Add or not add my son to our policy?

[jayre]

My wife and I each have a car and our 16yr old son just received his driver's license so he'll be driving our cars occasionally. Got some quotes and our insurance premium would more than double if we were to add our son to our policy.
A certain agent told me that as long as our cars are insured, we would be covered if our son gets into an accident, at least the first one. So please be honest and answer if this is true. Thank you.

P.S. We reside in IL.

 

[VolAgent]

If they would cover him for free, then why would the premium roughly double for adding him? That should tell you everything you need to know.

You are getting into a real big gray area depending upon the exact policy language and state laws. Many policies cover permissive use, letting your neighbor or friend borrow your car. Also, many policies cover all family members. However, not all do and many companies have cracked down on undisclosed drivers and are limiting or excluding coverage for them.

Without knowing exactly what your policy says, there is no way to say for sure. I can guarantee you that you are playing with fire and any agent who advises this is unethical.

 

[adjusterjack]

A certain agent told me that as long as our cars are insured, we would be covered if our son gets into an accident, at least the first one.

Don't count on it.

Every auto insurance policy, everywhere, has the following provision or words to that effect:

FRAUD - We do not provide coverage for any insured who has made fraudulent statements or engaged in fraudulent conduct in connection with any accident or loss for which coverage is sought under this policy.

When you conceal from your insurance company that a member of your household is a driver of your vehicles, that is FRAUD. It is a concealment of a FACT that is material to the underwriting of the risk.

When the accident occurs, and the insurance company finds out about your 16 year old driver, it has the right to deny coverage for the claim and rescind the policy back to it's inception.

If your 16 year old driver was at fault, your financial life goes right down the toilet.

That agent was wrong, and rather stupid for telling you something like that.

Don't even think about committing insurance fraud. The potential consequences are extremely unpleasant.

Oh, one more thing I should mention. Insurance fraud is a criminal offense in every state and you could wind up in jail for it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Never lie to insurance companies. You will get caught.

 

[Life Hawk]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Never lie to insurance companies. You will get caught.

That is very true.

 

[InsCommentary]

I wrote about this last week:

Insurance Fraud | Insurance Commentary with Bill Wilson

 

[LostDollar]

My wife and I each have a car and our 16yr old son just received his driver's license so he'll be driving our cars occasionally. Got some quotes and our insurance premium would more than double if we were to add our son to our policy.
A certain agent told me that as long as our cars are insured, we would be covered if our son gets into an accident, at least the first one. So please be honest and answer if this is true. Thank you.

P.S. We reside in IL.

Welcome to the age of having a teenage driver in the household.

You want to be covered for only the first accident?

When your car is totalled, your child(ren) are in the hospital, and claims are getting ready to roll in from the other people involved in the accident, your first thought is going to be ecstacy over all the money you saved cheating on your car insurance?

You are quite funny. You want an honest insurance agent to tell you it is ok to be dishonest in regard to your automobile insurance coverage.

 

[adjusterjack]

Please keep further discussion on this matter to the other thread:

https://insurance-forums.com/commun...-to-our-auto-policy.92977/page-2#post-1229150