Reader’s Question:

We are starting our own business and we are trying to figure out what are the requirements for having business insurance on the vehicle in GA.

Cook

Atlanta, GA

The requirements for having business car insurance on a car may vary according to state laws and insurance provider guidelines.

You should select Business Use car insurance if your car is regularly used for occupational responsibilities, such as traveling between locations for business appointments or sales calls.

Usually with a business auto insurance policy the named insured is the business. Normally automatically included as insured’s are: employees; owners of borrowed cars; anyone using the business car with permission. A leasing company or bank with an interest in an insured car may be included as an additional insured.

What will be the consequences for driving with no insurance on a leased car? Can the vehicle company repossess your car if you have no insurance on your leased car? I live in Atlanta Georgia.

Grey

Atlanta, GA

The consequences for driving uninsured on a financed or leased car will depend upon state laws as well as the terms of your lease. Laws vary by state but generally most state laws permit for a lien holder to repossess a car if you fail to uphold your part of the lease or loan contract.

Some lien holders will not take back the vehicle but will add these charges to your payments. This type of insurance will not be cheap and the cost will be added to your payments normally, as permitted by law and the terms of your loan or leased paperwork.

To check the specific consequences you may face from your leasing company for not carrying insurance, meaning both state liability as well as physical damage coverages of comprehensive and collision, speak with the financial institute the lease is through or read through your leasing document.

I know that you should add someone in you insurance policy if they use your car more than regularly. But what are the consequences of them being involve in an accident and not having them listed on your policy? I have a friend that borrows my car, and we are living in the same household but if I add him to my insurance policy, my insurance rate goes up a lot and its so unreasonable! We live in Atlanta GA and I would like to know what will happen if he damages my car and he is not added to my policy?

Mike

Atlanta, GA

Generally, the consequences of not adding a household member to your insurance policy when it is required by your insurance company is that if he get involve in an accident while using your car they would deny claims since he was not a motorist on policy and therefore you were not paying premiums for him to covered to drive your car. We have heard of some insurance companies that will cover a household member that was not listed on the insurance policy.

Most insurance companies and state laws require you to add all licensed household members on your policy and either add them as motorists or exclude them. It does not appear that in Atlanta GA you could totally exclude your roommate from your policy, only from collision and comprehensive coverages.

Georgia law states that car insurance fraud happens when people knowingly misrepresent pertinent facts to an insurer or agent to get a policy or collect money to which they are not entitled. Removing a licensed household member from your insurance policy is a misrepresentation of facts and is considered soft fraud. Any form of car insurance fraud is a serious crime in Atlanta GA that can lead to possible jail time and heavy fines.