Will Teen Driver Be Covered On Parents Car Insurance Policy
Reader’s Question:
I live here in Pennsylvania, and I have a teenage son who sometimes drives my car. If he gets into an accident, will he be covered by my car insurance? Damages don’t come cheap.
Anne
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Normally, a car insurance company would ask you to disclose all the members of your household, so they could check who among those can be potential drivers of the vehicle in the near future. In your case, you may not receive coverage for this one since you never disclosed information that is relevant to the insurance carrier. This holds true not only there in Allentown but in different parts of Pennsylvania, as well.
If a member of the household just got a diver’s license (let’s say that member is only a teen), you must notify your car insurance carrier immediately. Otherwise, if that member gets into a vehicular accident while driving you car, you may get into real trouble.
If you are looking for an insurance policy for your teen, you may want to consider a few things in order to get the cheapest and the best deal. First of all, you may try availing a deductible. If you opt to get a higher deductible (between $500 and $1,000), you have better chances of saving 10 to 20% on your premium.
Choosing the right car is also another way of keeping your teen’s car insurance policy lower. A safe car (whether used or brand-new) will always be favored by car insurance companies. Since there is a smaller chance of it being stolen, the car insurance company will have less chances of a payout. This old vehicle could even do better in crash tests than newer versions as old models are sturdier than new ones. However, you may have to consider keeping the vehicle under your name so as to give the insurance company better assurance of financial responsibility.
If you don’t plan to buy a new car, you may assign to your teen one of your cars. Try picking the less expensive one because this will also make the premium lower. However, make sure that the car assigned to your teen is the one he or she will be driving regularly to ensure that he or she is covered by the right car insurance plan.
I Can’t Get Auto Insurance Coverage
Reader’s Question:
I’m Scott of Boston. I want to know what my options are if I can’t find an auto insurance that would cover me.
Scott
Boston, MA
Scott, you did not mention why you are having a hard time finding an auto insurance company. There’s nothing much in your question. Now, I can think of several reasons why auto insurance companies won’t insure you.
Your driving history may be peppered with traffic violations and claims. That’s usually the reason why people are refused coverage by auto insurance companies. Or you may be driving a high-performance car. That would give you a hard time finding auto insurance coverage, you’re driving a high risk vehicle. Perhaps you’re a teenager with a short or no driving history at all. Or your neighborhood where you live in might be a notorious haven for car thieves and vandals.
What you can do is you can go to the state insurance department in Massachusetts and inquire about state assigned risk pool. If you join a state assigned risk pool, you will surely be insured as this state program makes sure that the “non-insurables” in the area are given auto insurance coverage by auto insurance companies. Of course, since you are already part of a branded group, a group of motorists who find it hard to be insured, your auto insurance premium will be high.
Another option would be to look for policies offered by auto insurance companies specializing in “high-risk drivers.” These particular auto insurance companies offer non standard auto insurance to motorists who find it hard to have auto insurance coverage. They provide auto insurance coverage to people with bad driving records, with high powered vehicles or those in “high-risk” neighborhoods. Again, the auto insurance premium will be higher than usual.
To get a list of these auto insurance companies offering non standard coverage, you may contact a local auto insurance agent there in Massachusetts. Going online will also give you a lot of good options.
Can I Buy Back Total Loss Vehicle From Insurance Company
Reader’s Question:
My car was deemed as total loss here in Texas. I was wondering if I could actually buy my car back. I hope someone could help me with this.
Linda
Corpus Christi, TX
Hey there, Linda. I had a similar case as this before, and I asked my agent about it. Although, auto insurance laws differ from state to state, I think that, for this matter, the same rule applies in , Texas. Anyway, my agent told me that, typically, if your car has been deemed a total loss, you have every right to buy back your car from the auto insurance company for salvage value, like if you still want to keep your car or if you are planning to repair it. But the rules on this depend on the insurance company. Different auto insurance companies have different guidelines and regulations that are part of the whole process of buying back your car. I suggest that you check this with your auto insurance company in order to be sure.
I visited the web site of the Texas Department of Insurance. It says there that you can actually buy your car back from the auto insurance company if you agree on subtracting its salvage value from the insurance settlement. If you are going to repair the car, you just have to make sure that the total cost of the repair will not go beyond the actual cash value of the car. For estimates on salvage value, you may inquire from salvage yards there. But take note that the actual salvage value of the car is going to be determined by the auto insurance company.
I suggest that you ask your auto insurance company about this. Also, if you still have any questions, you may want to check out the web site of the Texas Department of Insurance. You will find a lot of useful very information there.
New Car Auto Insurance Quotes in New Jersey
Reader’s Question:
I bought a new car here in Patterson, NJ. Of course, I’m going to need auto insurance. Can anybody tell me anything about auto insurance? I am new at this. Which type of insurance is best?
Daisy
Patterson, NJ
Hi, Daisy. I will not tell you which type of coverage to get or tell you everything you need to know, I’d be writing a book if I do that. I’d tell you a few things to start you off, but you have to contact an insurance agent in Patterson, NJ, to really know more.
First, there is liability insurance. This type of insurance is required by all states. This type pays for the damage you do when you hit someone or something. Then there’s collision coverage. This one pays for the damage you do to your own car. Another is comprehensive coverage. This one handles damages not caused by a car accident like if your car gets stolen, vandalized, catches fire, etc. Then there’s one that covers medical bills due to car accidents. This covers you even when you’re driving someone else’s car. This even covers your loved ones’ medical bills. Uninsured coverage makes sure that you are taken care of when you are struck by someone who is not insured. I know that this is a rather simplistic way of discussing insurance policies that is why it is important for you to contact your insurance agent to know more and be able to come up with an informed decision.
Do I Have to Insure a Car I Do Not Drive
Reader’s Question:
I have a car however I do not drive it. Am I required to put car insurance on it? I live in Carson, California.
Henry
Carson, CA
The state of California has rules and guidelines with regards to inoperable automobile. The state of California law requires current vehicle registration for automobile if they are driven, stored, towed, parked on public roadways or highways or parked in an off-street public parking area at any time during the vehicle registration period.
If you have an inoperable automobile in Carson, California you can apply for non-operational status on the automobile and pay a planned non-operation (PNO) fee. Once this status is placed on a automobile’s record, it stays until you decide to drive the automobile again and pay full registration renewal fees.
As a Passenger in a Car Accident – Who Pays My Medical Bills
Reader’s Question:
I was a passenger in an auto accident. I do not own a car or a drivers license so I do not have car insurance at all in Detroit Michigan and I am wondering as to who will pay my medical bills and my lost wages?
Jim
Detroit, MI
To know what insurance carrier is responsible for your lost wages and medical bills will depend the type of car insurance they require drivers to carry.
In the state of Michigan, which is a no-fault state, if you are a passenger in the car accident and was injured typically your own vehicle insurance would pay your benefits. However in a situation such as yours where you do not have car insurance you would collect the benefits from the insurance carrier that covered any car owned by a relative that you reside with. If you did not have auto insurance coverage in Detroit Michigan that way either then you would have to get from the insurance carrier covering the vehicle or driver in which you were riding.
Typically if you are in a state without no-fault laws you would be able to place your injury claims through the at-fault person’s insurance policy. You may contact the insurance regulatory body in Michigan to get more information.
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First Time Buyer of Car Insurance in Florida
Reader’s Question:
I’m new to this car insurance thing and I’m totally confused of all the choices here in Palm Bay, Florida. What are the things I should know before deciding on car insurance?
Aileen
Palm Bay, FL
Choosing the right car insurance policy is not only essential to your well being as an automobile owner, it is also a social responsibility towards others as well. That’s why its very important that you know first what minimum requirements, in terms of car insurance coverage, are required in your state. You should reach the local Department of Motor Vehicles there in Palm Bay, Florida for information on what needs to be included in your car insurance policy. Also get in touch with an insurance agent so that you know you are choosing the right insurance for your state.
Try to get an insurance that has liability coverage limit of at least 100/300/20 which, in insurance terms would mean liability protection of $100,000 in bodily injury coverage per person, $300,000 per accident and $20,000 in property damages in case you are at fault in a car accident and would need to have your insurance pay for the damages caused. Also get Personal Injury Protection (PIP) so you are covered regardless as to who is at fault in an accident and the state of Florida will require you to have one as well. Medical Payments or MedPay covers medical cost for you and any passenger injured during the accident. Comprehensive and Uninsured/ Underinsured Motorist Coverage are optional and are not required by any state but is something you might still consider since it gives added protection in case the at fault party in a car accident does not have or has insufficient insurance to cover all damages insured.
Non Owners Auto Insurance in California
Reader’s Question:
I’ve recently sold my car here in Burbank, California, and decided to cancel my existing car insurance policy, my current insurance company suggested I switch to a non owners auto insurance policy with them instead, since I mentioned I’ll probably be borrowing my sister’s car more often. Do you recommend that I do?
Tyler
Burbank, CA
The necessity to get a Non Owner’s Auto Insurance depends on a few factors. If you live in a city where there is a dependable Mass Transportation System, such as buses or trains and you seldom see yourself borrowing someone else’s car then it may be cheaper for you to find car rentals there in Burbank, California that also offers same-day insurance coverage. There are benefits, however, of getting yourself a non owners auto insurance policy if in the long term you will be using someone else’s car or find yourself renting cars more frequently.
Having non-owners car insurance is a very responsible thing to do since you are assuring yourself and the party lending you the vehicle that, in case of an accident, both are still covered. A non-owners auto insurance policy, however, could not take precedence over the car owner’s insurance policy. This means that in the event of such an accident, the car owners insurance will take effect first and in case their coverage is not enough for the damages then a non-owners insurance coverage could take care of the rest.
This can actually work to your advantage, since non-owner policies cost significantly less than normal owners auto insurance. Non-owner auto insurance also typically covers the ff: Liability damages, medical payments coverage, as well as uninsured or under insured motorists coverage. As you can tell, there is a lot to gain by getting yourself covered under a non-owners car policy even if you don’t own a car.
Will Auto Insurance Go Up With No Drivers License Ticket
Reader’s Question:
Hello, I’m 17 years old and was recently pulled over by a police officer. I did not have my drivers license on me and I received a ticket and had to pay a fee. There was a note on the ticket citation that say it was a written warning. How can it be a written warning if I have to pay a fine? Will my insurance go up because of this? If so, is there anything I can do to lower the auto insurance in Lincoln, NE?
Alfred
Lincoln, NE
It is my understanding that if you pay the fine then you are admitting your guilt to this citation. You can admit guilt and pay the fine, but will not have to pay more for your car insurance. If this is your first ticket since it is considered a ‘minor offense and most insurance carriers do not charge for it. In addition, it may be that all you have to do is present your drivers license and avoid having to pay a fine. It is likely that it was just a written warning in which case the same would apply. If you do not wish to do this, then you may consider some other options. You may also choose to fight this ticket in court and if you are successful than the offense will not show up on your driving record and you will not have to pay a higher auto insurance rate. You can also choose to finish a driver improvement class. You can get an auto insurance quote and check how this violation may affect your auto insurance rates.
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Auto Accident Not My Fault Will Their Insurance Pay Medical Bills
Reader’s Question:
I am a resident of North Dakota. I had an accident in Fargo, ND and they said it was my fault. I would like to know if my medical bills only covered to $30,000 with my injuries?
Seth
Fargo, ND
You only would have $30,000 of coverage under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. The Bodily Injury Liability coverage is for other people you may have injured, not including yourself. If you have health insurance, I would suggest that you contact them for additional coverage.
Had you injured anyone in the other car and you were at fault in an accident in Fargo, ND then the individual that you hurt would have to pay their Personal Injury Protection (PIP) first. That should pays first regardless who was at fault in an accident. After their Personal Injury Protection is exhausted then they would get payment from you your Bodily Injury. In your situation you would have additional medical coverage for them up to $100,000 per person up to $300,000 per accident. Had the other motorist been at fault in an accident and not have $100,000/$300,000 coverage then your uninsured motorist coverage would pay over and above your Personal Injury Protection (PIP).
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