How many people really are in the habit of lending thier cars out?
I do it occasionally since, hey, I 've got a bunch of extra mostly roadworthy cars. I’ve even lent cars for a month or so, although I temporarilly added them to my insurance in those cases.
More to the point, though, the “my pal Jimmy who only borrows it on days that end in y” scenario above is fairly common, although usually it’s a family member. If Jimmy hits you and Jimmy’s indigent pal who owns the car only has an operator’s policy, I hope you’ve got uninsured motorist coverage!
er… oops, this should have read "is the person who was hit by the person you lent it to just SOL? If you’ve got no assets beyond the car your buddy just crashed, it sounds like it.
This is not true! You don’t do that with online registration in Nevada. I think I saw that using the “Insurance Verification” program. And you actually “click the box” to add the Operator Policy info, not “agree to the terms”. I think you do that when you hit the “submit” button.
Minor stuff, but I want to at least sound kinda legit!
Greasyjack, if I lent my car to Uncle Bob, and he wiped someone out, I imagine I would be looking at a lawsuit pretty quick. Possibly from jail. And writing farewell notes to all my shit.
Never lend your uninsured car to anybody.
Really depends on how you define “lending their cars out”. If you mean giving a friend or relative a car to drive for weeks or months, probably not many. Include lending a minivan to the friend or relative who needs to pick up drywall and has a Civic , lending a car for a day to a friend or relative whose car is in the shop, letting your brother visiting NY from Michigan use one of your cars during his stay, or sharing driving duties on a long trip and it will be a lot more common
Read your policy. You have bought insurance for your vehicle. In Maine, insurance follows the vehicle. So if you lend your car to your buddy for a beah run and he runs over someone, your insurance is the primary payor of damages. Up to the policy limit. After that claims would be against the buddy and whatever insurance he might have.
As one of the drivers listed on your policy, you are also covered for any vehicle you drive but that coverage is secondary! So if you borrow your buddys car for the beer run and you run over someone, his insurance is the primary payor of damages and then your insurance would kick into play.
Most common situation is when an insured person borrows a beater which happens to be uninsured. Then the insured persons policy has to pay because there is no primary.
I’m down in York County, where are you?
This +1
Insurance follows the vehicle.
If you own multiple vehicles you will state your primary vehicle that you drive and your premiums will be rated based on that. Most Ins Cos check mileage on a regular basis to make sure you are being “truthful” with them. You can also get fleet policies. One policy that all cars will be listed on.
The vehicle that has the motor will be carry the insurance, a trailer, not being powered and not a vehicle doesn’t need to carry liability, that is extended from the vehicle pulling the trailer.
Most policies will extend some coverage to vehicles you may drive but that will always be secondary to the coverage on the vehicle.