Auto Insurance for Blended Households

May 01, 2025

by Trey Hutt, Hutt Insurance Agency, Inc.

Getting auto insurance for your teens is challenging. However, things can get even more confusing when you add the complexities of a blended family, such as shared custody; things can get a lot more confusing. Things to consider: Where does the teen live most of the time? How many siblings and step-siblings are driving? Whose name is on the title of each vehicle? Who drives which car most often? If a teen is on Dad’s insurance policy, what happens when the teen is at Mom’s and drives Mom’s car? How can I be sure I’m not missing something?

The simple truth is that there isn’t one simple right way to do this because no two families are exactly the same. That said, some general rules do apply:

Generally, teens should be insured according to their parents’ policy, and where they live most of the time.

A stepchild living in the home is treated exactly the same as a parent’s biological child.

If timesharing is equal, then everyone should decide which parent has the teen the majority of the time. Be consistent with this figure, and follow the rule above.

If a parent is on the vehicle title, then the teen needs to be on their policy.

When in doubt, list the teen on both parents’ policies if the parents are divorced. Yes, this can be a tough sell, considering the expense involved, but it can save in the long run.

A major gap can occur when the title is in one parent’s name, but the teen lives more than 50% of the time with the other parent. The “owner” parent often puts the car on their policy, but the other parent does not. Then, if the teen borrows the “majority” parent’s car and has an accident, there will likely be no coverage. There can be some adjustments if both parents are insured by the same insurance company. However, this situation needs to be worked out – clearly, in writing – with the insurance company well in advance. If divorced parents are cooperating, things can work well, but if not, the likelihood of a gap increases. Your best bet, by far, is to have a long chat with your agent. Get specific answers, in writing, to assure you have the right coverage for everyone concerned.