Does a parent's car insurance claim "count" when a child gets their own?
July 8, 2019 10:31 AM Subscribe
My partner & I are aiming to buy a new car in the next few months. Currently, she's on her parents' insurance and "her" car is registered to her parents' address and in their name. When we go to price out insurance, we're asked if we've filed a claim in the last x months/years.
Her parents have filed claims recently, and my partner was the driver involved, but she's "just" a driver, not the policyholder.
Therefore: is the answer "yes," because she was insured under a policy that had a claim, or "no," because the policy has never been in her name?
Her parents have filed claims recently, and my partner was the driver involved, but she's "just" a driver, not the policyholder.
Therefore: is the answer "yes," because she was insured under a policy that had a claim, or "no," because the policy has never been in her name?
Best answer: Insurance companies tie claims to the driver, and her accidents will be in the industry's claims database (which the new company will search) under her name. So even though she didn't file the claim herself, it's her claim. I'd recommend you answer yes in the interest of full disclosure to avoid issues in the future. (Source: Agent with a major automobile insurance company.)
posted by davcoo at 12:16 PM on July 8, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by davcoo at 12:16 PM on July 8, 2019 [3 favorites]
Also you generally get better rates if you can demonstrate that you were previously insured (on your plan, in this case) rather than previously uninsured.
posted by mskyle at 4:13 PM on July 8, 2019
posted by mskyle at 4:13 PM on July 8, 2019
To clarify, she was not the driver of the car during the accident, correct? If not, I'm not sure if Davcoo's answer applies...
posted by ananci at 4:27 PM on July 8, 2019
posted by ananci at 4:27 PM on July 8, 2019
Best answer: Basically echoing davcoo...I put people on car insurance at work in Ontario, and the insurance definitely applies to the person insured (the driver) not just the policy holder. Here, anyway, the insurance company will run a check on your partner's driver's license number on a special insurance company database and her history will come up. So don't think that changing your answers on the quote form will help you skip this step.
However, take heart - having a claim may impact your rates, but having been insured for X years will lower the rates. If you treat her like a brand new driver never-been-insured (which would be a lie anyway), you will probably be amazed at how high the rates are.
posted by warriorqueen at 5:32 PM on July 8, 2019
However, take heart - having a claim may impact your rates, but having been insured for X years will lower the rates. If you treat her like a brand new driver never-been-insured (which would be a lie anyway), you will probably be amazed at how high the rates are.
posted by warriorqueen at 5:32 PM on July 8, 2019
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posted by ananci at 10:42 AM on July 8, 2019 [2 favorites]