2006-09-18 05:10:37 · 14 answers · asked by ? 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Insurance & Registration
If the parents are allowing the 23 year old to drive the car without insurance then the parents are the owners of the vehicle or co-signed for the vehicle they are going to be held liable, especially if your state requires insurance.
Typically the insurance follows the car. Typically your insurance has a clause that says you must disclose all eligible drivers in your house hold, even if they are not planning to drive the vehicle. If the 23 year old does NOT live with the family, and you loan the car to him/her for a few days, and you have insurance on the vehicle, your insurace will cover his/her accident, but your rates later will reflect the accident.
Your best bet is to call your agent, or a good lawyer.
2006-09-18 05:16:19 · answer #1 · answered by hsueh010 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm not really sure about the question the way it was asked. Do you have a 23 year old child who lives with you, but owns a car not on your insurance? And is that car owned solely by the 23 year old? Or does the 23 year old live on his/her own? If the kid lives with you, he/she is considered an insured under your policy when driving your vehicles. However, you can't get his/her own vehicle covered under your policy if you don't own it. And your policy won't cover any accident because the vehicle is owned by the kid and/or supplied for his regular use.
If he lives on his own, pretty much the same thing, but not covered under your policy on your car unless using your car with your permission. Parents are not held vicariously liable for a child who is over the age of majority. However, sometimes, if you lend the vehicle to someone, even a friend or family member, you can be held in for negligent entrustment if suit is filed. Ultimately, if you own a car and don't insure it, then you are going to be personally responsible for damages done to others as a result of your negligence.
All of this is just basic insurance information that is not state or company specific. Hope it helped
2006-09-18 17:39:15 · answer #2 · answered by Chris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question. First - is the 23 yr old living with the parents? Is the 23 yr old financially dependent on the parents? Does the car belong to the parents? Assuming the answer to all questions is "no", then the parents are not responsible. End of story. If the answer is yes to any of the questions above - if living with the parents - maybe. Financially dependent on the parents - maybe. Car belongs to the parents - most definitely.
I hope that this helps. Good luck!
2006-09-18 12:22:04 · answer #3 · answered by ScoobyDoo2006 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The laws most likely vary state-to-state, country-to-country. In most US states, the registered owner is responsible for having insurance on the vehicle. Therefore, if I sell my vehicle but do not notify the state that registration has changed hands and the new owners do not register the vehicle in their names, and they get into an accident, I am liable for damages. So, if the 23-year-old is the registered owner, the parents are most likely not culpable. But if the vehicle is in their name, they most likely are. Check with your insurance agent, and purchase at the very least a liability pollicy because it is illegal in most states (if not all) to drive without insurance. Therefore, if you get pulled over and are not able to show proof of insurance, you will get a major ticket that probably exceeds the cost of the insurance premium. And if you are in an accident and are uninsured, you can and probably will be sued for everything you own.
2006-09-18 12:25:51 · answer #4 · answered by fyrfly 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the car is in your name, you could have problems. If the car is in the name of the 23 year old, it's his you know what that's on the line.
2006-09-18 12:19:44 · answer #5 · answered by melouofs 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All licensed drivers in your household need to be included on your insurance OR specifically excluded. If the driver is excluded, then you are not responsible. If the driver was never mentioned at all to your agent, then you may have a problem
2006-09-18 15:53:59 · answer #6 · answered by kmday1130 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The answer depends on who is the registered owner of the vehicle as far as your state's DMV is concerned and that as well as where the 23yo is living if there is an accident.
2006-09-19 01:51:56 · answer #7 · answered by purplepinkanddots 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The registered owner of the vehicle and the driver are jointly liable. If the parents fall into one of those groups, they have some liability. If not, then they have no liability.
2006-09-18 12:23:53 · answer #8 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The problem is that anyone can be named in a law suit. If your uninsured 23yr old hits me and my car is damaged and I have injuries, I will try to collect $ for my losses. If he is unable to pay and I need to obtain a lawyer, everyone possible will be named in a law suit to recoup my losses. Sorry.
2006-09-18 12:23:46 · answer #9 · answered by bellytail 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If the car is in your name, yes, there is a problem.
2006-09-18 13:14:49 · answer #10 · answered by beez 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋