Is My Teen Driver Covered On Parents Auto Insurance Policy

Reader’s Question:

I would like to know if my 17 year old son is covered by our auto insurance policy in Burbank, California if he takes our vehicle up to the grocery store? He has no auto insurance coverage at all.

Gary

Burbank, CA

If your 17 year old son is residing with you and has started the licensing process already, if he holds a full driver’s license, you have to notify your insurance carrier. Most insurance carriers require you inform them of any household members that are licensed.

Normally your insurance carrier in Burbank, California will require you to add your seventeen year old son to your car insurance policy but depending where he is in his licensing process they may permit you to wait to add your teenage son as an additional driver. If for example he has just started to operate a vehicle and has a learners permit that requires a fully licensed motorist to supervise at all times then some insurance carriers will not require you to add your teen at this time however they will as they get their full license.

Since I do not know the specifics of your car insurance policy, especially the exclusions which may include not covering individual under a certain age, I am unable to tell you if your son would be covered to drive up to the grocery store. You have to talk to your car insurance agent and likely add your son to the car insurance policy so that he will be properly covered for driving any of the household vehicles.