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Not my fault

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jayski

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

In 2008, my license was suspended and was not able to get insurance. Because I was not able to provide proof of insurance to my lender, my contract permitted them to purchase Comprehensive and Collision insurance at my expense for their protection. This insurance acquired by my lender did not include Liability insurance.

In March of that year, while I was at work one day, my girlfriend at the time decided to take my car for a drive and got rear ended. She was deemed responsible due to an unsafe lane change. Insurance information was exchanged and I haven't heard anything since. My gf ended up going to court and ordered to pay $100+ restitution to the other driver and that was it.

It's been almost 3 years and I just received a letter from a debt collection agency indicating that I was involved in an incident that resulted in $14K in damages. Unless I provide evidence of Liability insurance at the time of the accident, they will be looking to me for payment because they believe I was responsible for the incident.

How am I responsible? I wasn't even driving and was at work 35 miles away.
 


proud_parent

Senior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA

In 2008, my license was suspended and was not able to get insurance. Because I was not able to provide proof of insurance to my lender, my contract permitted them to purchase Comprehensive and Collision insurance at my expense for their protection. This insurance acquired by my lender did not include Liability insurance.

In March of that year, while I was at work one day, my girlfriend at the time decided to take my car for a drive and got rear ended. She was deemed responsible due to an unsafe lane change. Insurance information was exchanged and I haven't heard anything since. My gf ended up going to court and ordered to pay $100+ restitution to the other driver and that was it.

It's been almost 3 years and I just received a letter from a debt collection agency indicating that I was involved in an incident that resulted in $14K in damages. Unless I provide evidence of Liability insurance at the time of the accident, they will be looking to me for payment because they believe I was responsible for the incident.

How am I responsible? I wasn't even driving and was at work 35 miles away.

Insurance Requirements for Vehicle Registration
 

justalayman

Senior Member
How am I responsible? I wasn't even driving and was at work 35 miles away.


You do realize the insurance the lender placed did not meet the states requirements, right? You allowed you car to continue to be registered without the proper insurance.

after you get sued, you can sue your girlfriend for the money.
 

CourtClerk

Senior Member
You allowed you car to continue to be registered without the proper insurance.
I don't know about he allowed... the DMV allowed the vehicle to be registered. How? I don't know since you have to provide evidence of liability insurance at the time of registration.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
I don't know about he allowed... the DMV allowed the vehicle to be registered. How? I don't know since you have to provide evidence of liability insurance at the time of registration.
ok, he continued to keep his car registered without proper insurance. I don't know how you folks deal with it in Cali but many states require you to surrender the registration if you do not have insurance. I suspect even in California the laws are written so as to require insurance be in place anytime a car is registered (licensed). Whether they enforce it to the extent that some of the eastern states do I don't know.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
ok, he continued to keep his car registered without proper insurance. I don't know how you folks deal with it in Cali but many states require you to surrender the registration if you do not have insurance. I suspect even in California the laws are written so as to require insurance be in place anytime a car is registered (licensed). Whether they enforce it to the extent that some of the eastern states do I don't know.
If no proof of insurance is on file, proof of insurance must be provided at time of registration. Registration can be withheld if insurance is cancelled, but this system is spotty at best as the DMV computers and the insurance companies do not seem to be communication all that well.
 

justalayman

Senior Member
If no proof of insurance is on file, proof of insurance must be provided at time of registration. Registration can be withheld if insurance is cancelled, but this system is spotty at best as the DMV computers and the insurance companies do not seem to be communication all that well.
sounds about like my state. Basically your penalty is when you go to buy insurance, if you let the old policy lapse (I thing more than 6 weeks), they toss you into a high risk pool.
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
In 2008, my license was suspended and was not able to get insurance. Because I was not able to provide proof of insurance to my lender, my contract permitted them to purchase Comprehensive and Collision insurance at my expense for their protection. This insurance acquired by my lender did not include Liability insurance.
Is your license still suspended? If not, why have you not gotten your own insurance to protect you better? The C&C insurance from the lender is there to protect THEM, not you.

How am I responsible? I wasn't even driving and was at work 35 miles away.
Because you were the registered owner of the car.

You might want to inquire as to how a crash that happened three years ago has no reappeared at $14,000. They should be able to provide you with details of the debt, a judgment, and attempts to contact you.

It might come to pass where you have to negotiate a settlement and then you sue the girlfriend for the money. It might be worth the effort to consult an attorney.
 

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