Community Chat

[Moonchilde]

Are there auto insurance companies who will cover a very occasional, unplanned/unforeseen driver (like 1-2 times a year) without them being on the policy? I have always lived alone and insured only myself. I am now living with relatives, either one of whom *might* need to drive my car in an unplanned emergency, maybe once or twice in a year. When you list drivers for insurance quotes, if all drivers have clean histories, is your premium higher than if you just listed one driver? Does this vary from state to state? If I did not have someone listed and they drove my car and were involved in an accident, do ALL insurance companies refuse to pay? It's been a long time since I've had to worry about this - years ago a policy covered whoever drove your car ;-(

[fthunt]

I'll be interested in seeing other people's opinions - but as I understand it - as long as you only allow people with a valid driver's license and nobody under age - your CAR is insured regardless of who had the accident.  I know with triple A (AAA) service - no matter who has a dead battery with your CAR - they will come to help the driver.

[Maudelynn]

I believe if the potential driver lives at your address you will need to add that person to your policy.  As long as the person has a clean driving record and is only an occasional driver, your premium should not be effected.

[Moonchilde]

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@Maudelynn wrote:

I believe if the potential driver lives at your address you will need to add that person to your policy.  As long as the person has a clean driving record and is only an occasional driver, your premium should not be effected.

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Thank you. I was trying to look this up online myself, and at the same time I was just called by an agent, and you're correct - if you are at the same address, you must list them, but if everyone has a clean driving record it shouldn't affect the premium cost. But occasional drivers who *don't* live at the same address, driving with your permission, *are* covered.

[Irshgrl31201]

Even if a driver isn't listed on your insurance your insurance will cover it if they are a licensed driver and had permission. I had a friend visiting from NY and she used my car when she was here. She was hit by an unlicensed driver who in addition to being unlicensed was here illegally and drunk at the time and not insured when he hit her. My insurance paid. 

When my daughter got her license, I still wanted her to take private driving license in addition to the ones she was required to take through school. I didn't let her drive until she completed them. I didn't realize that any licensed driver in the home would be added when they got their license even if using the car or not.

[Moonchilde]

What's really interesting to me is that theoretically, since I just moved from a high crime area to a sleepy backwater, my insurance *should* go down quite a bit, according to what "they say" - but it isn't, even when I experiment in the quote with lesser coverage. Sigh. One company is super cheap, but the reviews say "don't do it!" based on non-existent customer service, so I'm afraid to.

[mstyrion 1]

Most liability insurance policies cover a "permissive user".  You don't have to notify the insurance company or your agent when someone is using your car with permission.  Liability coverage is intended to protect the driver when he/she is at fault in an accident.

Your physical damage coverages such as comprehensive and collision cover the vehicle no matter who is driving, 

In some states, medical, no fault and uninsured motorist coverage still applies to a permissive user although they may not be as broad as for the insured person. 

[WenGirl42]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

What's really interesting to me is that theoretically, since I just moved from a high crime area to a sleepy backwater, my insurance *should* go down quite a bit, according to what "they say" - but it isn't, even when I experiment in the quote with lesser coverage. Sigh. One company is super cheap, but the reviews say "don't do it!" based on non-existent customer service, so I'm afraid to.

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A high crime area really only drives up your comprehensive (theft) coverage, which is a relatively small part of your premium. (And if you're moving to a "sleepy backwater," you're probably trading theft risk for deer risk, also covered under comprehensive). The biggest factor is how the driving conditions are in the area you drive regularly and park overnight. High population density, high traffic,  and dangerous conditions increase your liability and uninsured motorists coverages, which are a much larger portion of your overall premium. You might not see much of a difference if the location you're moving from isn't as highly rated as you thought, or if there's something about your new location that makes it more highly rated than you thought.

[Moonchilde]

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@mstyrion 1 wrote:

Most liability insurance policies cover a "permissive user".  You don't have to notify the insurance company or your agent when someone is using your car with permission.  Liability coverage is intended to protect the driver when he/she is at fault in an accident.

Your physical damage coverages such as comprehensive and collision cover the vehicle no matter who is driving, 

In some states, medical, no fault and uninsured motorist coverage still applies to a permissive user although they may not be as broad as for the insured person. 

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Except those who reside at your address, as I've learned and stated since my OP. Anyone who lives with you must be listed on your policy or be excluded from it. Those who don't live with you but have your permission are covered. It's the "same address" that's the catch :-(

[mstyrion 1]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

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@mstyrion 1 wrote:

Most liability insurance policies cover a "permissive user".  You don't have to notify the insurance company or your agent when someone is using your car with permission.  Liability coverage is intended to protect the driver when he/she is at fault in an accident.

Your physical damage coverages such as comprehensive and collision cover the vehicle no matter who is driving, 

In some states, medical, no fault and uninsured motorist coverage still applies to a permissive user although they may not be as broad as for the insured person. 

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Except those who reside at your address, as I've learned and stated since my OP. Anyone who lives with you must be listed on your policy or be excluded from it. Those who don't live with you but have your permission are covered. It's the "same address" that's the catch :-(

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Not quite true in most states.  Listing people who live with you on your policy is a rating issue not a coverage issue.  The insurance company wants to run a DMV check on anyone living in your household and who might be driving your car often in order to charge the correct premium.

If you failed to list a resident and they were in an accident, there would still be coverage, unless the person was specifically excluded, by name, on the policy.  The company would insist you name the person on the policy after the accident, but they would not deny coverage for the accident.