Do I need car insurance?

[LivinLaVivaPollo]

Well, before college started my dad deleted me from the car insurance policy, so technically I have no insurance. It was to save some money since college was going to be a major financial burden. I'm home now for a month for winter break and they said that I can't drive because I don't have insurance. My question is, do I need it in the first place since both my parents already have insurance for all their cars? Do I need insurance on a certain car to be able to drive it? I mean, when I was 15 learning how to drive, I didn't have insurance.

 

[NetworkDad]

Do cows moo?

Yea, you need insurance. If you can't afford it, try getting a bus pass or a pair of sneakers.

 

[mithrandir2001]

You need insurance. People do drive without and get away with it, but that's just a ticking time bomb.

 

[ZeroBurn]

please do.

that way when you play slinky with my rear end, i won't have to take your knees.

 

[mithrandir2001]

And I also didn't get my license until I was 20 and I didn't get my first car until I was almost 22. All because of the car insurance and its burdening expense during college. If you have a learner's permit, you don't need to have insurance yourself, but if you have a license, you do.

 

[N8Magic]

You can get a hefty fine if you are caught driving without insurance, and if they pull you over for anything, you can count on them checking.

If you were to get in an accident without insurance and someone was injured, kiss your life goodbye, as you will be in debt for the rest of it.

 

[Tominator]

They had to sign a waiver promising that you would not drive. If you did and got into an accident the insurance company would not be obligated to pay and would probably drop them completely. Anything serious would ruin them!

 

[Jzero]

You have to be named on the policy. Your parents being named is not enough.

 

[Goldfish]

Your parents probably saw an increase in their rates, maybe $100 for the six months or so you had your permit, thats how it was for my parents.

 

[Phil21]

Uhm. No?

this is as far as I know, and I'm pretty sure I'm correct. (at least in Minnesota)

As far as I know, you do not need to carry car insurance while driving someone elses (insured) car. The policy covers the *car*, not the individual driving (well, more on that). So thus if you borrow your bud's car, and you cause an accident his insurance will pay out (and his rates will go up).

However, if you get into an accident, and get HURT, you're SoL. Pretty much you have to pay your own medical bills (or your health insurance you carry does).

Of course, I could be wrong. But it makes sense, or else every time you borrow a friends car you're breaking the law (if your state requires liability insurance, at least), which is obviously not the case.

of course, if you live in the same house the insurance company probably would NOT pay for you, since your parents most likely promised only them would drive, but by law I'm fairly certain they could let the next door neighbor borrow the car because of an emergency or whatnot and the car would still be covered.


-Phil

 

[LivinLaVivaPollo]

Yeah, I was kinda seeing it from Phil's perspective. I really don't plan on driving, it's just without a car, my boredom level has gone up ten fold. All I do is play NFL2k2 all day using the niners and beating up the rams (last game was 84-0) because that's the only satisfaction I can get after they lost on sunday, I have a couple of complimentary day passes for the bus if push comes to shove, but I just really want to see my girlfriend. Maybe I should spend some money and go on vacation,

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

I think Phill is right, the car is covered, but you are not. So it should be ok as long as you don't get hurt in an accident in which you are at fault.

 

[helpme]

From www.dmv.ca.gov

"Insurance

Every driver or owner of a motor vehicle In California MUST have automobile insurance with a MINIMUM coverage of $15,000 / $30,000 liability and $5,000 property damage or surety bond in the same amount.

Registration

All motorists In California must carry a registration certificate."

 

[Phil21]

helpme: yes, but if I drive a friends car who has insurance, and I don't have anything because I don't have a car, am I driving illegally? I don't think so.. Of course, I'm not a lawyer or an expert.. but this is the "common knowledge" up here at least. (minus the whole you getting hurt thing).

-Phil

 

[Jzero]

I dunno...."common knowledge" is not the same as "law." I know in Jersey, I can't just get into my parents car, I need to be named on their insurance policy and ALSO the cars I'm authorized to drive. If my parents wanted to save a couple bucks, they could have opted ONLY to insure me to drive one of their cars.
I dunno how it works when I'm driving my gf's car, for instance. But I do know that we're both insured so it doesn't really matter.

 

[azdevil]

I think you can drive as long as the car is insured.

If you get in a accident the insurance company will not pay for it. The person who owns the car has to, then they in turn can sue you. I think. When I got my most recent policy, I had to list the drivers, as usual, but then list the people I live with. I could choose to cover them for a hefty cost, or I could have them sign off, to not drive the car. If they do drive the car, uninsured on my car, I am liable, not my insurance company, for any damage they cause, then I can seek redemption from them.

I would find some friends, it makes getting drunk that much easier also.

 

[Phil21]

yes, I understand the whole "member of household thing", but what about your buddy driving your car who lives across town because he doesn't own one? Obviously he does NOT have car insurance.


who knows a definite answer? I for one would like to know this, since my current insurance arrangements may not be "legal". I currently and paying off a car from my GF's uncle, who insures it under his name (since the title is in his name, I cannot put it under my name), and I re-imburse him for the insurance costs of that vehicle.

any idea if I'm actually convered or not should I get into an accident?

-Phil

 

[Jzero]

<< I think you can drive as long as the car is insured.

If you get in a accident the insurance company will not pay for it. The person who owns the car has to, then they in turn can sue you. I think. When I got my most recent policy, I had to list the drivers, as usual, but then list the people I live with. I could choose to cover them for a hefty cost, or I could have them sign off, to not drive the car. If they do drive the car, uninsured on my car, I am liable, not my insurance company, for any damage they cause, then I can seek redemption from them.

I would find some friends, it makes getting drunk that much easier also. >>



If you get in an accident and the insurance company will not pay for it then you are not insured. That's the whole point of limited liability/tort insurance laws. If you're driving and get into an accident, your liability coverage will pay for the other person's injuries and porperty damage. If you have no liability insurance, then there is no guarantee that you will ever be able to make retribution for any damage you do while behind the wheel--that's why you have to have it.

If you get into an accident in which you caused damage to another person's property the only reason your liabilty insurance wouldn't cover it is because you have none!
If you are in someone else's insured car and their insurance company won't cover the damage then you are STILL not insured. If you get into an accident while driving this other person's car and they sue you for the damages you caused while driving their car, you STILL have no insurance and thus may not be able to make good on the damage you did.

I believe that's another factor. If I borrow my gf's car and smash it, if I give them my gf's insurance information, her insurer will likely say "We want the insurance info for the person who was driving" and hit my insurer up. If I have no insurer, they'd likely tell my gf to suck it and whack me for being uninsured.

I don't think you can get out of this, but if I were you, I'd be seeking a more authoritative advisor than ATOT.

 

[Jzero]

Here I did some homework for you:
The Motley Fool.

In a nutshell, if you get into an accident, they'll hit up the driver first. If he is uninsured or his coverage is topped, then they'll hit the owner. Still, check with your local laws and policy, though. Nothing's universal.