[blparent] dawn stumpner with a question about sighted kids getting driving practice and car insurance that won't totally bust my budgget and sanity

[Star Gazer]

Hi Dawn. 
Do you own a vehicle? If yes, get it insured for any driver. We've done this
so people can drive me and/or our kids when needed. 
You have a right to own a vehicle and to purchase insurance. Driving doesn't
matter. You can also buy insurance that would cover you if you drove a
vehicle but since you don't that's not what you want. 
I'd be very careful with giving a friend power of attourney. What would
prevent them from saying your child drove when they hadn't? What if you
couldn't prove your child hadn't been driving at the time of an accident?
Think of something like "Jack and Jill go out to get burgers, Jack (your
kid) starts driving, then tells Jill he's too tired so she drives and wrecks
the car?" Her parents have every insentive to say that no Jill wasn't
driving, Jack was. Since you weren't there, you can't prove it either way. 
My approach would be to get a vehicle you own then insure it for any driver.

My second approach would be to get your child on a policy with a friend of
*your* choosing or a family member of *your* choosing. No way would I treat
this like Billy's mom is great at math, it's ok with me if he helps Jack. 


-----Original Message-----
From: blparent [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of dawn
stumpner via blparent
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2014 12:00 PM
To: blparent at nfbnet.org
Subject: [blparent] dawn stumpner with a question about sighted kids getting
driving practice and car insurance that won't totally bust my budgget and
sanity

Hi!

I have 3 kids, one of driving age who doesn't drive, one of driving age who
has currently just passed his paper written test for a permit, and one who
will be going through this process in three years.  I knew it would be
nerve-racking worrying about a new driver, but there are other dimensions to
the issue that just increase the stress.  Does anyone have advice? My main 2
questions are:
   Driving Practice: Most sighted parents' teens are covered under their
auto policies while they practice.  Because I will have friends giving him
practice in their cars, his driving school said that I would have to sign a
power of attorney of which one part says I will be responsible financially
for any accidents he has.  I'm fine morally being responsible for them, but
my home policy would not pay for that, and I do not have an auto policy
because I don't drive.  My insurance person said there is no other type of
policy I could buy to cover that.  She said he may be covered under the
people's policies with whom he'd be practicing, but my worry is that if I
sign a power of attorney saying that I'm financially responsible, won't
their insurance companies use that to not pay if, God forbid, there is any
type of accident?
   Insurance once he has a license: Even once he has a license, I know
insurance would be expensive, but it looks like it will probably be $3,000 a
year because there is no adult on the policy if I don't drive.  In addition,
this could continue until he is
21 because he will still be a "youthful driver" until that age.

Has anyone who does not drive or have their own auto policy but has had
teens go through practicing and getting a license have any advice? Or does
anyone out there who has law or insurance experience have any suggestions?
Any advice would be much appreciated.
     Thanks!
        Dawn

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