Auto insurance listed driver question?

Question

My question is as follows:
What is the difference between me allowing someone to drive my car and me having someone listed as a second driver on my insurance policy when it comes to an accident. What are the differnces in the two situations at the time of an accident claim being filed?

I know if the person I let drive my car had no fault in the accident, my rate wouldn't go up if I settle with my own insurance company. But if its the person who is driving my car's fault, are my insurance premiums affected? If yes, then what is the difference in not having the person listed at all and still making a claim through my own insurance.

I ask because I am thinking of putting my girlfriend who drivers my car sometimes listed as a driver on the policy. Would this protect me or my premiums in anyway in case of an accident compared to not having her listed at all?

Answer 1

I think it will protect you if she were driving and got into an accident that wasn't her fault. But if she were not added and she were to get into an accident, regardless if it is her fault or not then it may cause your premium to go up.

Answer 2

An occasional driver/regular user needs to be on the policy so the risk can be rated. You're right about the fact that a permissive user is covered under your liability coverage with your auto policy. But the spirit of that is really when you're talking a one time permissive use, or a small handful of times over a long period of time, so infrequent that it would not make sense to put the person on the policy.

If you don't put your girlfriend on the policy, let her drive, and she has an accident she's still covered. Your insurance company will determine if your rates will increase based on the circumstances if she is at fault. Then they will find out that she is more than a rare user and put her on the policy anyway.

What's the major difference? When you put her on the policy you appear honest and forthright. When you don't, the opposite is assumed.

Answer 3

Most of insurance company will pay for the damage by the driver who had your permission to driver your car in first time.

If the driver lives with and has a permanent address of yours, the driver should be included in your policy otherwise the coverage may deny by the insurance company. The other hand, the driver who is living with you will be covered if the driver has your permission to drive your vehicle.

However, the insurance company will not renew your policy on your renewal date. All the insurance company share the accident data and credit score on you. If this kind of incident is continue, the premium will be increased sharply.

Insurance company ask you a premium base on the risk of driver on the certain vehicle. You should pay a premium base on your exposed risk. No free riding!!!

Your agent should answer this kind of question if you have;

I got a trusted agent from the following site;

http://www.insureme.com/landing.aspx?Refby=614133&Type=auto

He gave me the answer when I had the same questions.

Try this!

Answer 4

To begin with....if you own a car and you have other possessions that you value, you should NEVER let someone else drive your car.

If that person gets into an accident, regardless of fault, they are going to come after you if you let them drive your car.

The logic being if you didn't let them drive your car, they wouldn't have gotten into the accident.

If the person you let drive is at fault, they will not only come after your insurer, but after your insurer pays out its maximum, they will come after you personally.

If you have a house, you could lose it.

If you have money in a bank, they'll take it.

If you have other assets, they'll get them also.

One good suggestion is to get a personal umbrella liability policy. If you have homeowner's or renter's insurance, you can get a $1-mil. umbrella for about $10 a month.....pretty cheap considering all you could lose.

And if it is not feasible to get the other person a car and insurance of their own, try to get them on your policy.

Answer 5

On your application, it asks to list all household members who are licensed, and all regular drivers. "Regular" varies from company to company, but usually includes your significant other, or best friend, or anyone who lives with you - ie, if they can drive the car occasionally, you should list them.

You do NOT have to list your next door neighbor, who's car wont start, and she has to run out to the store for diapers. She does NOT have regular access to your car.

IF there is an accident, and your car damages someone else's car, your policy pays first. If there is any damage to your car, your policy has to pay before their policy can pay. Your policy is primary! Their policy is secondary - it only pays AFTER your policy hits the limits.

If you have a regular operator - such as your girlfriend - who drives your car, and you DON'T list her, in an accident, worst case scenario is that the company denies the claim - and you pay for ALL damages out of pocket. Best case scenario, they add her to the policy, RETROACTIVELY to policy inception date, pay the claim, and charge you the extra premium for her.

You need to add her. It might cost more, especially if she has a poor driving record, but the alternative is a claim that gets denied.

Answer 6

insurance companies are thieves. If you let someone drive and they get into a wreck they CAN cancell your policy irregardless of fault. Your premiums may go up adding a second driver anyway (especailly a young male but a feamale not as much) shop around but yes you would better off putting her on the policy.

Answer 7

i think you need to think of this in a different way
a policy needs to cover all the people who reside in a household and who have access to the vehicles that the policy covers...so if your girlfriend LIVES with you, then you each should be named on each others policies
if you don't live together, then you can just give her permission if she was to drive your car
as far as an accident affecting your rates, it would all depend on the details surrounding the accident