Opinion /Feedback on a car insurance question

[b2bailey]

I recently moved to a house with my granddaughter and her husband.
I don't currently own a car, so I don't have an insurance policy.
A past 'second-hand' experience tells me I would not be covered if I drive their cars.
What if I am here as their lives in nanny?

Thoughts?

 

[dioxide45]

You would want to check with their insurance agent, but a cursory Google search seems to indicate that insurance in California follows the car and not the driver. It may depend on how often you drive their car.

 

[DrQ]

I think that you would need to be a named driver on their policy.

 

[Timeshare Von]

My experience has always been that the insurance is carried by the owner and covers all authorized drivers. In the past, my DH & I have driven a friend's vehicle and we were covered . . . and we didn't live with them or even in the same state. Same with my sister and BIL's vehicles. But a call to their insurance agent should be made to be sure.

 

[jp10558]

I kind of agree with everyone else - call the agent to be 100% sure, but at least in NY the insurance is kind of on the driver and the car. I.e. the owner of the car is covered by their insurance whatever car they're driving, and their insurance covers their car whoever's driving it (though perhaps not liability for the unauthorized driver). If you're going to drive it more than once or twice a year however, it's probably safest to add you as a named driver, which will increase the insurance costs in NY unless you had your own insurance policy (that you can only get if you own a car). But then you're explicitly covered, always a good idea IMHO.

Edit: In general it's always best to talk to an agent to be sure what your policy covers. I found out NY recently passed a law where everyone has to have an extra cost policy to cover their spouses unless they specially opt out. I'm not against covering whatever that was intended to cover, except for the fact I'm not married. I don't like paying extra to cover a non-existent person that the state apparently assumes everyone has. I won't even get into the inappropriateness of that assumption given current marriage and divorce rates.

 

[Patri]

jp, can't you opt out?

 

[klpca]

I can't remember the reason, but when our adult daughter was living with us a few years ago, there was some issue about auto insurance. I honestly can't remember what it was, but the issue was caused because she was living with us. I think that she had to be listed on the policy as a driver even though she had her own car and her own insurance policy. I remember thinking that it was BS - three cars, three drivers, everyone with coverage but she still had to be added on our policy or she wouldn't be covered when she drove our car, or something like that. You need to reach out to your granddaughter's insurance agent to make sure that you are covered when you drive the car.

 

[jp10558]

jp, can't you opt out?

Yes, as I said, you can opt out, but you have to know you need to do that, and I had to call to figure out HOW to do it. It also wasn't obvious why the bill went up, so I imagine a great number of single people in NY are unknowingly paying or unable to figure out how to stop paying for coverage for a non-existent spouse.

 

[WorldT]

In Texas (and maybe the rest of the country?) the insurance policy follows the car not the driver. This allows you to borrow your friend's car without having to be added to their policy. However, all policies have a question that ask the policy holder to name all adults in the home that will be driving the car. If you are staying with them for a long time (moved in with them), you may want to be added to the policy as a driver if you are going to be driving their car. If you are only there temporarily and still maintain a different home address (your driver's license shows you own address), then it is not necessary to be added. The vehicle (and you) will be covered. If you are in an accident, your response will be I live at so so place and I was just visiting my grand daughter.

 

[b2bailey]

Thanks for feedback.
I wanted to know I was correct -- before I asked my grandson about adding my name. If they had a 'real' agent, I would have called to ask. But they have Progressive.

 

[jp10558]

Thanks for feedback.
I wanted to know I was correct -- before I asked my grandson about adding my name. If they had a 'real' agent, I would have called to ask. But they have Progressive.

It's worth it to say we have Geico, and called them, and got the info we needed, and were able to make any needed changes. I imagine Progressive is the same. This isn't a complicated question actually - any insurance company needs to be able to tell you what your policy is / covers. If they can't, I'd say that should give you some important information to make a change. And car insurance is really easy to switch, so the big names can answer basic questions quickly and accurately.