Do You Need Teen Car Insurance in Georgia?
Reader’s Question:
I am concerned about my teenage son, who occasionally drives one of my newer model cars. There’s nothing much to worry about since he’s already added to my policy. My question is, what will happen if he crashes the car and causes damages to it? We live in Atlanta, GA.
Laura
Atlanta, GA
It is important to take precautions by knowing what to do should an accident involving a minor child happens. Since you mentioned that your teenage son is already listed as a driver on your policy, you’re correct, you may have nothing much to worry about as compared to those parents whose children were not added. Your car insurance company should cover the damages to him and your car based on the insurance limits purchased. As to the amount of the claim payments, these will be determined by first getting quotes from auto body repairs. You may be curious as to what will happen after that? Some insurance companies may try to get back the costs incurred by raising your premiums while some will choose to not renew your policy at its expiration. Other insurance companies will even require that you remove your teen minor from the policy before they renew your policy. Or, they will continue to renew your policy with your minor listed on the policy as a driver, but they will increase your car insurance rate premiums in Georgia.
What Does Car Insurance Cover in Georgia, the Driver or the Car?
Reader’s Question:
Does auto insurance cover the driver or car in Savannah Georgia?
Linda
Savannah, GA
Auto insurance can cover both the driver and the car. The vehicle is covered on a car insurance policy and those motorists are that are covered to drive the car are defined inside the policy coverage definitions.
Most insurance policies will cover all motorists that are not excluded but given permission to drive the car. There is no blanket answer to what or who a car insurance policy will cover so you would need to check your specific policy’s declarations and application.
If there are specific state insurance laws you want to check regarding your specific situation in Savannah Georgia you can contact the Georgia Insurance Commissioner whose consumer division should be able to assist you.
Can I Register the Car in Georgia and Have Car Insurance in Another State?
Reader’s Question:
My mother bought me a vehicle. She lives in Alabama and I live in Georgia. Can she insure it in Alabama and I register it here in GA?
Ed
Augusta, GA
The Georgia laws states that you will have to have your car insured in Georgia if your registration and license plates are from GA. Even if Georgia did permit you to have an out of state insurance company cover your car it would likely be hard to find an insurance company that would cover a vehicle that was insured in Alabama but driven and kept out of state in Georgia.
The Georgia Motor Vehicle Division of the Department of Revenue states that car owners and lessees in this state are required to carry continuous GA mandatory liability insurance coverage on their car(s) to:Legally operate a vehicle(s);Register and get Georgia license plates (tags); and, Renew, transfer or replace their existing Georgia license plates (tags).
If your name is on the title of the vehicle your mother purchased for you then it should not be hard for you to obtain your own car insurance on the car. If your name is not on the title then there are some insurance carriers that will permit you to get insurance without insurable interest in the vehicle, but it would not be difficult for you to place coverage on the vehicle if your name was added to the car’s title.
What Does a Non Owner SR22 Insurance Policy Cover?
Q: Should I get into a car accident, what insurance will cover the damages? My non owner SR22 insurance, or the insurance belonging to the owner of the car?
A: Non owner SR22 insurance is a special exception in the car insurance world, but the normal rules still apply. And those rules are that car insurance is attached to the car most of the time, and not to the driver, so if you drive a friend’s car and get into a car accident, then you will be covered by the insurance policy that car is named on so long as you had reason to believe the policy owner would allow you to drive the car.
Even if you only drive insured cars, you will stil need your non owner SR22 insurance coverage, although you may never use it. It’s there as back up, as proof of your responsibility. And, if your friend’s own car insurance coverage runs out in a bad crash, your own will kick in and extend the limits.
