibles and coverage options. Take someone who had their deductible at $1000 when they were married, for example. When the person was married, they may have been able to rely on their partner to help cover the cost. 

However, now that they're single and know that they could not afford this amount, it might make sense to drop the deductible to $500 or lower to ensure they could meet the requirement on their own. In terms of coverage, if you have waived options like rental car reimbursement because you knew you could rely on your spouse's car, now that you no longer have this access, it might be worth adding this option. 

If you are not certain what information you need to update with your policy, contact a car insurance professional for assistance.