After you separate from your spouse, there will be a lot of companies you will need to notify about your split. Chances are that you will need to change a lot of contracts and filings and remove your ex-spouse’s names from various accounts. From bank accounts to housing titles to insurance policies, you will want to slowly disentangle yourself from your spouse through completing the necessary paperwork and making the needed calls.

Admittedly, contacting all these people may take a lot of work. Chances are you and your spouse are probably named insured on your car insurance policy. This means that you are both on the same policy and are both considered the purchasers on the policy. If you are named insured on a policy, it means that you are most likely own the vehicle and have the right to authorize all changes that are made to the insurance policy. It also means that you have the right to verify all claim details that are listed on your claim checks.

Most insurance policies allow up to two people to be named insured. This means that when you were married you and your spouse were probably both listed as named insured on the policy. You will want to change this when you can so that you have the full control of your policy. In order to do so, you will need your spouse’s consent. This is one of the reasons that you should try hard to complete an amicable divorce. If you and your husband or wife can still last on good terms, it will make it easier for you to get his or her permission when it comes to changing your insurance policy.

You will need to have a separate address from your spouse in order to separate liability. You will have to obtain separate living arrangements from your spouse before you can obtain a separate car insurance policy, so make sure to take care of this obligation first. You do not have to move addresses if you choose to remain in your former home, but your spouse will need to gain a new living place so that he or she can show the insurance company that there needs to be a change on the policy. You will then want to have separate vehicle titles. If you and your spouse owned a car jointly, you will need to determine who will receive the car at the divorce and then transfer the car title to that name alone.

A co-owner who is not living in the same house as your will need to be listed as additional insured rather than named insured in the policy. If you want to make things easy, make sure that all cars are only listed under one name. This way you won’t come into complications with a car that is jointly owned. If you are in a complicated situation and can’t transfer the title of a car, you may need to shop around for a company that doesn’t care about whose name is on the car title. As well, either you or your spouse will have to get a new policy. If you intend to receive a new policy, then you will want to shop around and find a policy that works with you.

If your car insurance is tied into your home insurance, chances are that the person who has control of the property will be the one who receives the original insurance policy. Some companies will regard the first named insured person on the policy as the primary owner and will give him or her preference over a spouse. If you decide to purchase a new policy rather than kick your spouse off of your current one, then you will want to purchase a new policy before canceling the old one. This is because you will want to always have insurance while driving.

Uninsured drivers can get in a lot of trouble with the law. As well, you will need to sign a removal request when one policy holder is removed from the insurance policy. Most insurance companies require that you sign a request. If you do not, they may continue billing you for the insurance even though you are trying to get removed. If your spouse is not cooperating with you, then things can get very complicated. You may want to leave an uncooperative spouse on your policy and simply obtain a new policy for yourself. You will not want to start the process of changing car insurance policies until the divorce is final. If you absolutely have to change the policy before the divorce is complete, make sure that you have the help of a family lawyer.