Some legal questions

[Chim]

Few questions:

#1. I heard the sr20det is illegal in the states, is it also illegal up here? If yes, say I were to get in an accident with it, would the insurance refuse to cover me?
I know that insurance refuses to cover you if you have nitrous and you got in an accident with the system installed.

#2. Ok I am covered under allstate insurance as secondary (occasional) driver. If I were to get in an accident with a bunch of people in the car, and someone in my car decides to sue me, would I be covered for that? What about if the guys in the other car sue me?



Reason I'm wondering is because I plan to buy a 240sx and swap a sr20 sometime in the future. But I'm only 18 and the insurance will kill me, so if I put it under my parents and myself as secondary I will save some money. I am legally considered an occasional driver because I drive below 10000 km's/year, and that is what the allstate guy said was considered legal.


Thanks in advance for replies :thumbsup:

[angierideswitme]

well dude, your gona get caught by the insurance company if your the only one driving the car, the SR...... Swap is not illegal, and yeah, if you have pl/pd insurance(the basic stuff) you are covered for any damage you cause(to anyone, anything) up to a certain amount (usually one million or higher)

o, and who told you it was illegal to have nitrous installed in your car?

[Chim]

o, and who told you it was illegal to have nitrous installed in your car?


I believe someone on this board, not sure. Its nothing I would install anyways but I was just throwing that out as a comparison. Thanks for answers tho :thumbsup:

[TrevorK]

Originally posted by Chim
Few questions:

#1. I heard the sr20det is illegal in the states, is it also illegal up here? If yes, say I were to get in an accident with it, would the insurance refuse to cover me?
I know that insurance refuses to cover you if you have nitrous and you got in an accident with the system installed.

#2. Ok I am covered under allstate insurance as secondary (occasional) driver. If I were to get in an accident with a bunch of people in the car, and someone in my car decides to sue me, would I be covered for that? What about if the guys in the other car sue me?


I don't know why an engine would be illegal in Alberta, because there is no emissions testing...

The insurance company however (Unless you state in your policy of your engine) will NOT cover the SR20DET engine - so if your car is stolen you will be what you would have got without the additional engine. Now, some insurance companies will work with you if you have bills to prove it, but generally don't count on getting all your $$ back.

The only way you would not be covered in an accident if it was a direct result of the engine or the installation of the engine by yourself. For example, if you install the engine, wiring, and the wiring you put in catches on fire and they deem the installation faulty you CAN be denied coverage.

Insurance MAY refuse to cover you if it can prove you were using nitrous at the time of the accident and that is why it occured. But for simply having a bottle in the car? No way. As well, they MAY not even NOTICE it in their appraisal of the car.

Here's the big one - if you drive as a "secondary driver" you are still running a huge risk. Remember, they do have surviellance and are more they willing to use it against you. If they find your mom, who is the primary driver, never drives it, then you may have your coverage denied, which means YOU PAY for the other guys car/injuries.

Now if they don't find out/don't care, then yes, as a secondary driver you are covered the same as if you were primary. If your friends want $$$, they can go after insurance (Remember, they can STILL take you to civil court later). Same with the guy you hit.


Now keep in mind, a lot of this is NOT cut and dry - the adjuster plays a huge role in this and determining everything. You are definetely playing a dangerous game by being the secondary driver - especially if you drive it daily.

Being related to someone in the field, and friends with a guy who's wife in the field, I hear all the stories. Don't fuck with billion dollar companies.

Your whole life is fucked if you hit someone and get your insurance denied - as they'll have a free-for-all with their lawyers. If you injure a child permenantly, you could be paying a million dollars. Figure out how many years of working that is. Then realize you'll die before it's paid off.

[3G]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread. How about if someone drives their parents car occassionaly (lives with them but isn't on their policy as a part-time driver) crashes the car. Does the insurance cover them, or deny coverage?

[TrevorK]

Originally posted by Mx6GtTurbo
Sorry to hi-jack your thread. How about if someone drives their parents car occassionaly (lives with them but isn't on their policy as a part-time driver) crashes the car. Does the insurance cover them, or deny coverage?

Legally they can deny coverage (Unless your parents claim their car was stolen) as most policies state they don't allow other drivers under 25 to use the car.

However, that decision is up to the adjuster to make - and I've seen people who didn't have insurance get into accidents and STILL get covered.

EDIT: I also noticed the living with them part - I believe your parents have to disclose that to the insurance company as well, that there is another driver with a license in their household under 25.

[Chim]

TrevorK you have a good point, maybe I should suck up the bills and pay full insurance.

Ok time to shift the topic, how much would insurance cost for an 18 year old male with say a 93 240sx? Or some sort of turbo DSM? (Spotless driving record, no accidents, no tickets)
And isn't the government doing something to change the insurance policy? I heard it might be cheaper soon for good drivers.

I don't do stupid shit when I drive, I just want to buy a car that will be fun to drive. Been driving an 87 reliant for 2 years and it's starting to fall apart, and isnt worth fixing.

[EK 2.0]

Your best bet would be to call your parents insurance agent man...they can give you a good quote...and if you want, call around to otehr angents and see what they all are offering you...

I know for myself my Parents agent gave me the best rate as he had a history with me already, and knew my driving and record...

[TrevorK]

Originally posted by Chim
TrevorK you have a good point, maybe I should suck up the bills and pay full insurance.

Ok time to shift the topic, how much would insurance cost for an 18 year old male with say a 93 240sx? Or some sort of turbo DSM? (Spotless driving record, no accidents, no tickets)
And isn't the government doing something to change the insurance policy? I heard it might be cheaper soon for good drivers.

I don't do stupid shit when I drive, I just want to buy a car that will be fun to drive. Been driving an 87 reliant for 2 years and it's starting to fall apart, and isnt worth fixing.

I'll be honest, I did the same thing you want to do for around 2 - 3 years (I paid 600/year). I wasn't as worried because of the relationship with the insurance company I had, but I knew I had reason to be worried if something happened.

Once I started needing to drive around for work, I insured under my own name.

If you're just going PLPD it shouldn't change much based on your car - my cars change around 20-50/year when I switch my summer and winter cars.

I would NOT recommend getting collision yet - as you'll pay more than the cars worth.

If it means getting an older Supra (Fun, easy to mod, cheap, reliable, etc...) to piss around in for a couple years do it.

I still haven't bought a car that needs collision on it yet, because it'll double my rates.

[Chim]

Sorry but what does PLPD mean?

My limit for a car is $10k but I'm planning on spending around 6-8k so collision is not a big deal.
Also, which company will be most accomodating for someone my age? I hear of people paying $300/month for insurance for something like a saturn, and I am not gonna do that...


Thanks for the replies so far guys :thumbsup:

[TrevorK]

Originally posted by Chim
Sorry but what does PLPD mean?

My limit for a car is $10k but I'm planning on spending around 6-8k so collision is not a big deal.
Also, which company will be most accomodating for someone my age? I hear of people paying $300/month for insurance for something like a saturn, and I am not gonna do that...


Thanks for the replies so far guys :thumbsup:

PLPD = Public Liability Public Damage (I think - could be wrong).

It's the basic coverage - doesnt' cover your car but does cover other cars/other property.

[Chim]

K thought up of another one.

Say I am under my own insurance, and I let my friend drive my car. Now if the dumbass gets into an accident, and I'm in the car with him, who gets screwed on insurance costs? (assuming the friend has primary insurance on his own car)

[TrevorK]

Originally posted by Chim
K thought up of another one.

Say I am under my own insurance, and I let my friend drive my car. Now if the dumbass gets into an accident, and I'm in the car with him, who gets screwed on insurance costs? (assuming the friend has primary insurance on his own car)

Legally they can void coverage of your car because he is not a driver of the vehicle. But again, depending on the relationship with your company you may still get coverage. You would get screwed, unless you report it as stolen.

Your best bet in anything that is grey area is to pay it out yourself without involving insurance.