Will Farm State's Liability cover me if I borrow my Dad's unisured old Truck a few times a year?

If your truck is old enough to be considered a collectable or classic, you may be able to get full coverage thru one of the companies that specialize in them. There are several around like Hagerty Ins. My BiL has a 64 Chevy PU and 41 Ford PU street rods both fully covered with unlimited miles for under $200 per year. Just curious; how does the vehicle have a tag on it in FL w/o liability coverage? I though FL required a minimum liability coverage to get a tag like GA and most other states. If so, you should be covered under his policy for short periods of use up to a total of 30 days/yr. Some companies will allow you to insure it under your policy with umbrerlla coverage. This would extend your coverage to any vehicle you may be driving. You should just direct the question to your agent if you like State Farm. If you can afford 2 new cars, you have too much at stake to drive it w/o coverage of some sort.

Lugnut

jc, You're getting some good advice from all who responded. I practiced law for

25+ years. Although Office was in Illinois, I did trial work in many states and jurisdictions. Much of the work involved suing and defending insurance companies including State Farm. There is no generic answer on which you can safely rely, i.e. state laws vary as does the policy language in the various states. Specific policies may or may not provide coverage depending, not only on the state where coverage was written, where the accident or incident occurred, the specific facts and circumstances of the accident or incident, but on the policy language, the named "insured," and the "endorsements, exclusions, and other amendments" that were made to and became part of the Policy. What the agent tells you can be binding on the insuring company or not depending on whether he is an independent agent with a brokerage contract or is truly an agent of the company with the authority to speak for the company. Careful agents pass customer coverage questions on to the insuring company for response. Otherwise their agency E&O coverage may be called upon. In years past, at least in IL, State Farm only utilized their own agents (employees) but have no knowledge of present operations in Florida.

I do apologize for the long-winded reply, but wanted to say enough to give you the flavor that a simple question sometimes does not have a simple answer. Like the other replies, I would suggest that you put in writing to the agent (be sure to keep a copy), in as much detail as possible, your specific factual situation, what coverage issues you are concerned with, and let the agent do what he is being paid to do. If you are not convinced by the policy language, request a "coverage" letter from the agent as to your concerns. After an accident or incident where substantial damage or bodily injured has occurred, remember that the policy language will be interpreted by the company to provide no coverage to avoid exposure and liability to loss. Once coverage is denied, then you have to file suit against the company for a declaratory judgment to establish coverage or personally suffer the loss.

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I'm in agreement with the replies-check with an agent.

It might be possible to get a rider on your current policies to protect you when you drive the truck. You may not have to cover the truck as a separate vehicle. Much cheaper.

A few times a year I borrow a project pickup truck that nobody else drives and that is not insured. The title and registration is under my Dad and kept in his house. I've kept up the registration (through him) for this reason)

I was wondering, If I get into an accident and do major damage to other cars and property will my insurance cover me? I don't care about collision coverage on the truck?

My dad is 80 years old. What If the truck was registered under me and my home address, but not specifically insured?

We currently have an unbelievably low insrance rate on two new cars we own. Roughly how much can I expect to pay to add that old truckcar just for me for Liability? If more than $400 a year, I really don't want to do it.

I don't have the policy papers, but sure all the above is probably explain in legal jargen that's tough to decifer. I plan to ask my agent, but wanted to hear from an actual consumer.

Thanks for any info.

The law is the same in every state. Liability coverage on a vehicle covers ANY liability acquired by that vehicle. It makes NO difference WHO is driving the vehicles, even if it is a driven by a THIEF, when the at fault accident takes place.

If one is judged to be liable and the amount of the judgment EXCEEDS the policy limit, the policy of the driver then come into effect, up to its limits.

I.E. The policy limit on the truck is $100,000 and you liability is $3000,000 and the judgment is for $400,000, the two together would cover that amount. That is why the owner and the driver are both always named in the litigation.

Another little known insurance fact is, if the policies on the vehicles involved in an accident, are issued by the same insurance company, the total amount will be paid without litigation regardless of the TOTAL of the two policy limits.

As to the question of adding vehicles to your policy. IF there are more vehicles than drivers in the household, the increase is generally small. However the drivers will be RATED as drivers of the most expensive vehicles. As too how much, that will depend of the rate schedules in you state. My guess is, it will be less than what you are paying to the insure the truck individually. Your agent would be the guy to tell you exactly

You did not say what year truck, but if it is fifteen years or older, driven occasionally for less than 2,500 miles a year, you can buy classic car insurance in most every state for less than $200 a year.

I missed the UN-insured part in the header. ;(

The only way to know for sure is to ask your agent. When I have read my policy in AZ it seems to say that I am covered for ANY vehicle I drive, not just the ones I happen to own.

Believe you are dyslexically mixing up the scenario you describe with policies that covers other drivers for a known insured vehicle. Insurance companies use the vehicle for the general basis, not the owner or individuals that drive them, when writing a policy. Driving records and so forth are a modifier. So, you have to have insurance on the vehicle for liability coverage while using that vehicle. At least that's been my experience as a consumer of auto insurance in 4 different States. Can't speak for the 46 others.

Rarely used vehicles, older vehicles, mileage driven annually are questions the insurance agent usually asks before giving you a projected price on a policy covering a vehicle. The amount of liability coverage is sometimes assumed as State minimum, you may have to ask for more coverage if desired. Don't assume, read the binder when you exchange money for insurance. Correct the binder if needed and return it to the agent. Don't drive the vehicle until you're satisfied all is in good order.

I can't tell you for sure about your insurance coverage as it varies (so I am led to believe) state by state. My policy (with State Farm) covers me to drive any vehicle that I don't own. This is straight from my agent. Covers rentals, borrowed from family members (that do not reside in my household), friends, etc. .....

DaveD

What about excluded family members?

This is the one answer that jumps out as just plain wrong to me,

but I am not an attourney.

And these laws do vary from state to state.

household),

The best advice here is to check with the agent. And maybe ask via email so that you have something tangible in response, and not a verbal.

There may be 'gotchas', like a clause in the policy that says something like the car has to be 'legal' to begin with, and that would mean insured in the first place if required... I'd be real suspicious of anyone that said there was a blanket 'cover me in all cases' policy unless it was written to be specifically that.

I would agree, but that's a policy written on the vehicle, not 'transferred' to a vehicle because you borrowed it.

And it usually does have clauses about 'legal' operation. A thief is actually a legal operation in the sense that the thief took the vehicle without your permission so you are legal, even though the thief committed a crime, and you are covered. But if you do any fraudulent acts, then you are NOT legal and your coverage is not so clear-cut. Having undeclared residents at home for example, or using the car outside the declarations of the policy... Or even in a crime.

What part of, 'It makes NO difference WHO is driving the vehicles, even if it is a driven by a THIEF, when the at fault accident takes place,' did you not understand?

As to your specific question, if one fails to inform ones company that you have a 16 year old child, in your household, that is operating your vehicle and that child has an at fault accident, you will be COVERED. However the comply will cancel the policy because of fraud! You committed insurance fraud by not paying the extra premium required to add a young driver. As to difference laws in different states, that is still a fact. The business I formally owned operated in six states. One of our trucks was stolen and crashed into two other vehicles and building. My company covered the high damage costs, but I was not charged with an at fault accident, because it was being used without my authorization. OK?

I think its State Farm, Not farm State

Fred

That only applies if you have *STACKED* coverage.

That is something entirely different, that refers to YOUR individual policy and not what I was referencing. I was pointing to the two individual owners, insured by the same company, when they are involved in an accident.

As far as the FIRST question, if you have "unowned vehicle coverage" rider you will likely be covered. It is generally bought by people who drive a lot of rental cars so they don't need to pay the rental company insurance

I doubt if that is a rider. In states that I know of, it is included in ones basic liability coverage since you, as the driver of a rental car, can still be liable as well.

Your company will even pay the rental car company for lost rental time for YOUR at fault accident even when they or you have acquired any liability to another.

The best person to answer that question is your agent

I got two claims adjusters that say you are full of BULL.

Especially in the event of theft.

But don't let that stop you from giving people bad advice.