Car insurance when the only licensed driver can no longer drive

[gindie]

I will be contacting my insurance agent about this situation, but can't until Tuesday because of the holiday. Just wanted to throw this out to the community to get some thoughts.

SITUATION: We would like to borrow another family member's van for a week-long trip. He is OK with that. The van supposedly has full coverage on it.

HOWEVER: The other family member just recently had his license pulled because of a medical condition. Not anticipated that he will ever get it back.

Questions:

1) Can the van even retain its full coverage (collision, comprehensive, liability), since there is no longer a licensed driver attached to it?

2) If the answer is No, could we remedy the situation by getting us added to his policy?

3) Again, if the answer to #1 is No, then what risk are we running in transporting him, in the van, to doctor's appointments? (He can't ride in a regular car)

This has come up all of a sudden and it woke me up this morning thinking about it.

 

[REWahoo]

It is my understanding that unless the insurance company has notified the van owner it is cancelling the policy, the insurance coverage remains in effect. As long as the owner of the vehicle gives you permission to drive the vehicle, you are OK.

 

[East Texas]

If you are going to be a regular driver of the van, his insurance company may require you to be added as a driver to his policy. And what REWahoo said....

 

[frank]

my insurance covers any driver that has a license and is legal. as long as I give permission and pay the premium there should be no problem.

 

[Goonie]

my insurance covers any driver that has a license and is legal. as long as I give permission and pay the premium there should be no problem.

That is my understanding of things also. I'm going to call our insurance agent Tuesday morning to confirm it though, as I'm in a similar situation. My Mom has decided not to renew her DL this year. She'll be 85 tomorrow, and said that she no longer feels comfortable or confident behind the wheel. She has only driven once or twice in the past year, and very little more than that in the few years before that. To get a clearer picture of how little she's driven, she has a 2004 Kia Spectra......with 7,000 miles on it!!! And I put about 2,000 of those miles on it! I tried to talk her into renewing it, just so in the case of an emergency she'd still have the option available. She wasn't to keen on that idea, so I didn't push it. A couple days later I mentioned it again, but got 'THAT' look, so I told her I'd drive her up to get a State ID card.

We took a ride up to the Secretary of State's facility (DMV) this past Friday, and she told them she wasn't renewing her DL, and just wanted to get a State ID card instead. About 10 minutes later she came out with her shiny new ID card, just as happy as a lark!

 

[gindie]

In follow-up to my original post, my insurance guy said there had to be a licensed driver attached to the car for the liability component of the insurance to remain in effect. So, I added myself as a driver.

Interestingly, by doing so, he indicated that my parents' rates will decrease by about $100/yr, because of my age (I'm 53, Mom is almost 80). Maybe I should have done it sooner.

 

[Goonie]

In follow-up to my original post, my insurance guy said there had to be a licensed driver attached to the car for the liability component of the insurance to remain in effect. So, I added myself as a driver.

Interestingly, by doing so, he indicated that my parents' rates will decrease by about $100/yr, because of my age (I'm 53, Mom is almost 80). Maybe I should have done it sooner.

Ditto!

I finally had time to go talk to our insurance agent today, and he said he same thing. With me as the new primary driver and Mom not driving, the rate is dropping $170. (I'm 55 and Ma hit 85 yesterday.)