You need to check with the state's insurance commissioner or your agent to be sure because yes, it varies from state to state. I can tell you that in Minnesota, I'm covered on anyones's car I drive and anyone is covered on my insurance assuming they have permission to drive it. However, assigning a car to a young driver brings in other issues. Essentially you're defrauding the insurance company and could have problems if they find out. Since he's the primary driver of the vehicle they should know about it. If you have young drivers in the house, your insurance rates go up since you're on assigned risk insurance, and it doesn't matter if the kid drives the vehicle or not because the company assumes if there's a car there, they'll drive it eventually.

There's also the issue that the father will be responsible if Alex loans the car to someone, or for that matter if the car gets taken and used for, say a robbery, guess who they go after? Plus there's the liability issue if Alex gets into an accident since there's another assumed deep pocket (dad).

As you said, until he gets his license they won't really care since legally he has to be with a licensed driver and usually that will be a parent. There's always kids that steal parents' cars but that's small potatoes in the grand scheme of insurance. In MN, having him in your house will raise your rates, especially when he gets his license.

I know this isn't much help but definitely check into the rules in your state. Insurance companies are getting very sticky on the regulations these days. I just got into some trouble with my insurance company when I bought another vehicle and put it in the garage - not driving it and didn't tell them. Didn't see any reason to tell them since I wasn't driving it and it was in storage. But I got a lecture. They were quite upset. I thought it was none of their business, but....

Ah, getting the license and first driving experiences! What fond memories!

Here you must list new drivers in your household immediately. Our insurance agent said if you dont and heaven forbid he is in an accident, whether its his fault or not the insurance company will go back to when he got his license and bill you for the coverage. I don't know if that is actually true or not.
Here they do give a small discount if your teen is on the honor roll. I guess they figure they are less likely to get in trouble? Also a discount for taking Defensive Drivers course is given too.
As far as being the main driver I am not sure. Our teens were on the policy and were able to drive any of our vehicles with no problems. I don't think they were listed as a "main" driver of any one of them even tho they had their "own" vehicles. Somehow I am thinking its the car itself that is insured for anyone, but of course you pay extra for a teen driver too! LOL
You should have him listed as an occasional driver though at least.
And just a word to the wise, make sure your ex actually HAS the insurance on the other car! I'd hate for Alex to get in trouble for no insurance.

Here we have to list all drivers in the house but on all of our cars it excludes Sydney as a driver. If not if we insured her to drive our cars I would hate to see what the cost would be!!! I would just call and see....Stacy

If Alex is never, ever going to drive your car, you can sign an exclusion. That means if he ever did drive your car he would not be covered by insurance.
If his dad is going to give him a car to drive, he must be listed as the primary driver.

Alex is not being given the car, the title will remain in his father's name. He is now arguing with me about it. Teenage boys know everything, don't they?

I didn't know about the exclusion thing, but I'll ask my insurance.

In both NJ and PA, if you have a licensed driver living in your home...and they don't own a vehicle in their name..they are assumed by your insurance company to be an occasional driver of your car.

If this is true in your state, then his father pays insurance based on his ownership (adult driver only), and your premium is based on assumption that a minor male (high rates) will be driving your car.

If you are already paying extra because of Alex, then your premiums will probably stay the same.

In WA state, you can't even put a vehicle into a "kids" name until 18. You do have to list them as a legal driver once they get their drivers license..my kids been "on" our insurance since the day he got his permit. But it doesn't cost anything extra for them until they are actually licensed. Then you must notify the insurance and make a BIG payment!
To touch on the vein Monica is going..I would think that if Dad is the "owner" then he needs to be insured on Dad's insurance. But maybe there is a way around that.

Our son when finally driving will be driving one of our vehicles. When he is 18 we MAY put it in his name. MAY...

even if you could put a car in your ds's name HE couldn't afford the insurance...in fact, the ins co's are so paranoid about male drivers, it isn't til after the age of 25 they barely get a break...my boys finally got decent rates, when they got married!

most likely dad, if he's smart, will get the car placed on his existing policy and get a slight discount for multiple car ins. isn't that ironic? have a single car and have to pay more...

you really can't he'll never drive your car as well, either...in case of emergency and he was the only driver, there you go...

As long as he is a licensed driver, and has permission to drive the car, he is insured under the car owner's policy, unless he has been specifically listed as an excluded driver. If he is the titled owner of the car, he needs to purchase his own policy.

We had 4 kids and at one time we had 6 cars. We did get a family rate and our agent got us a "fleet" rate! 3 of those young drivers were boys and we really paid for it, boys are so much more expensive than girls.
BUT, DH was looking at our policy one day after all kids gone and we're retired and noticed the policy listed his name, but not his driver's license #. Boy, did our costs drop when they put in the correct #. And boy, did our one sons insurance rates jump when he lost his dad's license #!
You all ways need to check over your policies every time you get a renewal, ya never know!
Kathy G in mi

I never had to inform the insurance company of my kids turning 16. They seemed to know, and up the premium at that time. Because they had access to my car. Permission or not.
Leslie