All this talk about cars in the "You are what you drive" Forum.. must have

Okay - this is the deal.. My car died. I'm not happy, and well these things happen. I'm not paying for it to be fixed.

This is my current situation:

It's in my dad's named and under his insurance. I"m just a secondary driver.

1) What I want to know is this: if I buy a new car, should I get it in my dad's name and keep it under his insurance?
OR
Do any of you know of an insurance company that is not so ridiculous for younger drivers (I'm 21).

2) Anyone get any new (used) cars lately that they are content with - and would recommend purchasing?

Originally posted by Snowie Do any of you know of an insurance company that is not so ridiculous for younger drivers (I'm 21).

belair direct is pretty good for young drivers. i believe you can even get a discount if you're a student.

or at least that was the case when i was with them a few years ago. i was 23 at the time, and i paid about $1000/yr to insure a $3000 car, with reasonable coverage, deductibles, etc. you can get an online quote at their web site... they also have an office in north york, but it's accessible only on weekdays ( ).

If this is to be YOUR car and you are going to be driving it all the time, then the insurance really should be under your name. The insurance comany can refuse to cover a claim if you are not accurately covered. Beleive it or not, I know of a family with 3 sons. Each had a car, but the insurance was in the fathers name for all the cars. The insurance company actually scoped out the house to see who was driving the cars.

Someone posted a great link for comparing the cost of insurance at different companys a while ago. Do a search for insurance and I'm sure it will pop up.

Originally posted by sockboy If this is to be YOUR car and you are going to be driving it all the time, then the insurance really should be under your name. The insurance comany can refuse to cover a claim if you are not accurately covered. Beleive it or not, I know of a family with 3 sons. Each had a car, but the insurance was in the fathers name for all the cars. The insurance company actually scoped out the house to see who was driving the cars. Someone posted a great link for comparing the cost of insurance at different companys a while ago. Do a search for insurance and I'm sure it will pop up.

Yes it should but when it makes a difference of about 300 bux a month..many people do this.

Originally posted by Snowie Yes it should but when it makes a difference of about 300 bux a month..many people do this.

Where's the benefit in saving $300/month if it means your insurance won't pay when you make a claim?

Originally posted by bylo Where's the benefit in saving $300/month if it means your insurance won't pay when you make a claim?

I'm listed as a second driver so I am covered.


It would be like a wife driving her husbands car.. she's listed as a second driver.. she's still covered.

See this GFL thread http://goldfishlegs.net/bowl/showth...p;threadid=4973

as well as this recent RFD thread http://www.redflagdeals.net/forums/...pic.php?t=12542

Originally posted by Snowie I'm listed as a second driver so I am covered. It would be like a wife driving her husbands car.. she's listed as a second driver.. she's still covered.

i think the point is not that you're "covered". if the coverage is based on misrepresentation (i.e., if you're the actual principal driver of the car but someone else is listed as principal on the policy), then your insurance company may not pay anything for the claim.

in the insurance policy i got recently, one of the clauses just above the signature is: "where an applicant for a contract i) gives false particulars of the described automobile to be insured to the prejudice of the insurer, or ii) knowingly misrepresents or fails to disclose in the application any fact required to be stated herein....a claimed by the insured...is invalid and the right of the insured to recover indemnity is forfeited".

that's quite clear, methinks.

even if you don't submit a claim, if you get caught and have your policy cancelled then even that can be damaging to future insurability. (they usually ask on an application, "have you ever had your insurance cancelled in the past?"...)

Originally posted by Snowie I'm listed as a second driver so I am covered.

Don't be so sure. Sockboy said "If this is to be YOUR car and you are going to be driving it all the time, then the insurance really should be under your name. The insurance comany can refuse to cover a claim if you are not accurately covered."

Generally if you do most of the driving on the car you must be designated as the principal driver no matter who legally owns the car. If you provide false information to the insurance company then when you make a claim they can declare your policy void and refuse to pay.

It's false economy to tell a "little white lie" to an insurance company. Maybe they won't catch you with a minor claim, but you can be sure that if you make a major claim they'll look for any excuse to deny payment.

It would be like a wife driving her husbands car.. she's listed as a second driver.. she's still covered.

At one time both of ours cars were in my name [long, irrelevant story omitted.] The insurance company required that my wife be designated the principal driver of one of the cars, and me the principal driver of the other.

In a family where there are, say, 3 people who have a drivers license and 3 cars, the insurance company will assume that each driver is the principal driver of one of the cars -- even if one of the drivers swears they don't drive.

One more thing. The various auto insurance companies seek to attract differing types of drivers. Just because someone tells you they got a good deal with X doesn't mean you will. I get much lower than average rates with my company (Certas) but others in a different age group or with a different driving record may get much higher than average. You have to do your homework.

Finally, if you find all of this overwhelming then you may want to consider using an insurance broker who (a) can advise you on "the rules" and the consequences of ignoring them, (b) knows which companies cater to younger drivers and (c) can get you a reasonable, if not the absolute lowest, insurance rates.

Thanks for the info.

Just for the record I know rules and regs. Yes I'm taking a chance at driving the vehicle as a primary driver when I'm not supposed to be - but that's besides the point.

Originally posted by Snowie I'm listed as a second driver so I am covered. It would be like a wife driving her husbands car.. she's listed as a second driver.. she's still covered.

As has been mentioned, you are on shaky ground here. I presume that your father also owns his own car, and has it insured? If a couple own one car, then they can both be insured for that car, but as Bylo said, if a couple owns two cars, the insurance company puts one car under each name. You can then be listed as an occasional driver on the other car, but that means once in a while, not on a regular basis. This is exacly what the insurance company was looking for when they scoped out that family I was talking about. The father then had ALL his insurance with that company cancelled when they found out they were being dishonest. I doubt you want to put your dad in that situation.

The key is ALWAYS be honest with insurance companys, otherwise you may be paying for nothing. If you lie to them, they may not cover you in case you want to claim. If that is the case, then why pay them in the first place? You are just throwing away your $.

Originally posted by Snowie Thanks for the info. Just for the record I know rules and regs. Yes I'm taking a chance at driving the vehicle as a primary driver when I'm not supposed to be - but that's besides the point.

What is the point then?? I thought you were asking if you should get your insurance under your own name or your fathers! If you meant to ask 'what is the cheapest insurance I can pay for'? Then I would say don't bother getting it at all! Having insurance under false pretenses is the same as not having it.

Originally posted by Snowie Yes I'm taking a chance at driving the vehicle as a primary driver when I'm not supposed to be - but that's besides the point.

No it's not. It's the whole point!!!

You (and many others) pay insurance premiums so that when an unlikely event happens, i.e. an accident that results in a $large claim, the insurance company will pay it.

If you're going to "cheat" on your application then you're just giving the insurance company an "out" to deny your claim. If do that then you might as well save on the entire cost of insurance altogether and drive without it. [N.B. I say that facetioisly just to make my point.]

Anyway, I think we're all in agreement on the rules. You have to spend some time now thinking about whether it's really worth the risk of cheating on your insurance. None of us here can help you with that. apart from advising you that cheating is wrong. Thus endeth my sermon

Originally posted by bylo No it's not. It's the whole point!!! You (and many others) pay insurance premiums so that when an unlikely event happens, i.e. an accident that results in a $large claim, the insurance company will pay it. If you're going to "cheat" on your application then you're just giving the insurance company an "out" to deny your claim. If do that then you might as well save on the entire cost of insurance altogether and drive without it. [N.B. I say that facetioisly just to make my point.] Anyway, I think we're all in agreement on the rules. You have to spend some time now thinking about whether it's really worth the risk of cheating on your insurance. None of us here can help you with that. apart from advising you that cheating is wrong. Thus endeth my sermon

Most people screw some system in some way or another.. and when you don't have OODLES of cash in your damn wallet you have to sometimes do these things until you can afford to do things right.

Jesus I guess I should be tarred and feathered - for trying to get by with the means that I have.

No one is trying to tar and feather you Snowie, and I make absolutely no moral judgement what-so-ever. I am only speaking based on the almighty $. Some systems are 'worth' screwing. (As I said, this comment is devoid of moral judgement). But screwing insurance companies is not a wise move financially. Insurance companys can be reluctant to pay out VALID claims, never mind claims where they have a real excuse not to pay. Why are you bothering to get insurance at all if it won't pay out? Big waste of $ if you ask me.