You are here

BM is an idiot - installment 5

WokeUpABug's picture

So SD16 has been driving our car and BMs. We assumed (I know, cue laughter) that she had insurance via BM. We thought this based on the fact that BM insured (we think) SS 18 and that's she's been driving BMs car for awhile. She has just recently started driving our extra vehicle (my BD18 is now in college and doesn't need it). I don't know why, but today I pressed DH to get to the bottom of her insurance situation. Oh I know why, SD said she thought she was insured on our policy and that got me worried. Turns out BM added SD as a "permissive driver" to her insurance for $30 per month. This is like if your cousin comes to visit for a few weeks and already has insurance you add them to your policy just to be sure everything is extra kosher in case they get into an accident. Members of your own household aren't permissive drivers. They're just drivers period. And if they are teens your insurance goes up. A lot. Way more than $30 a month. But our clever BM, she thinks she found the loophole.

Now of course if SD 16 ever got into an accident... Our insurer and BMs would have a fit, and rightly so. So now it's either cover SD or don't allow her to drive our car at all. Our car? Over at BMs right now. So I guess we née to go get it. It amazes me how these BMs think they are so much smarter than everyone else.

Comments

WokeUpABug's picture

Ok I don't know how it works where you are, but yes if they only have permits then there's no extra money. But once they have licenses it's an extra $1200 or so a year. That's to compensate the insurer for the huge risk they are taking with teen drivers.

eta: we keep a $1,000,000 insurance policy on each of our vehicles so it's substantially more than $1200. But that's just because I don't mess around.

WokeUpABug's picture

Yes it I already spoke to my insurer at length. A person can't be covered under two separate policies. If she primarily drives our car then we will insure her. Otherwise BM should insure her. I had the same question.

notsobad's picture

Oh the things BMs do!

SD had a rental for the summer. She'd had an accident, not her fault and insurance (her own) covered her for 6 weeks. Instead of getting her a new car (she was going back to school) we extended the rental for another 6 weeks. DH paid the extra.

BM drove a POS that kept breaking down, so she took the rental and SD drove her POS! We didn't know till it was time to return it and BM was in another city with it!!

I was livid and told SD to get that car back ASAP. The rental guy gave her a long talk about responsibility and told her that if BM had been in an accident she and DH would have had to sue BM. SD looked like she was going to throw up, there was no way she would have sued her Mom, who is MOTY!
Oh yes you would have, unless you have a million or two because that's what the insurance company would have to pay out.
I just sat back and bit my tongue. SD Thought it applied to all insurance and when she did finally get another car BM wasn't allowed to drive it.

Andie91801's picture

Either you tow you car back or remove one of the wheel to prevent SD to drive your car. If she got into accident...will be one hell of a mess to clean up. BTW both of my Skids totaled their cars few months after they got their license. Lovely!!!

A.

WokeUpABug's picture

Oh god. I hadn't even thought about the legal aspect. Why oh why does this idiot woman have the power to affect my finances? I will now have to insure SD to prevent lawyers coming after my joint assets with DH. And know that we KNOW SD is insured we are especially liable. At least before we could claim ignorance...