Adding Additional Driver on Your Car Insurance Policy California CA
Reader’s Question:
What are my responsibilities as a California policy holder if I add another driver in my policy?
Jake
Modesto, CA
If you would like to add a minor child or your dependent, you as the policy holder is responsible for the actions of the driver when driving the vehicle in California. The terms on the insurance policy and the laws of the state vary from one state to another.
There is also what we call vicarious liability where the policy holder is held responsible for the behind-the-wheel actions
of the additional driver. Under vicarious liability, the policy holder is liable for the injury and damage to the other party
even though the policy owner has no active involvement in the accident. This is so since as the owner of the car, you gave the driver the permission to drive your car. If the “additional driver” is driving someone else’s car in an accident, no extra liability should be added on your policy. When you add someone on your policy, you are informing the insurance company that that additional driver will be using your vehicle within a certain period or frequency.
You can contact your insurance company to find out more information about this.
Tags: auto insurance, car insurance
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