Question
Should we keep our adult son's car insurance in our name?
We're putting the car title in our 21-year-old son's name. Our son still lives with us and is going to college, expecting to graduate in another year or so. Our concern is protecting our assets in case our son is in an accident or is sued. We are willing to keep paying for insurance on the vehicle unless that opens up a possibility that we could end up being sued for our adult son's actions. If our son gets insurance coverage on his own, I assume the premiums will be much higher for him. If we keep the car's insurance in our name, will we still be liable if he has an accident?
Answer
Ross joined The Zebra as a writer and researcher in 2019. He specialized in writing insurance content to help shoppers make informed decisions.
Ross h…
Credentials
- 5+ years in the Insurance Industry
Adult sons must be listed if they live with you or have access to the car
Put simply, if your son is on your insurance policy, you can be held liable for the damages he causes. You can put him on his own policy, but the rates will very likely be higher. However, you would not be liable for damages he causes. If you decide to put him on his own policy, make sure your insurance company excludes him as a driver so you no longer have to pay for him as a driver on your policy. When you exclude him, he will not be covered to drive any cars on your policy. For more information, have a look at the link below:
Good luck and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
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