My Very Own Auto Policy

I had caught the auto policy expiring at least twice since the separation. I had called the insurance 'mother ship' wherever they are. They told me that since the policy was in my husband's name, the bills would be sent to him. Even though they had our home address, the premium letters were being forwarded to wherever it is Bill lives by the post office. The mother office was neither going to add my name to the mailing envelope nor put the policy in my name.

Catching the premiums by 'intuition', or by what I thought might be a time they were due, became quite a trick. And so I discovered on Wednesday evening that the policy had expired two days before our last court visit. Game over! I sent my attorney a quick email and he called me at 7:30 the next morning. He said to go ahead and get my own auto policy.

You may ask why I had continued to keep my charming ex covered all this time? No, it's not because I am too kind. There is something called an ATRO, it's a type of temporary restraining order that goes into effect as soon as your separate. The ATRO restrains you from changing or discontinuing many things during the course of the divorce. One of the elements of the ATRO prohibited me from making any changes in any insurance policies. (Bill's attorney had claimed I had violated the ATRO by changing the beneficiary on my life insurance policy. Even after presented with the evidence that I had taken out the insurance policy in 2002. But that's another story.)

I could take off any car that did not have me listed as the owner. That was just the Acura. I only saved $10 but at least I'll get my premiums and won't be putting myself, my child, and my grandchild in the precarious position of driving around without insurance.

My attorney sent Bill's a letter notifying him that since Bill had put me in peril, the ATRO was no longer applicable and Bill would now need to get his own policy for the Acura. Bill's attorney will probably say he never received the letter. That would come as no surprise.