One thing that many people do not expect in a divorce is the amount of clerical work involved. You must gather, complete and review a lot of paperwork when you separate your life from your ex-spouse’s.
An item that you should not overlook is your insurance. Insurance may only exist for emergency situations, but it is important to make sure you have coverage.
The first step: Review everything
Before moving forward with your divorce, you should review all of your policies. It will be critical to look at your:
- Health insurance, possibly through a spouse’s employment
- Home insurance
- Automobile insurance
- Life insurance
You should review the rules for each of these policies, especially if you have to change them. In many cases, you may have a grace period where you will still have coverage while you determine how you will move forward, though this often depends on the specific policy.
Changing some of these policies will also depend on the details of your property division settlement. This settlement will particularly affect home and auto insurance policies, as well as how you and your ex-spouse will pay for insurance going forward.
3 things to consider
Your property division settlement is not the only factor you must evaluate when addressing your insurance policies during and after divorce. It will also be necessary to consider:
- Insurance requirements: There are some insurance policies you must have to comply with North Carolina law. For example, if you own and drive a vehicle, you must have auto insurance.
- Your needs: You must also consider what insurance policies you may have to obtain. It may be necessary to work with your employer to obtain health insurance if you were previously covered by your spouse’s insurance.
- Your children: Of course, you will also want to make sure your children still have health insurance. If they have coverage through your spouse, that may very well continue. However, it is still worth comparing the policies to determine the best coverage options for your children.
Adjusting your insurance policies can be a complicated matter – and possibly the last thing you want to think about in a divorce. However, it is something to keep in mind as you end your marriage.