Article Treasure Cove

If you raised a Teenager you know what happens all too well. Your child suddenly reaches the age when he is finally illegible to get a learner’s permit to drive. After one or a couple of tries, he passes the driving test and gets his life changing ID his drivers license. After he tries to get a Discount Auto Insurance policy himself and finds he can’t afford it. You open your pockets and tell your insurer about your enthusiastic new driver. Your automobile insurance policy will cover him throughout high school, when he graduates and goes to college, and while he’s back home. At some point, he grows up and moves out on his own for good. Maybe he moves to a city with a good transit system, and his 1st job doesn’t pay enough for him to pay all his bills and still afford a car in the city. So for the time being he goes without one.

One day, he finally gets the courage up to ask out that girl in the accounting he’s been flirting with. Meeting her at the local deli just won’t fly, so he begs his new best friend to borrow his car. The friend, agrees to lend him the car if he puts gas in it and gives him money for a six pack. Your young Don Wan picks up his date, pulls out onto busy 5th Ave, and wham rear-ends a Mercedes. Confused, he throws the automobile into reverse and hits into the Saab behind him. Two questions blow up in his head: 1) Is she going to go home? and 2) Does his friend have auto insurance to cover his exciting first date with dream girl accountant?

Bad news for your Don Wan: The girl grabs a cab and his friend missed his last insurance payment; the policy lapsed for failure to make payment. Then a light bulb turns on: Am I still on Mom and Dad’s auto insurance. Just maybe their insurance policy will cover the repairs.

Each insurance policy has a specific descriptions of who is cover under the policy. The standard Personal Auto Policy published by the Insurance Services Office states that the 1st named insured on the policy and “family members” have coverage for the ownership, maintenance or use of any automobile. Maybe Don Wan got lucky. Or maybe not.

All car insurance policies also have a specific definition for the term, “family member:” A individual that is related to the 1st named insured on the vehicle policy. The family member must be related by marriage, blood or adoption and must also reside in the 1st named insured primary house. Young Don Wan moved out of your home, which is when he started his career, met his dream girl, and borrowed his new friends uninsured automobile.

In 1975 a California court came to a decision on a similar case where an adult son who lived in a separate house from his parents but on the same street and relied on them for financial support was not considered a resident of the their residence and therefor wasn’t covered under their vehicle insurance policy.

There are exceptions to these rules. Courts have recognized that children in college, although they live at college, are still considered residents of their parents household. Even a self-supporting child who still lives in your home but pays rent to you will also qualify as a resident usually up until the age of 25.

It’s when they permanently move away from home that the break in coverage will occur. Even if your child doesn’t own a vehicle, they should consider getting Free Insurance Quotes for a Names Non-Owner car policy. This will cover there liability for injuries or damage that may occur while renting or borrowing a vehicle.

And, although your Don Wans’ date most likely would have ended anyway, it would have saved him a big headache and a lot of money.