Insurance

(Dear Keep It Between The Lines)

My 16 year old has recently acquired his G2 license but how does this work for insurance? Is he allowed to still drive my vehicle if I am also in it or does he need a separate policy? If he drives independently does he also need a separate policy?


Thank you for your question:

Once a G1 License Holder passes their first Road Test, they get the independent learner portion of their Graduated Drivers License (in Ontario) called the G2.

When the G1 License Holder was practicing with their Co-Driver there was no need for the Learner to have their own Insurance. The Co-Driver must be insured, and the insurance must be valid.

Once the G1 License Holder earns their G2 License by passing their first Road Test, they are required to be insured.
The owner of the car the New G2 Holder will drive can put the New Driver on the Insurance as a Secondary Driver, if they are truly drive that vehicle secondary to another driver.
If there is a family vehicle that The New G2 Driver would get to drive the majority of the time without sharing, then they need and Interdependent Policy.

If the vehicle is of a Corporation Fleet, the Fleet Insurance Policy, and Fleet Contract may have limitations and stipulations about who can and cannot drive the insured contracted vehicle. Sometimes Fleet Insurance will not allow a G2 License holder to be covered at all, and there could also be an age minimum, or and experience yrs minimum(must hold G for 5 yrs to qualify) for G License Holders.

Insuring a G2 License Holder has varying costs:

-Girls get cheaper Insurance than Guys as a Secondary Driver.

-each Subsiquent Secondary Driver's Insurance on a Vehicle can be discounted in price. So if 4 people share a family vehicle the Three Secondary Drivers could each pay a bit cheaper price. Usually the one with the least experience will be the most expensive, the one that has the most experience and possibly holds a G License would be the least expensive secondary driver.

-G2 License holders who drive their own vehicle, or are a principle driver on a family vehicle will have to be insured independantly, and that cost is very high. The insurance company is taking a big risk with new primary drivers, so the price of their policy is more expensive.

-If the Fee Payer for the Insurance is Not the G2 License Holder then be careful about your choice to take responsibility for the Insurance Contract.
Make sure you read the back of the New Temporary License your Son has so you know the regulations binding them to their license and Your Insurance.

(Note: as of Oct 1st cell phone and text messaging are banned by law from Ontario Roads. Make sure you find out from the Insurance Company what their policy is about their coverage of crashes that involve cell phone use. If one uses alcohol and gets in a crash the Insurance is Void, so it is very possible that If One uses a cell phone or text messages and gets in a crash the Insurance could be void too.)