HELP! My insurance lapsed without me knowing it....?

Question

I signed up for car insurance with a little-known company that didnt send me any form of communications after they sent me the first contract. Life got busy, graduate school got crazy....and my insurance lapsed without me knowing it. I was relying on getting a renewal notice to know when to renew, but of course they are claiming they sent me one and I didnt get it. (Sometimes I wonder if they do that on purpose, so they can charge you more when you renew).

The car and insurance used to be under my name. Since then I transferred ownership (?) to my husband by giving him the title and signing the back before a notary. The new price they quoted him is $550! (for 6 months I think). Aside from the lapse in coverage, do you think his gender and his shorter driving record ups the price? Should I try to get a quote with myself as the driver? Only problem is, I will not be in the country the next 2 months, and he would be the main driver, so would it be possible to still get it under my name

Answer 1

Well, sure his gender and driving record could change the price, as could his credit score, and if he had no prior insurance in his name, that would increase it as well.  

It doesn't matter whose name the policy is in, for a vehicle owned by a spouse, as long as both the drivers are listed

Answer 2

Answer from a General Insurance Agent

No, They didn't do it on purpose. As you have stated that you were "busy" and "crazy" with other things and your not even in the country. You probably just overlooked your bill and didn't follow up or with the mail going overseas it could have simply been lost in the mail.

The renewal notice will often contain the renewal bill in the same envelope.

I seriously doubt the company would not have sent the bill as a strategy to increase you rates. They know you could always just call another company and they would lose your business.

Insurance companies would quickly be out of business or wouldn't have many customers if they purposely didn't send bills out.

Yes, Male drivers are always going to pay more because males are a higher risk factor due to being more aggressive drivers with higher accident rates. You also indicated that he has a shorter "driving record". It sounds like he may be a young and/or inexperienced driver so of course that also will cause him to pay more. Most insurers look for 3 to 5 years of driving experience.

Yes you can still get the policy under your name and put your husband as the second driver. It likely will cost about the same. If you try to get a policy with "only" you as a driver to save money, basically that would be a form of fraud missrepresentaion of a risk.   So you should make sure that he listed as a driver on your policy.

You and your husband as a married couple can both be held jointly and severally liable for all the damages and injuries the other may cause in an accident.

550 for 6 months, especially if it's a comprehensive policy, sounds pretty cheap for a young inexperienced driver. That's less than 100 dollars a month.

Later

Answer 3

It's your responsibility to know when your bills are due, not theirs.  I know it's frustrating, it's happened to all of us at one time or another.

There could be many reasons it's higher.  His driving record, length of time driving, residence address.  Why can't you be on the insurance and him as a listed driver?