Driving uninsured vehicle with my insurance?

[K_W]

Grandpa wants to make sure his vehicle is in working order. It is not insured, but I am (collision + comprehensive). The value of the car is not significant, but I don't know if Indiana allows me to drive it.


Any insurance gurus here have an answer?

 

[long coat]

Insurance is on the car, not you.

 

[eric001]

You can talk to your agent and get a temporary policy set up in a few minutes. I did this years ago for kind of similar circumstances, and it was cheap and easy to do (through State Farm)--I'd think it'd be just as easy nowadays.

 

[Old Dog]

My insurance policy says I am covered for any vehicle I drive. So if I test drive a new truck, or rent a car, it is covered under my policy provisions. Double check your policy, or check with your agent.

 

[MarkC]

Auto insurance is a contract between you and the insurance company, regulated by state laws. So, as the previous poster said, check with your insurance company/agent.

My policy covers me with any automobile that I am driving with the owner's permission. My late mother purchased a bottom-dollar policy that covered her, driving her car, and nothing else.

 

[Kart29]

A Personal Auto Policy covers You and your household relatives first, and scheduled vehicles second. The insurance policy covering the vehicle is primary (first to pay) regardless of who is driving. Insurance on the driver is secondary if coverage on the vehicle is inadequate or non-existent. (Unless you are an auto dealer and then things get more complicated)

So, if you are driving your grandfather's uninsured vehicle, your own Personal Auto Policy would provide YOU with liability coverage for damage you cause to other people or other people's property while operating that uninsured vehicle. It will provide no liability coverage for your grandfather and will not cover damage you might cause to his vehicle.

Your liability coverage will follow you while driving that car. Your Collision and Other Than Collision ("comprehensive") coverage will typically NOT transfer to someone else's car while you are driving that car.

The above statements apply for rare and occasional use of that vehicle. If your grandfather makes his car "available for your regular use", you may have no coverage at all available while driving it.

If you are just doing some repairs and taking a test drive or driving it to a repair shop, I wouldn't sweat it. If he wants you to drive it on a regular basis and make sure it is constantly kept in good running order, I think your grandfather needs to add it to his policy or buy a policy with it listed as a scheduled vehicle.

 

[K_W]

Got ahold of my agent... no go. Insurance follows the cars except for rentals.

 

[worddoer]

A Personal Auto Policy covers You and your household relatives first, and scheduled vehicles second. The insurance policy covering the vehicle is primary (first to pay) regardless of who is driving. Insurance on the driver is secondary if coverage on the vehicle is inadequate or non-existent. (Unless you are an auto dealer and then things get more complicated)

So, if you are driving your grandfather's uninsured vehicle, your own Personal Auto Policy would provide YOU with liability coverage for damage you cause to other people or other people's property while operating that uninsured vehicle. It will provide no liability coverage for your grandfather and will not cover damage you might cause to his vehicle.

Your liability coverage will follow you while driving that car. Your Collision and Other Than Collision ("comprehensive") coverage will typically NOT transfer to someone else's car while you are driving that car.

The above statements apply for rare and occasional use of that vehicle. If your grandfather makes his car "available for your regular use", you may have no coverage at all available while driving it.

If you are just doing some repairs and taking a test drive or driving it to a repair shop, I wouldn't sweat it. If he wants you to drive it on a regular basis and make sure it is constantly kept in good running order, I think your grandfather needs to add it to his policy or buy a policy with it listed as a scheduled vehicle.

Got ahold of my agent... no go. Insurance follows the cars except for rentals.

18 year insurance veteran here. Kart29 is correct. While there are companies and policies that will cover any vehicle you drive for both liability and damage to the vehicle, they are by far the exception rather than the norm. Typically that is no longer a personal auto insurance policy and is normally setup on a commercial insurance type of policy.

 

[HoughMade]

Whoa, whoa, whoa....an insurance policy that covers you generally WILL NOT cover someone in your household driving the car unless they are listed on the policy. This is what keeps people from not listing their 16 year old son on the policy and letting him drive anyway, for instance.

...but check with your insurer.

 

[worddoer]

Whoa, whoa, whoa....an insurance policy that covers you generally WILL NOT cover someone in your household driving the car unless they are listed on the policy. This is what keeps people from not listing their 16 year old son on the policy and letting him drive anyway, for instance.

...but check with your insurer.

If that person lives in your household, you are correct. If the non-household member drives the vehicle regularly, you are correct. If the non-household member drives the vehicle only on occasion and has the permission of the vehicle owner, then a personal auto policy could cover that.

You are correct that you need to check with your particular company. This is a grey zone in the personal auto insurance world in Indiana and each company handles that grey zone differently.

Indiana law permits it, but the insurance company may not.

 

[Vigilant]

I carry commercial insurance, and it is my understanding that I’m covered for anything I drive, up to my policy limit. I had no trouble renting a Ferrari 458 in Nashville, and not having to purchase their insurance? If that isn’t the case, then hopefully my liability and umbrella will protect me?