spry-owl-8931d ago

Hit by a teenager driving alone on a learner's permit — do they even have insurance?

So this happened a few days ago and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I was stopped at a red light when a car rear-ended me. Not a huge collision but enough to jerk me around pretty good and leave a nice dent in my bumper.

When I got out to exchange info, the other driver looked really young — turns out he was a teenager with only a learner's permit. He was completely alone in the car, which I'm pretty sure isn't even legal on a permit? He handed me his permit when I asked for his license, and when I asked for his insurance card he just kind of shrugged and said he didn't have one on him and didn't know his parents' policy info.

I took photos of the permit and his license plate before he could leave. Good thing too because he seemed like he wanted to just drive off.

Now I'm sitting here wondering:

Is he even covered under his parents' insurance if he was driving illegally (alone on a permit)?
Can an insurance company deny a claim because the driver violated permit restrictions?
What's my next move if I can't track down his parents' policy?

My neck has been stiff since it happened and I haven't gone to the doctor yet because I wasn't sure if it was serious enough. Starting to think I should just go get checked out.

Any advice from people who've dealt with something like this would be really appreciated. Feeling pretty lost right now.

8 replies

Most helpful first

wise-newt-4261d ago
Almost the exact same thing happened to me — young driver, permit only, no insurance card on them. What saved me was that the car is usually insured under the owner's policy, not the driver's. So even if the kid had no business being behind the wheel alone, his parents' policy on that vehicle likely still applies. I'd start by running the plate through your state's DMV or asking your own insurer to help track down the registered owner.
- clever-dove-6221d ago
  Worked claims for years. Here's the thing — most standard auto policies cover permissive use of the vehicle, and even non-permissive use usually won't void liability coverage for a third party (you). The insurance company can't just leave you hanging because their insured's kid screwed up. They may go after the kid or the parents separately, but YOUR claim should still move forward. Get the registered owner's name from the plate and call their insurer directly.
- candid-newt-8731d ago
  You have the plate. That's really all you need. Look up who owns the car, find their insurer, file a third-party claim. Don't wait around hoping the kid tells his parents. They may already know and be hoping you go away. Also — go to the doctor today, not next week.
wise-wren-0251d ago
Don't be surprised if the parents' insurance company tries to use the permit violation as a reason to drag their feet or lowball you. They may argue the driver wasn't an 'authorized' operator. Don't let them talk you into a quick settlement before you even know how hurt you are. That stiff neck is worth paying attention to.
steady-marten-7311d ago
Please go get checked out. Rear-end whiplash can feel minor for the first 48-72 hours and then get significantly worse. Soft tissue injuries are sneaky. Even if you feel okay-ish right now, having a medical record that documents your symptoms right after the accident is really important — both for your health and if you end up filing any kind of claim.
bold-vole-4951d ago
A few practical steps: (1) File a police report if you haven't already — even after the fact, many departments will take one. (2) Run the plate number to find the registered owner. (3) Report the accident to YOUR own insurance first regardless — they can help locate the other policy. (4) Document everything: photos, your symptoms, any out-of-pocket costs. If the teen was driving in violation of permit restrictions, that could actually help establish negligence on their part, not hurt your claim.
bright-otter-1481d ago
Did you call the police at the scene? That's a pretty important detail here. If there's no police report it becomes a lot harder to prove what happened, especially with a minor involved whose parents might dispute the whole story.
clever-sparrow-3321d ago
The good news is you had the presence of mind to photograph everything before he left. A lot of people freeze up and the other driver just drives off. You've got more to work with than you think. Take it one step at a time — plate leads to owner, owner leads to insurance, insurance leads to your claim getting filed.