Reader’s Question:

We have four vehicles in the household and all are insured and registered in Columbia, South Carolina. My children have separate car insurance policy and they are not added as an occasional driver on my policy. My question is, if they drive my cars and get into an accident, will they be covered?

Pete

Columbia, SC

In general if you permit a friend or your adult children to borrow your vehicles from time to time, your car insurance coverages will be extended to them. If your children regularly operate your automobile or reside with you, then your insurance provider may require you to list them to your car insurance policy in Columbia, South Carolina for them to be properly covered while operating your automobile.

Since insurance provider’s rules and guidelines can vary you will have to speak with your insurance company to determine for sure if your children would be covered under your car insurance policy to operate your vehicles in a way that they do. If they will be covered, keep in mind that in case of an accidents it is the owner’s car insurance policy that is primary usually and the secondary will be the driver’s insurance or used as excess in an accident if the car insurance claims go beyond the limits of the owner’s car insurance policy.

Tags: auto insurance, car insurance