Insurance required for driver who doesn't use car (Houston: to rent, home) - Texas (TX) - City-Data Forum

textatexan · 02-01-2012, 02:49 PM

Should you be required to put a person on your auto insurance who is licensed to drive, but does not drive your vehicle? They do not own a vehicle and do not have insurance, but got a license in the event they ever need it for work. They do not, have not, and will not need to drive my vehicle, so why would you be required to add them to your policy just because they stay with you?

LilyMay · 02-01-2012, 02:59 PM

First off, let me say I'm no auto insurance agent. If I were you, I'd just go ahead and make a call to whoever you wanted to get your insurance with and ask them. They would probably know right off the bat.

Beyond that, though, I went to the Texas Department of Insurance website (LINK).

On that website, under the section for the basic level liability insurance it states who is covered as:

Quote:

you and your family members. (Family members include anyone living in your home related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption. This includes your spouse, children, in-laws, adopted children, wards, and foster children.)

The site also points out, however, that

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Note: Some policies won’t cover other people, including family members, unless they’re specifically named in the policy. Your policy’s declarations page should list the names of all of the people covered by the policy.

So what I gather from all of this is that it's not a state requirement that all people in a household be covered, or else they wouldn't specify that some policies don't cover everyone in the house.

From that point, it's just a matter of the policy of the specific insurance company. For what it's worth, when I needed a name taken off my policy with State Farm, for someone who didn't live at the house, I just called them up and told them to remove the name. They never asked any questions, like whether or not they were living in the house.

Good luck!

14Bricks · 02-01-2012, 03:13 PM

If the person doesn't own a car or won't be driving your car then they don't need insurance.

oceangaia · 02-01-2012, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by textatexan

Should you be required to put a person on your auto insurance who is licensed to drive, but does not drive your vehicle? They do not own a vehicle and do not have insurance, but got a license in the event they ever need it for work. They do not, have not, and will not need to drive my vehicle, so why would you be required to add them to your policy just because they stay with you?

Simple. Insurers hear that song and dance all the time and 99% of the time that person "who never drives the car" will at some point drive the car. So they would rather ensure that the 99% is covered at the risk of alienating that 1% who really would never drive the car.

HoustonRonnie · 02-01-2012, 05:25 PM

I had to have it on all my kids and wife for every vehicle for every licensed driver. I too said they don't drive my truck until my kid stole it one night. True story. And, therefore, every vehicle is insured and everyone's a "driver". End of story, no way around it. If they live under your roof, then they're insured on every vehicle you insure, not just one, or two, but all.

Seoid · 02-01-2012, 08:19 PM

I lived with my sister years ago. My insurance agent was insistent that I add her on my plan.

I laughed and said, "She may be over 18 and live with me but she doesn't have a license and doesn't even know how to put a car into gear. There's no way she's getting behind the wheel in my car EVER." They got the hint and didn't put her on the insurance.

Never had any issues. But again, she was not allowed to drive my car.

trbstang · 02-02-2012, 05:20 PM

Depending on the policy, it is just a lot easier for them. My aunt lives in NJ, but she does visit once a year or so. In order for her to rent a car down here, I have her on my insurance. It does not cost me any extra since I have more drivers than vehicles, and her risk factor is less than the rest of us.

Also, if they do buy a car and need to get their own insurance, they will have to pay a non insured penalty for like 6 months on the new policy if they are not covered on another policy prior to getting their own.

If it does not cost any extra, why not go ahead and add them. If they NEEDED to drive your car in an emergency, then they would be covered. And if there is a cost, ask them to pay for it.

You can specifically exclude people in your household from your policy and then they won't be covered. But in case of emergency, again they will not be covered.

HoustonRonnie · 02-03-2012, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seoid

I lived with my sister years ago. My insurance agent was insistent that I add her on my plan.

I laughed and said, "She may be over 18 and live with me but she doesn't have a license and doesn't even know how to put a car into gear. There's no way she's getting behind the wheel in my car EVER." They got the hint and didn't put her on the insurance.

Never had any issues. But again, she was not allowed to drive my car.

The difference is "no license". Totally different.

Seoid · 02-03-2012, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoustonRonnie

The difference is "no license". Totally different.

They still wanted to put her on there because she was 22 at the time. They said she could potentially drive without a license.

HoustonRonnie · 02-03-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seoid

They still wanted to put her on there because she was 22 at the time. They said she could potentially drive without a license.

Now THAT, is just plain stupid. I have a 25 year old autistic son. If they ever propose that for him, I'm moving my business.

Ronnie