posted
You know, it must be something about being home. I don't touch Hatrack while I'm in my apartment at school but as soon as I come home I start craving it again. But I feel like a fool for staying away so long so it's kind of awkward. Like seeing an old friend for the first time in a long time and realizing that a lot of time has passed.
However, my annoyance has pushed me to ignore the awkwardness and run back to my indefatigable source of information.
Here's the deal. I live in Florida. I'm a college student who lives 4 hours away from home. I don't own a car, but do have a drivers license. For some reason, I'm still paying insurance money to my parents. Now, this makes sense as I'm still on their insurance as a driver, though the obscene amount I'm paying doesn't make sense. But that's another story. But here's the thing - I don't drive. Even when I come home, all of the cars are spoken for all of the time. But when I tell my parents to take me off of their insurance they say that the insurance agent told them that since I have a license, I have to be insured. Is this true?
I tried calling the insurance agent (Cotton State), but he didn't answer. I tried calling the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Customer Service Center, but the phone was busy the five times I tried. I've tried looking it up on the internet but all I can find is stuff pertaining to people who have vehicles (which makes sense, as insurance is usually reserved for people with something to insure).
So I guess my questions are: If I have a drivers license does that mean I am forced to have insurance? and Would a viable solution be to turn in my drivers license? (the flaw with this plan is that I do occasionally drive my girlfriends car from her house to mine, which is just a little over a mile, but driving nonetheless.)
So, if there is anyone out there who has any advice, I'd appreciate it.
(I realize it's possible no one remembers me, but I'll be honest, I've missed y'all)
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I do have an Indigo Montoya shirt, though I don't think I had it when we met in Park City. Though I suppose I may have. I'm the young guy Brinestone said looked like Satan . Granted, that was years ago. But I still look the same.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
Check with your state laws first....but usually no, as long as you never drive under any circumstance. So if you really believe you wouldn't drive even under the pressure of having to react to an emergency... On the other hand it would be still be extremely self-defeating to pull out of your parents' plan.
1) If you should decide to start driving later, when you have to purchase your own policy, your insurance rate will be based on the number of claims you've made against your (family) policy divided by the amount of time you've been covered by that policy. Zero claims over several years of coverage always looks good. And you will start off having relatively low rate when you purcase your own policy. Probably low enough for the difference to make up for the entire amount you have&will pay on your family policy within a couple of years or so through the lower payments on your own policy.
2) And your record of making payments on an insurance policy without making claims will also reduce your costs in purchasing other types of insurance later on.
3) Often your (family) policy will cover insurance on rental vehicles. (Check to make sure). And buying insurance from rental companies is EXPENSIVE.
4) Heck, you might even be covered for expenses if an uninsured driver were to run into you while you are walking or biking. Worth checking out anyways.
In other words, saving money now would be a case of "penny wise, pound foolish" that will COST you significantly more in the future.
So how did you get to the snow if you didn't drive?
posted
I have no idea how it works in FL, but I can't even comprehend how having a driver's license would mean you need to have insurance. That's incredibly stupid.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
In California, there's no requirement to have insurance if you have a driver's license. At least, when I was still using my parent's insurance (State Farm), our agent never had a problem with putting me on the insurance for the summer, then taking me off again when I was back to school (sans car).
How much does it cost you each month to have insurance? If you really don't drive, and won't be driving for the time you're in college, it may be better (cost-wise) to have no insurance now, even if that means you'll be paying a bit more in the future. On the other hand, sometimes being on your parents' insurance is a heck of a deal, particularly if you can get good student bonuses or things of that nature. Then it might be a good idea to keep the insurance. My husband is a young male with a short driving history (less than a year), and the insurance premiums are way higher than when I had insurance by myself.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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posted
It seems some states (such as Ohio) require licensed drivers to maintain insurance of some type, even if they don't own a car. All states require car owners to have insurance or (in some states) to pay an uninsured motorist fee.
In some states, insurance companies can require everyone licensed at the residence be on the insurance. Here's why: if an uninsured driver drives the car and gets in a wreck, the insurance company is still on the hook, at least for liability to third persons.
Having a licensed driver at the house increases the risk that the car will be driven by a third party.
In some states (maybe all, but I haven't come close to verifying this), insurance companies are required to cover all licensed drivers in the household. Other states explicitly allow the ages and driving record of all household drivers to factor into the insurance. This seems to allow factoring the existence of such drivers into account in setting premiums.
I've seen some indications that Florida policies must cover all household members, but their advertisements, so not definitive.
This may or may not be required in your state. But it doesn't strike me as unusual or outright wrong.
Posts: 26071 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
Is your parents' address considered you permanent address while you're away at college? If so, then yeah, they are probably required to keep you on their policy as a member of their household.
Posts: 9538 | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
It doesn't strike me as wrong either. The problem is that I don't live at my house anymore. I come for a weekend once every couple of months or so.
I'm torn. On one hand, I could go without driving. And really, I don't anticipate needing to drive for another two years or so. But it would be inconvenient to never be able to drive.
I'm paying around $500 for 6 months. I guess it's not that bad ... but it's really obnoxious to be paying that for driving once a month, if that.
I heard rumors that if I go to college or live 100 miles away or something that my insurance should cost me next to nothing. Would that be a law thing or something separate agencies decide. I heard this particular rumor from a friend of mines mom who happens to be a State Farm insurance person thing.
Posts: 2827 | Registered: Jul 2005
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: You don't have to be included-- they can exclude you.
It isn't true, but if you live at the same address as them and you DO drive and get in an accident, then you are NOT covered.
If I drove their car and wrecked it, their policy WOULD cover me as I don't live there, but because it is your official address of record you would NOT be covered.
Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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![[Wink]](wink.gif)
. Granted, that was years ago. But I still look the same.
