Los Angeles, CA personal injury attorney Narbeh Shirvanian talks about what happens when the driver is not the owner in a car accident case. He reveals that clients often ask about the implications of driving a vehicle they do not own. Specifically, if the vehicle is not theirs, the insurance policy is not in their name, and they are not the listed insured, how does that affect their case? This question is important because coverage under another person’s insurance depends on permissive use. Essentially, the driver must have had permission from the vehicle owner for the insurance policy to provide coverage.

Insurance companies may investigate whether the driver lives with the registered owner and how frequently they have driven the vehicle previously. However, in practice, as long as the driver has permission to operate someone else’s car and the insurance coverage is current, the driver is generally covered.