Expert: Doctor Settlement - 7/18/2007

Question
Please answer the following: (Few of them might not be in your expertise, please ignore them if u cant answer)

1) What are the charges imposed if someone is a car on Learner's permit and without having someone sitting next to him.
2) While taking a rental car, if I add my friend as an aditional insured and he hits the car and do some accident. Whose driving history will be affected and whose insurance premium will increase, his or mine?
3) If I want to buy a car and go for a test drive, Am I allowed to drive his car legally because I dont have any insurance. Will I be driving on his insurance? If I make an accident during test drive, who will be liable for that? Whose insurance will go higher and whose insurance will cover that damage? and who will be charged for that?
4) Can some one drive in USA if he has his own native country's DL.

Thanks,
Nitin

Answer
Hi Nitin,

You are right, I do not have the answers to your questions, but I can suggest places to find out.  Let's take your questions in the order you asked them.

#1. What are the charges imposed if someone is a car on Learner's permit and without having someone sitting next to him
Answer: I would simply call your state department of licensing on this.  Also, call the local state patrol or your local sheriff.  No need to identify yourself; tell them it is a hypothetical question.

#2.  While taking a rental car, if I add my friend as an additional insured and he hits the car and do some accident. Whose driving history will be affected and whose insurance premium will increase, his or mine?
Answer: The friend will have the accident on his record, and if his insurance company has to pay, it will count the accident as an at-fault accident.  Whether or not that at-fault accident is going to raise his rates or not could depend upon what your state insurance commissioner http://www.settlementcentral.com/links.php has defined to be "at-fault".  In my state, for example, if the accident is less than $750, there accident IS NOT considered sufficient to raise rates.

One thing you did not ask is who is responsible for damages to the vehicle your friend wrecked.  YOU are the only one who signed the contract, and hence anything not paid by his company will be your responsibility.  Since your company will not cover HIM as a driver of a rental car you paid for, this might leave you exposed if he has inadequate insurance.

#3. If I want to buy a car and go for a test drive, Am I allowed to drive his car legally because I dont have any insurance. Will I be driving on his insurance? If I make an accident during test drive, who will be liable for that? Whose insurance will go higher and whose insurance will cover that damage? and who will be charged for that?

Answer: You will be a permissive driver, covered by his insurance.  The accident will go on your driving history.  And it cannot affect his premium.  BUT again, to the extent his insurance is inadequate, if you do cause an accident, you are ultimately responsible for any gaps in his coverage.  

#4. 4) Can some one drive in USA if he has his own native country's DL.
Answer: Call your state patrol or sheriff.   We have Canadian drivers here, and we drive in Canada with our U.S. licenses.

Best wishes,

Dr. Settlement, J.D. (Juris Doctor)
www.SettlementCentral.Com