So mad - auto insurance - i can't believe this is legal!

[3timesoccermom]

I called our current auto insurer and told them I was comparing between them and another agency before deciding which place to insure my newly-licensed 16 year old (and if I should move all our policies which I did not mention). I made it very clear I had not made my decision but during the conversation he asked her birth, name, license #, which we do not have yet but he said he could obtain it himself, etc.

Before the conversation was over he told me he had already put her on the policy. I told him, no I never said to do that as I wasn't sure which I was going with. He said he "had to." I argued with him a moment before hanging up completely enraged by this! He said if I decided to go with the other insurer I could "provide them with proof of insurance and then we'll take her off."

I don't think I should have to go through that garbage when I didn't even ask them to insure her! Yes we are going to but she just got her license and has not started driving on her own yet.

I can NOT believe they are allowed to do this.

Not only that, but I had already decided to move my husand's stock trailer coverage to our home insurer's agency and told them (same insurer as above) to take it off the policy (which is paid up through 11/30/10). Then the new insurer told me I needed proof of insurance for the stock trailer. It took me about 12 emails to get that info from the previous insurer and the first reply they sent me basically said "yes we will give you the info but first I need to know why you want it"!!!!!!!!!! I told him it was for my records and it was none of his business!!!!

What is up with this? Anyone heard of or been through this??

[jen276here]

Don't quote me, but I don't think anyone can 'force' you onto a policy. I don't know if you have no car and have no plans to actually drive whether you actually need insurance - because what are you insuring?? What I am more concerned about was that they were going to get her info on their own…. Excuse me??? How? And if you, the parent, didn't provide it, how are they going to legally obtain it for a minor and force her on a policy????? Not to mention, what if you wanted her to have her own policy and not be added to yours? I'd be calling whomever I could think of to get that cleared up.

[melodyjg]

I have been checking into this because my son is close to getting his license, and from what was explained to me was the minute he got his license he HAS to have insurance. And I will bet that the reason he did that was because if your daughter got into an accident, they could be liable for the accident because they had not added her to your insurance.

It's not right but I can understand the reasoning behind it. Kids are kids and they make mistakes and the insurance company does not want to be liable.

[3timesoccermom]

I don't get it either, I called the DMV because it's been nearly a month since she got her temporary license and when I asked for the license number they told me they couldn't give it to me on the phone yet this bozo can call someone and get it????

I am still fuming. I'm in the process of transferring all our vehicles - 5 plus a 1 year old stock trailer - to a new insurer - I don't care if it costs me more. I told the guy yesterday if he put her on the policy without my permission I would cancel every one of them and I can't wait to do that.

[3timesoccermom]

Absolutely not! As I stated she has not begun driving on her own yet!

I have been checking into this because my son is close to getting his license, and from what was explained to me was the minute he got his license he HAS to have insurance. And I will bet that the reason he did that was because if your daughter got into an accident, they could be liable for the accident because they had not added her to your insurance.

It's not right but I can understand the reasoning behind it. Kids are kids and they make mistakes and the insurance company does not want to be liable.

[mommy22boys]

Yes I've been through this. Back when I was a lot younger and living w/ a boyfriend... I went w/ him to get insurance on a new truck and the lady just acted conversational, asking if we lived together and we said yes. She started asking me for personal info and I thought she just misunderstood and I'm like "oh, wait, No, I don't drive his truck. I have my own car with my own insurance." She said she had to put me on there if we lived together because there's a chance I could drive the truck. I'm like "well there's a CHANCE I could drive my neighbor's car... but I don't!" We ended up getting so mad he canceled everything and there was nothing she could do cause she didn't have his billing info yet.

It IS ridiculous! I learned from that one experience to just withhold information from them for this very reason! I'm sorry you had to go through this and I hope you get it taken care of!

[3timesoccermom]

Sorry, I thought I had stated she had not been driving on her own.

[Weinergirl]

Absolutely not! As I stated she has not begun driving on her own yet!

She isn't driving on her own, but she is driving, right? She can still get into an accident if someone else is in the car. And if she is driving your car, then the insurer is on the hook for the damages.

[3timesoccermom]

Oh I'm going to get it taken care of all right - by switching insurers. Sneaky bas----s!!!!

I absolutely despise insurance anyway - it's nothing more than a legalized gamble.

Some of you may remember that this area (Texas) went through a hurricane 2 years ago this month. People in this area had flood and home owner's insurance. Believe it or not there are STILL people who have not received any payment because flood is saying it's wind damage and home owner's is saying the damage was due to water!!!!

Who knows how many thousands of dollars some of these people paid for years only to have a knife stuck in their back when they finally needed to make a claim.

[3timesoccermom]

With me or her dad, she has driven, but I understood our policy would be "on the hook" because the vehicle was insured, not the driver IF the insured is with the driver.

She isn't driving on her own, but she is driving, right? She can still get into an accident if someone else is in the car. And if she is driving your car, then the insurer is on the hook for the damages.