Ask Me Help Desk - 18 year old - Car in Parents Name

I have a step-daughter who turns 18 tomorrow. The car she drives is currently in my husband's name, so we carry & PAY the insurance. She has pushed him to the point that since she's 18, he told her he would sign the car over to her, but that would require her putting insurance on it. Now that the time has come, she's avoiding him. I'm sure that she doesn't have the money to cover the insurance.

My question is: If she won't contact him... can he put the car in her name without her being present.. and/or can he cancel the insurance? If he cancels the insurance with the car in his name is he ultimately repsonsible?

If anyone has this great wisdom, please share it with me.

As long as its in his name, it would be wise to keep it insured.. for his own financial protection should she get in an accident with the car.
Example: My brother sold a truck and gave the title to the buyer, but before the buyer got it home, he wrecked it... so he never filed it under his name at the Sec. of State. Later, my brother was sued because "HIS" vehicle was in an accident. It was a mess.

Don't put it in her name until she can pay for the insurance herself.

He will have to sign the title over to her and she will have to bring the title into the DMV to get the title switched over.
If she takes the car but does not have insurance your husband is not liable... it's her car. If he drops her as an insured driver and she gets into an accident with his car, then his insurance should cover it but check with your agent.
If she is living with you and does not own her own vehicle your insurance may not let you drop her as a driver... again, check with your insurance agent.

I was driving my bosses car and got into an accident with it... it was my fault. His insurance was the one that took care of it not mine... I was told that this is because the insurance follows the car, not the driver. If he would not have had insurance then mine would have picked it up.

My boss had the same situation. He "repo'd" the car until she got the insurance in her name. He was concerned for the same reason - that she would wreck and he would get sued. After being without the car for 24 hours, she got the insurance switched.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizEmom07

My question is: If she won't contact him...can he put the car in her name without her being present..and/or can he cancel the insurance? If he cancels the insurance with the car in his name is he ultimately repsonsible?

He can't put the car in her without her being there... he would need to sign the title over to her and she would have to sign... both being notarized. She would then have to file the title.

Of course he can cancel the insurance, BUT he will still be held responsible should something happen, if the car is still in his name. Now if you can get her to go with him and have the title transferred into her name, he can cancel the insurance and it would all be on her.

I would suggest taking the car. Bottomline, its not hers. Take it until she agrees to go get the title transferred into her name. Once that is done, it is on her weather she gets insurance or not. At least it's off your hands.

My mom did that to my little sister. My mom had given her a car and my sister was supposed to pay my mom every month until the agreed amount was met. My sister never paid on time, and was always driving drunk. Anything that would have happened with that car would have been on my moms head. So she went and took the car. Only gave it back when my sister went with her to get the title changed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by macksmom

He can't put the car in her without her being there...he would need to sign the title over to her and she would have to sign...both being notarized. She would then have to file the title.

Of course he can cancel the insurance, BUT he will still be held responsible should something happen, if the car is still in his name. Now if you can get her to go with him and have the title transferred into her name, he can cancel the insurance and it would all be on her.

I would suggest taking the car. Bottomline, its not hers. Take it until she agrees to go get the title transferred into her name. Once that is done, it is on her weather she gets insurance or not. At least it's off your hands.

My mom did that to my little sister. My mom had given her a car and my sister was supposed to pay my mom every month until the agreed amount was met. My sister never paid on time, and was always driving drunk. Anything that would have happened with that car would have been on my moms head. So she went and took the car. Only gave it back when my sister went with her to get the title changed.

I was afraid of the answers I would get. Thank you all for your help.
As far as taking it away... he can't find it. She won't answer her phone (which we also pay for) and she is supposedly in the process of moving 6 hours away right now. I don't know what he can do, but it just makes me sick that I have to make another phone & car insurance payment for her after everything (long story not worth repeating).

He thought about asking a police officer if he can report it stolen since she has taken it out of state without permission. No word yet.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bizEmom07

I was afraid of the answers I would get. Thank you all for your help.
As far as taking it away...he can't find it. She won't answer her phone (which we also pay for) and she is supposedly in the process of moving 6 hours away right now. I don't know what he can do, but it just makes me sick that I have to make another phone & car insurance payment for her after everything (long story not worth repeating).

He thought about asking a police officer if he can report it stolen since she has taken it out of state without permission. No word yet.

Well if I were you I'd call her phone, leave a message and tell her you are turning off her cell phone and you are reporting the car stolen. (That alone might get her to call)

You can "suspend" a cell phone line, without getting any fees (most companies do this). And YES!! He can report the car stolen. It is in HIS name as is the insurance.

I would definitely do both of the above. She is taking for granted what you both are doing for her (as far as the car and ins. And cell). She is going to get a hard wake up call when she is out on her own. Honestly, the only way to solve the problem is to stop enabling her. I would get everything shut off immediately and report the car stolen.

Oh... and she doesn't have to take the car out of state for him to report it stolen. She could be down the block and he could do it. It is HIS car, and right now she is not returning with it... thats stealing.