Who Pays For Car Insurance for Children When You Are Divorced?
When a couple is divorcing, every aspect of their lives together needs to be divided up, and this includes responsibilities associated with children. Parents have so many duties when raising children that it is difficult to think about future issues such as car insurance.
This can be a painful process, but as an attorney and divorce mediator, I have found that the mediation process helps couples, especially parents, navigate negotiation with much less stress and much more satisfaction than if the divorce were litigated in court. This is also true when an existing divorce settlement needs to be renegotiated, such as when younger children grow up and suddenly need car insurance.
When a couple with younger children divorces, they are so focused on all the existing responsibilities (parent-teacher nights, sports practices, doctor appointments) that they are usually not thinking about something 5 or 10 years down the road. So, not arranging for car insurance is understandable. But when it’s time for a child to begin driving, insurance isn’t the only new expense that parents should consider.
Child support
In Pennsylvania, when divorce is handled by the courts, child support is divided between the parents based on each parent’s net monthly income. While the calculation is complex and takes into account what is in the best interest of the children, the child support calculation tends to focus on basic needs: food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, education. Anything else needs to be negotiated separately. Divorce mediation allows more flexibility, as we discuss and negotiate child support together.
PA law requires child support to continue until the child is 18 or until he or she graduates from high school, whichever comes later. However, many parents desire to continue to support their children through college until they are on their feet. When the parents are divorced, this support needs to be formally documented within a divorce settlement or an Addendum to the settlement.
Car-related expenses
Cars and car insurance are among those expenses that parents should negotiate when determining support for their teenage children. How much is each parent willing to contribute to purchasing a car? Who will pay for car insurance, and who will pay for the cost of upkeep? Should the teenager be expected to help pay for the car, insurance, gas, or repairs?
When I mediate a divorce, I may ask parents to consider what they would have expected of their children if they were still together. When parents have different parenting styles, however, there can be a difference of opinion: one parent may be in favor of paying for insurance while the other thinks the child should have to pay for his own insurance, teaching the child to work for what he wants and to take ownership of responsibility. These kinds of conflicts are often factors that helped to bring about the divorce in the first place. As a mediator, I help the couple come to a compromise that is in the best interest of the child as well as their own financial situations.
These differences can also arise when adjusting an existing settlement that did not consider cars and car insurance for children. Through mediation, I am able to deflect much of the conflict by using effective communication and de-escalation techniques that lead to a satisfactory compromise with minimal stress.
If you are negotiating a divorce or renegotiating an existing settlement and you would like to limit the stress, drama, and expense involved, contact us at our Doylestown, Bucks County office at (215) 345-5259 for a complimentary initial consultation to see if mediation is right for you.