Will my insurance company pay for the damages?

Question

Who knows the answer to this question:?
I have a policy with 21st Century Insurance. I also have a teenage son in my house who uses my car to go to school everyday. He is not on my auto insurance policy and he caused an accident yesterday.

My policy shows that only I drive the car.
I have never disclosed that he even exists. Did I screw up???????

Answer 1

Yep, you keep asking the question. And no one here has read your policy.

Call your agent and ask. There's a good chance they won't pay. There's a chance they will, but add him on since the date he was licensed, and you'll have to pay 5 years of extra charges (if he was licensed at 16).


***yes, you screwed up. I went to their web site, and it says, "all regular and occasional drivers must be listed. But on the APPLICATION, it MUST have said, list all household members who are licensed drivers. So by OMMITTING a household member who is a listed driver, you CAN void coverage for that driver.***

Answer 2

While you are supposed to disclose other drivers in your household, your auto policy covers you and anyone you give permission to drive your car. It doesn't matter if that person lives with you or not. The only exception is if you signed an exclusion form excluding him from coverage.

Your policy will pay the claim, but they will also insist on your son being added to the policy. Also, because it is your policy that is paying the claim, the accident stays with you even if your son gets his own policy.

Answer 3

I would say yes, you've screwed up. On every insurace policy I've ever seen, there is a writen statement that reads something like: "Are all drivers 15 and older disclosed on the policy? Y/N." If you read this, said no, and teen son was driving you're boned and your insurer has it in writing.

You're only savings grace would be if you can prove he's listed on another policy and his driving your car was a fluke. But since you admit he drove your car to school everyday, that's a tough sell.
Time to face the music. Good luck.

Answer 4

In 1992 in NJ, you had to put everyone in the household who had a license on the policy, but did not have to put someone who had just a learner's permit on the policy. This may not be the case everywhere and/or currently.

If you do not live with his other parent and he is a resident of his other parent's house who was visiting you, then you are in better shape than if he lives in your house.

If it is a minor accident, pay for the damage with your money; it will be less than the increase in premium if you file an insurance claim.

Answer 5

Check with your agent right away. But if your son lives in your house, he'd probably have to be on your policy to be covered. If he has his own separate policy, the accident costs might be covered under that.

Answer 6

Not the best situation but usually, insurance will cover an authorized driver in your vehicle. Also, most of same household members are covered. But remember, they are going to ask some pointed questions about why you didn't list him as an additional driver. You may not want to admit that he uses car every day to go to school but I'm not suggesting fraud........just be creative in your answers.

However, rest assured that your policy costs are going to increase substantially in the future.

As suggested above, please contact your agent and inform them of the accident as soon as possible. No matter what, you need to handle the matter since your son caused the accident.

Answer 7

It would depend on what your policy says. Are other licensed drivers covered when they drive your vehicle? (I know my children needed to be included on my policy while they live in my household. If someone else is driving my car they are covered, but they don't live with me.) Call up your agent and find out. Good luck.

Answer 8

It wil depend upon your policy so ask your